Monterey High School students get up-close look at prototype race car

Students at Monterey High School got a visit from Mazda’s Skyactiv-D prototype race team on Tuesday, learning how science and math applies to success on the race track.

The same race car will compete this weekend in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as part of the Tudor United SportsCar Series.

Tuesday’s demonstration was made possible through Mazda’s newly launched Racing Accelerates Creative Education program. It focuses on STEM education; using demonstrations of science, technology, engineering and math.

The Skyactiv-D prototype race car seen by teenagers at Monterey High, uses domestic, renewable, synthetic clean diesel fuel. In essence, students learned how their trip to the local fast-food restaurants, with a dash of science, can help power 200-mph race cars.

The United SportsCar Series was created by the merger of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car and American Le Mans organizations, both of which had a long history of competing at Mazda Raceway.

The Tudor Championship features two styles of cars, Prototype and GT (Grand Touring). Each style of car has two classes, Pro and Pro-Am, meaning there are four classes of racing on track together, each with their own battle for the lead.

For event information, visit www.mazdaraceway.com