Every time the FRSport Team goes out to an event event we try to show up with as much stuff as we can possibly take in order to satisfy the needs and wants of our customer base. MAZFEST 2013 at the Willow Springs International Raceway was no different. We went out to interact with the Mazda community, fill their performance part needs, and even helped judge the Car Show Contest; all this in 100 degree weather!
The day for us usually starts with us unpacking our plethora of performance goodies and trinkets.
Our amazing I.T. department always works extra hard to provide us with the tools necessary to help the consumers get the items they need no matter what form of payment. Sometimes they make our heads explode with the innovations they come up with on the spot.
We also always like to have a bit of fun of course. Here our Sponsored Driver/Sales Supervisor and one of our Logistics team members, Tony, look pretty and strike a quick pose haha. (They are going to kill me for posting that)
Underneath our awesome EZ UP tent, which we designed in house and also sell, we had a plethora of cool Mazda stuff for sale.
From small but necessary items like Mazda specific HPS Silicone Hoses & Swift Lowering Springs
To extremely premium and uber’ high quality OHLINS Coilover Suspension Kits for the RX8 were available at our booth.
Of course we like to bring our product out to these events but that isn’t the only way we interact with our fan base. At the MAZFEST 2013 event we also had our awesome Mazda RX8 on track giving people full speed ride-alongs. Our sales manager gave so many rides to attendees that the wheels on the RX-8 began to chunk’; this basically looked like the tires were melting!
Although MAZFEST traditionally is a huge event, the heat and distance this time around may have prevented some folks from coming out to the show. At times it would be really slow around the car show area so we just resorted to good ol’ fashion shenanigans during these lulls. Here one of our trusted leaders tested the selfie’ shot with an SLR Camera and concluded that the reason real photographers don’t take selfie’s is because of the impending danger of smashing your face with the camera should it slip out of your hands haha.
Speaking of the heat, this little, angry Mazda Miata owned by one of our good customers, Stanley Kowalski, actually had its Valve Cover crack. If it was because of the heat or perhaps something else we’re not sure of, but we can sure guess that the temperatures had something to do with it.
Although a lot of cars at the MAZFEST 2013 event were there to take advantage of the beautiful Willow Springs course, there were still plenty of gorgeous show quality Mazda’s at the event and I actually got the opportunity to judge some of them!
I was really excited to be part of this judging and took my new responsibilities quite seriously. I mean I do have a background in aesthetics and fine art so I should have been able to pick some of the nicer cars there. Everybody has an opinion in the end so my criteria was simple; the cars in contention needed to be clean, with clean execution of their modifications, and being different vs maintaining the classicism of the vehicle weighed in about the same in my book at least. The winner I chose for the best classic Mazda Vehicle was this RX-7.
The interior and engine bay was immaculate and the body of the vehicle dent-less.
The vehicle I chose for Best Miata, and Best Overall car actually, was this magnificent example. It combined a sense of high-end with a touch of Japanese flair.
The interior was upholstered in what seemed to be red leather and had diamond stitching in some of the interior sections. Apparently Mazda made a few limited versions of this Miata like this from the factory but this owner went and took the extra step to add a little more leather to the interior. The “Bikini Top” as Miata enthusiasts call it, also complimented the overall execution of the car.
Speaking of limited cars this Mazda RX-7 was my pick for top RX-7 car at the event. Although this car can be seen heavily modified at times the sheer “stockness” of the car is what made it stand out from the pack.
I didn’t know this that day but apparently this specific color was the rarest color the legendary RX-7 FD3 came in.
At the time the color of the car did attract my attention but that wasn’t what wowed me initially. What wowed me in the first place was the quality of the interior. Most of the RX-7’s I have seen have really torn leather or it is extremely discolored. Not this example, it was minty fresh.
The rest of my picks for “Best in Classes” exemplified the criteria that I had set for the cars in the beginning: The Best Mazda Protoge exhibited unique and loud modifications, however carried out in a very tight and clean manner.
The Best Mazda 3 kept it clean and simple. The SBC Enkei RPF01 Rims against the dynamically contrasting Electric Blue really called out for attention without the need for any crazy lambo’ doors or extravagantly painted wheels.
This RX8, winner of the Best RX-8 at the show, simply used strategically painted areas to bring about a unique style to the car. It even had a mini transformer replica of its self, how cool is that!?
After taking part in the car show judging we made our way over to a big tent where people were beginning to gather around.
The raffle, which consisted of many Mazda aftermarket parts and shwag donated by participating vendors, was about to begin.
The DJ kept the raffle upbeat and fun while he read the numbers. There was actually a lot raffled off. It went on for about an hour and a half and the heat combated the DJ for attention throughout the whole part of the event.
A lot of people came out winners and some of them even found cool little accessories for their Mazdas. This young man is pictured here showing off his new prize; a DIF Drift Knob Button for his Mazda ride.
All in all it was great day out in the Sun. We got to converse with lots of Mazda enthusiasts and even got show off our RX-8 out on the track. We hope that everybody had a good time and that the people that got ride-alongs from us enjoyed what it felt like to go full speed at Willowsprings International Raceway. Till next time Mazda owners!
Want to take a look at more images from the event? Check out the image gallery below.
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