Lola T616 Mazda, 1984
Mazda 616
Mazda 616•
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Chassis No.: HU-2
Auction: Monterey 2026
Auction date: August 15, 2026
Lot No.: R21
- Engine: Other
- Transmission: Manual
- Exterior: White/Black
- Interior: Black
- Driven to a C2 Class 1st Place at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans by John Morton, Yoshimi Katayama and John O’Steen
- Lola T616 Prototype chassis no. HU-2
- Mazda became the first Japanese manufacturer to score a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
- As part of the BFGoodrich 3,000-mile tire development program, this was one of the first two cars to utilize radial street tires on the high banks of Daytona
- Campaigned by Jim Busby Racing
- Built in England by team manager Jim Tully, Chuck Patrick and Jim Busby
- 1.3L/300 HP Mazda 13B rotary engine
- MSD ignition
- Hewland 5-speed manual transaxle
- BFGoodrich White and Black no. 68 livery with Red and Blue stripes
- Black interior
- Aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis
- Top speed rated at 200 MPH
- Competed at Le Mans, Nurburgring, Monza, Fuji, Daytona, Sebring, Miami and Watkins Glen
- In 2003, chassis HU-2 was acquired by Jim Busby and Rick Knoop and received a comprehensive frame-off, tub-up restoration
- Chassis HU-2 was on track at the 2004 Road and Track U.S. Sports Car Invitational at Laguna Seca and the 2005 Goodwood Festival of Speed
- In 2009, John Davis acquired the car and it received a mechanical maintenance and a fire system restoration by Virtuoso Performance of Hayward, California
- In 2010, chassis HU-2 was on track at the HMSA Portland Historics and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca
- In 2016, a cosmetic restoration of the body, interior, engine compartment, chassis, suspension, brakes, wheels and tires was undertaken by Canepa of Scotts Valley, California
- In 2025, the fuel cell was rebuilt and a new liner was installed
Driven to C2 Class first place at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans with drivers John Morton, Yoshimi Katayama and John O’Steen, this 1984 Lola T616 (Prototype Chassis HU-2) is one of just four units produced. Chassis HU-2 earned the second Le Mans victory for Mazda, following in the footsteps of the 717C’s 1983 win. The Lola T616 Mazda was not a factory works car, but a sports racing prototype designed by Lola Cars of England and campaigned by Jim Busby Racing. Mazda did supply the 13B Wankel Rotary engine even though the Lola T616 was in direct competition with their own factory works car.
Designed to compete in both the FIA-sanctioned World Sportscar Championship series and the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) Grand Touring Prototype GTP series, the car competed in racing venues across multiple continents. Its racing provenance (in addition to its Le Mans victory) includes competition in period at Nurburgring, Monza, Fuji, Daytona, Sebring, Miami and Watkins Glen. Chassis HU-2 sat largely dormant after the 1984 racing season but underwent a full frame-off, tub-up restoration by Jim Busby Racing in 2003. Shortly after restoration, this car participated in the 2004 Road and Track U.S. Sports Car Invitational at Laguna Seca and the 2005 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
In 2009, the car received mechanical maintenance and a fire system restoration. In 2016, Canepa Design of Scotts Valley, California, performed a cosmetic restoration of the body, interior, engine compartment, chassis, suspension, brakes, wheels and tires. Wearing its Le Mans-winning #68 BF Goodrich livery, this car is in its original specification with its proper aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis, 1.3L/300 HP Mazda 13B rotary engine, and Hewland 5-speed manual transmission.
