Women keep up with -- and sometimes beat -- the guys in Mazda Motorsports Development Ladder

When historians look back at 2008, they may be inclined to call it the year of the woman. With roughly half the race season gone, several noteworthy accomplishments in a handful of professional series have dominated the news, illustrating that motorsports is no longer an all-boys club.

August 8, 2008 (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin).  The 2008 race season started off on a high note, both on-track and off.  An underdog win by the Castrol Syntec SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 team at the Rolex 24 at Daytona saw Mazda take its 22nd class win in the American 24-Hour classic.  Less than a month later, all eyes turned to the unification of open wheel racing.  While that was welcome news for race fans, it created a great deal of additional work for many organizations.  Mazda was hit especially hard with four Mazda-specific series directly impacted, and has spent the past six months in rebuilding schedules for 2008 and 2009. 

WHAT DO RACE DRIVERS, ADOPTABLE ANIMALS, PLAYBOY PLAYMATES, BEST SELLING AUTHORS, AND THE MAZDA GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND ALL HAVE IN COMMON?

- They are all helping the Oregon Humane Society This Week -

July 21, 2008 (Portland, Oregon) - While most people might not lump race drivers, adoptable animals, Playboy Playmates and best selling authors together in one room, that is exactly what will be happening this week during the build-up to the Mazda Grand Prix of Portland.  Fans of any of the aforementioned groups are being alerted to the following:

The Mazda Grand Prix of Portland is a brand-new kind of racing weekend showcasing the Star Mazda Championship and a variety of modern motorsports.

Rounds 4 and 5 of the 12-race 2008 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear take place July 25 - 27 at Portland International Raceway under... unique circumstances.  Not only is the series embroiled in one of the hottest championship battles in recent years with three different winners in the first three races, but, with the Champ Car/IRL unification scrambling the schedule, the Star Mazda Championship becomes the main event at this weekend's Mazda Grand Prix of Portland.