This weekend is the Belle Isle Grand Prix, but I arrived in Detroit early this week for a media event with Mazda at the M1 Concourse. It’s a brand new country club track (less than a year old) located just north of Detroit. It’s actually still in the metro area, in Pontiac, Michigan, and it’s built where a GM plant used to be.
Our purpose was to showcase the Mazda Motorsports landscape in the U.S., specifically the Global MX-5 Cup cars. And of course we were there to give rides and to let the media drive the cars themselves!
Mazda Prototype drivers giving media rides in @GlobalMX5Cup cars at @M1Concourse near Detroit. #MRT24 pic.twitter.com/b9yak25SBx
— Mazda Motorsports (@MazdaRacing) May 31, 2017
We had several different media outlets, from “mom bloggers” all the way to automotive enthusiasts from all of the major car magazine brands. We had the full lineup of Mazda cars, ranging from the MX-5 and MX-5 RF to the CX-9, that they could drive on track. The MX-5s were all manual transmissions, so the other cars were good options for people who couldn’t drive a manual.
The sun sets at M1 Concourse after a busy full day of media and guests.
We had several waves of media throughout the day. We even stuck around for lunch and dinner: there are garages built at the circuit, and members have purchased over 100 garages already. We were hosted by one of the members for lunch and dinner. Their cars were on the ground floor of the garage, and their mezzanine has a living room and kitchen. These places are a lot more than just garages!
In the evening, we had members from M1 come out for a presentation and ride along, where we gave rides to over 60 folks. It was really exciting because there was a ton of interest in the car, not to mention the four prototype drivers mixing it up out there!
I think everyone went away with a new appreciation for Mazda and their motorsports initiatives, not to mention the new Global MX-5 Cup car, which is a perfect fit for some of these members and their circuit. And from our side, we got a new appreciation for having a racetrack literally within a metropolitan area.
The rest of the week will be the Belle Isle Grand Prix, where our two Mazda Prototypes are ready to compete on the streets. This race last year is where Mazda got their first Prototype podium, so we’re excited for the opportunity to improve on that result.