Article posted on SPEEDTV.com and written by John Dagys:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/grand-am-mazda-gearing-up-for-2012/

While new manufacturers and teams continue to enter the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, one of the series’ longstanding brands is poised to again be well represented on the GT grid next year.

Mazda, which came a mere two points away from claiming the 2011 Rolex GT Series manufacturers’ championship, is expected to be back with no fewer than four customer RX-8s in the highly competitive, production-based category.

“We will continue with our customer teams campaigning the Mazda RX-8 in GT,” Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan told SPEED.com. “In terms of the exact make up of those customer teams, it's yet to be finalized.”

Doonan confirmed all three of its flagship customers - SpeedSource, Dempsey Racing and Team Sahlen’s - will return next year with at least one car each, two in the case for the family-run Sahlen’s outfit, which enjoyed a breakout 2011 season with two podium finishes.

Patrick Dempsey confirmed to SPEED.com last month that he expects to field a two-car effort for the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona, while SpeedSource’s lead RX-8 is likely to comprise of team principal Sylvain Tremblay and former open-wheel standout Jonathan Bomarito, who combined to finish third in the GT championship this year.

While 2010 class champions Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato having moved on to AIM Autosport’s new Ferrari 458 Italia program, Tremblay is working hard to fill the team’s second car, according to Doonan.

“We're still currently working on those second and potentially third cars right now,” Doonan said. “I know Yellow Dragon is [also] working extremely hard to put their car on the grid.

“It's a tough economy and it's tough to pull all the strings together from their individual perspectives. Everyone's giving it their hard college try right now and in typical Mazda spirit, we'll put as many cars on the grid as we can.”

With the tubeframe RX-8’s homologation being extended for one additional year, despite the road car’s production having recently ended, it’s unclear what could be in store for 2013 and beyond. But for now, Doonan has reaffirmed Mazda’s commitment for the coming season.

Mazda’s complete 2012 motorsports program, which spreads across the open-wheel and sportscar platforms, is expected to be confirmed in the next two weeks, Doonan said.