Mazda3 Rally Campaign

After taking a break for most of the rally season in 2004, Burmeister Rallysport announces today that the MazdaSpeed team will be back in 2005 to compete in the Rally America Championship.

"We are moving up to the unlimited two wheel drive class of Group5 for 2005," said Eric Burmeister, owner and driver of Burmeister Rallysport.

Burmeister, who has led his Mazda Protegé to wins in 2002, 2003, and 2004, is ready for the challenge ahead. The team will continue with the trusty Protegé at the first race of the season, the snow and ice covered Sno*Drift Rally in Atlanta this weekend, running outclassed in Group2 configuration for the race. He's not too worried. "I've finished on the podium in overall 2nd at this race the last 3 years I've ran it. I like ice!"

Co-driving for Burmeister this year will be Dave Shindle, an accomplished co-driver with experience in both the US and Canada. His job as a Jemba reconnaissance specialist for previous rallies gives him an edge with the stage notes used in the Rally America Championship. "I'm real excited to be with the Mazda team," said Shindle. "…and I'm excited to be competing regularly in the US again."

Steve Sanders, manager of Mazda's in-house motorsport division, MazdaSpeed Motorsports Development, was instrumental in making the project happen. "We are excited to be involved with the new Rally America series," Sanders stated. "We enjoyed helping Eric with his Protegé effort and look forward to seeing him continue to greater heights with the new Mazda3 Rally Car."

The Rally America Championship series is a stage rally that stretches across the US. Competitors race flat out against the clock for hundreds of miles on a course of back roads closed to the public. A co-driver or navigator describes the road in tremendous detail to the driver via an intercom system in the helmets.

Related links
Mazda3
Mazda
Mazda Website
Rally America