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< Back to News Home 2nd Annual Team Sahlen Mazdaspeed Club Party

Posted (11/03/2011) -

For the 2nd straight year, Team Sahlen hosted a year ending party for MAZDASPEED Club Enthusiasts at their Race Shop on October 21st.  Over 30 Enthusiasts showed up for the Party.  Team Sahlen utilized their adjoining Gateway Event & Conference Center (www.gatewayohio.com) to hold the evening’s events.

 

Before dinner got started, there was the presentation of the Contribution check to the “Make A Wish” foundation.  At the last event of the year at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, the Mazda club raised money via several special events at their Corral for the “Make A Wish”.  Additionally, Team Sahlen carried the “Make A Wish” branding on the sides and hood of the #42 Mazda RX-8.  The final check that was presented to the “Make A Wish” representative in attendance was for over $3000.

 

After the presentation, next up was dinner, where Subway Subs, Chips and Drinks were served.  This year the dinner was served in the Café, which was specially decorated for the occasion.    This included Mazda Banners, Grand American flags as well as Team Sahlen flags. 

 

After Dinner, everyone convened into the main conference hall.  Team Sahlen driver Will Nonnamaker shared a Power Point presentation with the Mazda Enthusiasts that detailed Team Sahlen’s 2011 race season.  This included videos from the exciting last 2 laps of Road America that saw the #42 Mazda go from 5th to 2nd.     Additionally, Will shared the fantastic season of the Mazda supported Western New York Flash Women’s Soccer Team, who won the WPS title.  Again, Will was able to pull up video from You Tube.  This video was of the final sequence in the Shootout in the Championship game. 

 

Will also shared the team’s plans for 2012, that includes new Team Driver Dane Cameron joining Team Sahlen as teammate to the 2010 Bob Akin Sportsman Award Winner - Wayne Nonnamaker.

 

Then at the conclusion of the presentation, the Mazda enthusiasts were shown a short sequence of in car video from the season finale at Mid-Ohio.  It was very exciting video, with John Edwards slicing through the field.  Everyone in attendance could have watched the in-car for quite some time, but there were other exciting events to occur, so the video was cut short at 10 minutes in.

 

This next event was the part that all the Mazda Enthusiasts were anxious to see; the tour of the race shop, where the 3 ROLEX GT Mazda RX-8s were on stands for all to see

 

Team Manager Jay Chapman led the Mazda Enthusiasts into the shop and provided an in-depth tour.  On display was the Clean Room where Shock Dyno and Transmission repair equipment is housed.  Then the Dirty Room were grinding, cutting and fabrication is conducted. From there the Mazda owners quickly fanned out, each individual checking out the 3 race cars on display. 

 

Beyond the excitement of the 3 ROLEX RX-8s, the Mazda enthusiasts were inquisitive about 2 other vehicles in the race shop.  1st was the new driver training tool purchased over the summer,,,a shifter go-kart.  Wayne Nonnamaker explained the desire and reason for the go-kart. 

 

“With track time being so precious and expensive at the race track in the RX-8, it becomes vital for the Nonnamaker family to be as ready as possible when we get to the track.  Getting track time away from ROLEX weekends in a production based race car doesn’t even come close to simulating the power to weight ratio and g-forces we experience.  The shifter kart though does reach those levels.  Hopefully we can use this as a great tool to be better prepared when we hit the track every race weekend.”

 

Also of interest during the tour was the most “Unique” Mazda in the shop,,a black 1986 Mazda RX-7 with Grass glued to the roof and hood.  This Mazda was raced by Nonnamakers and several weekend warrior volunteers at the recent Chump Car 25 hours and 25 minutes race at Nelson Ledges Road Course.  For those that are not aware, this type of racing is for $500 cars that you turn into race cars for minimal investment.  There are over 80 of these events across the country, although this was the longest of those such events.  In fact, this was actually the longest Endurance Event in North America. The Chump Car was such a group favorite, that as the Tour drew to a close, all the Mazda Enthusiasts gathered around the RX-7 for the group photo.

 

Then at the end of this session there was a special appearance of Hot Dog Boy and his sidekick Ketchup.  This dynamic duo assisted in drawing names for special door prizes. Prizes included Mazda Sweatshirts and T-shirts, Team Sahlen Hats, Backpacks, Water Bottles as well as the famous Hot Dog Hats. Additionally, Team Sahlen set up a “Freebie” table with flyers, hero cards and literature from the team and their corporate partners.

 

“It was great to have so the Mazda enthusiasts back again for a 2nd straight year at our shop.  MAZDASPEED is all about family and coming together to have a good time.  That philosophy is evident at the ROLEX weekends between SpeedSource, Dempsey Racing and Team Sahlen.  And it is evident tonight when sitting around chatting with everyone.  Everyone here had a Mazda Zoom Zoom story to share with the group.” Shared Jay Chapman, Team Manager

Photos from the evening can be found at this Picture Album:

http://www.teamsahlen.com/index.cfm?template=pa&pa_id=6447

 

 

The 2011 Team Sahlen campaign in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, HRPWorld.com, Cool Shirt, Racetech Seats, BBS, Racing Print Media, Alcon, Mothers Polish, EMCO, NGK Spark Plugs, TheRaceSite.com, Western New York Flash, Grassroots Motorsports, Castrol Oil, Holliday Canopies, ASC Industries, Iannetti  Design Ideas, CM Racing


 

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