■Mazda enters two race-prepared Mazda MX-5 models in Britcar 24-hour race■Mazda celebrates 20 years of Mazda MX-5 wind-in-the-hair British motoring at Silverstone

Racing Champion and twice 24-hour RX-8 endurance racing driver for Mazda in 2005 and 2006, Mark Ticehurst, 39 from Hassocks, West Sussex is leading the Mazda UK endurance race team for a third time – contesting the Britcar 24-hour endurance race at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 2 - 3 October 2010.

The 24-hour endurance race entry by Mazda celebrates the iconic MX-5 latest milestone hitting 100,000 sales in the UK and marks 20 years of British motorists enjoying wind-in-the-hair motoring, outstanding handling and pure driving fun.

Mazda has entered two race-prepared Mazda MX-5 2.0i Soft-top Sport Tech models to be driven by two teams of four drivers.  Joining Mark in the Mazda endurance race team will be motoring journalists from Auto Express, EVO, Autocar, Car Magazine, thecarmag and the Press Association, plus British kart racer Jade Paveley, 17 from Meriden, near Coventry.

“I raced with Mazda in the RX-8 for two seasons in the Britcar endurance race series in 2005 and 2006, which included two 24-hour races.  Now to be racing the lightweight, agile and responsive Mazda MX-5 in the 2010 Britcar 24-hour race is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the cars handling, durability, frugal fuel consumption and pure joy of driving. With a talented driver line-up and an outstanding sportscar, the Mazda team is aiming for good result,” said Ticehurst.

Earlier this year Mark competed in the Mazda MX-5 race organised by Mazda Motors Europe at Adria International Raceway in Italy.  That race marked the celebration of 20 years of Mazda MX-5; the world’s best-selling roadster.

“We know the Mazda MX-5 is renowned for its reliability, agility and performance and the race in Italy was testament of this.  The Britcar 24-hour race provides another great chance to test the MX-5 racecars attributes,” said Graeme Fudge, PR Director for Mazda UK.

The 24-hour Britcar race starts at 16.30hrs on Saturday 2 October.  Contesting cars aim to cover as many laps as possible in the 24 hours around the 3.195 mile circuit.

The Mazda MX-5 racecars are based on the standard production 2.0i Soft-top Sport Tech model.  Each car has been carefully prepared with safety modifications including the addition of safety catches on the bonnet and boot lids, FIA-compliant bucket race seats, competition steering wheel and alloy wheels.  The soft-top, seats and many of the interior components have been removed, while a safety roll cage is added to ensure maximum driver protection.

“I’ve been privileged to have been involved in Mazda’s growing success since 2003 and during this time we have repeatedly proved the performance and reliability of many of the current Mazda cars at circuits across the UK. This is testament to the build quality of the cars and why Mazda has, with confidence, entered two relatively unmodified MX-5 racecars into the 24-hour Britcar race,” enthused Ticehurst.

“I am looking forward to pushing this agile sportscar flat out round Silverstone and completing the around the clock marathon of racing,” concluded Ticehurst