That’s right, here’s the RX-792p sitting in the walkway of a convention center. But there’s a really good reason why.
- Car: Mazda RX-792p
- Location: Long Beach, CA
- Photog: Peter Nelson (IG + Twitter: @16vPete)
- Camera: iPhone7
All my recent babbling about the 2021 Long Beach Grand Prix made me search through my iCloud account, looking for photos for afore-linked blogs. While doing so, I came across this shot I took of the legendary RX-792p, Mazda’s best-looking rotary-powered prototype race car in my opinion.
I didn’t get a good shot of the whole car, but I really enjoy this one as a sort of finer-details shot.
This RX-792p was raced pretty briefly in IMSA back in the early ’90s. It featured a four-rotor, 2.6-liter R26B that made 600 horsepower, which was plenty of power to scoot its little 1800-pound self around North America’s best race tracks.
My favorite little historical tidbit about the RX-792p is it was developed after the Le Mans-winning 787B was banned by the FIA in 1991. Mazda, not wanting to kill off such a wonderful thing, introduced the 792 as an IMSA-exclusive brute for the 1992 season. By the way, by wonderful thing, I mean beautiful, early ’90s prototype race car powered by a glorious, screeching four-rotor.
It went on to see some success, despite some early teething issues that included catching on fire due to its ultra-hot exhaust. Rotary things, you know?
I snapped this photo at the 2019 Long Beach Grand Prix when the convention center in downtown Long Beach turns into one huge temporary auto museum. Paying a visit to it is worth visiting the GP alone, I highly recommend it if you’re thinking of paying a visit later this year.
