Mazda North America, in cooperation with Northern California dealer Tracy Mazda, has announced it will donate a truck that will be raffled off with proceeds to assist Team USA’s ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) effort in La Serena, Chile, which will run this fall from November 12-17.
This is a first for a major manufacturer outside the motorcycle industry to show its support for the U.S. ISDE team and is a credit to Mazda North America.
The fund-raising truck will be a 2007 Mazda B2300, and it will be on display at Tracy Mazda, 2680 Auto Plaza Way, Tracy, California. Donations can be made conveniently over the Internet via Paypal at www.isde4teamusa.com with a suggested donation of $30 per chance or two for $50.
The name of the winner will be drawn on October 28, 2007, at the finale of the AMA/FMF Racing National Hare & Hound Series near Lucerne Valley, California.
All proceeds will be used to help send America’s World Trophy and Junior World Trophy teams to Chile for the 82nd ISDE. Additionally, a portion will be used to help pay for transporting the 40-foot container that holds the bikes, spares and tools to La Serena—only the second time in history that the event has been held in South America.
The ISDE is the oldest continuously running form of world championship motorcycle racing and is often referred to as the Olympic Games of off-road motorcycling. Not only must a rider endure six punishing days of up to 200 miles per day on the trail, but the rider is the sole individual allowed to complete the major mechanical maintenance to keep his bike running; others may only add air to the tires or fuel to the tank.
Each year, countries from around the world send teams of their best riders to compete in several categories, with the FIM World Trophy the most coveted prize which a country’s six best racers strive for. The FIM Junior World Trophy (which the U.S. has won three times) is for teams of four; all four must be under 24 years old. There are also three-person Club teams with no age, gender or engine displacement stipulations.
This year’s U.S. World Trophy team consists of Jordan Brandt, Kurt Caselli, Fred Hoess, Jimmy Jarrett, Ron Schmelze and Rory Sullivan. The Junior World Trophy team from America—which won last year in New Zealand—is comprised of Russell Bobbitt (the sole returnee), David Kamo, Cole Kirkpatrick and Wally Palmer.
New this year will be a three-rider Women’s World Cup division, though the U.S. has sent three-woman teams before to compete in the Club category. Nicole Bradford, Lacy Jones and Amanda Mastin—all of whom have raced in at least one previous ISDE—will represent the U.S. in the Women’s World Cup. In addition, 30 other Americans will take part, divided into 10 U.S. Club teams.
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