SEBRING, Fla. (March 17, 2026) – Mike Smellie came a home a double winner in last month’s HSR Sebring Pistons and Props presented by Alan Jay Automotive Network in sweeping the series debut races of the new HSR/VSCDA North-South Challenge in his screaming GT-2 spec 1995 No. 8 Mazda RX-7. Smellie was not only the inaugural winner in the new HSR/VSCDA championship showcasing GT-2, GT-3, GT-4 and GT Lite (GTL) sports cars but also scored the overall victories in the Historic Trophy sprint races.
“This car is a crowd pleaser,” Smellie said. “This car is a three rotor. Most of the other Mazdas are the two rotors. The three rotors have a particular note, and everybody really loves the sound of this car. The spectators love this car, one, for the sound, and secondly, for the amount of flames that come out of the exhaust on deceleration. All of the cameras are going like crazy when they see the flames!”
Downsized versions of 1980’s and 1990’s era Trans-Am, IMSA GTO/GTS/GTU and All-American GT (AAGT) cars, GT-2, GT-3, GT-4 and GTL machines are winged and full-competition tube-frame specials powered by race-prepared small-bore engines and fitted with the bodywork of the top small sports cars, coupes and sedans of the day. Popular machinery includes RX-7’s like Smellie’s and the Toyota Celica, Nissan 200SX, Acura RSX, Mazda RX-3 and other familiar compact sports cars and sports sedans from the era.
“These are like the old IMSA GTU cars from the 1990s,” Smellie said. “They were popular cars at that time. Then, when the newer cars came out in IMSA these kind of faded away for more production-based cars. Now, a lot of people that have these cars at home are enthusiastic to come out and run together again in HSR and VSCDA, like we did in the ’90s. That will be very exciting.”
Smellie’s RX-7 is powered by a three-rotor 20B engine, and the chassis was built by former NASCAR Cup driver E.J. Trivette and his Chassis by Trivette operation based in Ft. Meyers, Florida. Prior to that, Trivette was part of Baird & Trivette Racing, formed with Gary Baird in 1982, that – in addition to stock cars – produced several GT specification Chevrolet Monzas. Performance Tech Motorsports owner and longtime driver Brent O’Neill was one of the regular co-drivers in the Monzas that ran in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the mid-80s.
Round 2 of the North-South Challenge takes place at the 48th HSR The Mitty presented by Hagerty, April 23 – 26, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta next month and Smellie is locked and loaded for HSR’s oldest race. For complete information on the 48th annual HSR The Mitty Presented by Hagerty race weekend, including the event schedule, entry lists and ticket information, visit: https://www.hsrrace.com/the-mitty/. Tickets can be purchased directly online through Michelin Raceway at: https://am.ticketmaster.com/ral/buy/Mitty2026.
