Ex-Dempsey Mazda RX-8s to Contest Bathurst 12H

Photo: Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

A pair of ex-GRAND-AM Mazda RX-8s are set to compete in next year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

According to a report on Speedcafe.com, Australian production racer Bruce Henley has purchased the ex-Dempsey Racing cars, which are now en route to Australia to take part in February’s around-the-clock enduro at Mt. Panorama.

Henley, who is already campaigning a SpeedSource-built RX-8 in the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series this year, said he’s received permission to enter the cars in in Class I, for invitational non-production entries.

“The only other car that was available came in a pair, so it looks like we’ll end up running those two cars,”Henley told Speedcafe.com. “The 12 Hour organizers have also said that if we let you run next year, we’ll also let you run the year after, so it’s a two-year program.”

The rotary powered tube-framed cars have had a storied past in Rolex Sports Car Series competition, which included two Rolex 24 at Daytona class wins, a sweep of the 2010 drivers, teams and manufacturers championships and 18 class wins from  2007-12.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John