Big sedans of non-premium origin need to attract more than just fleet buyers looking for a shiny new grille to add to their lineup of rental cars or “rep-mobiles,” if they really want to make an impact on the market and touch buyers’ souls, if you will.

One way to go about doing this is to enter said car in a form of racing, and hope that it is successful – even if it isn’t, the racing connection still helps, as long as the car didn’t come dead last each and every time. Mazda has already succeeded in making its 6 a desirable model, due primarily to its exterior looks, which make any car in its class which sit on the wrong side of the Ford Fusion look dull and outdated.

However, they are not just selling it as a pretty face, and want to make it clear that it can also be driven quickly in an effective manner, as it has been engineered with spirited driving in mind. This sharper edge is welcome in the world of racing, and makes it that little bit easier to turn a regular sedan into the first-ever diesel to win (anything) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is commonly referred to as “the brickyard.”

The race-tuned and oil-burning Mazda6 took the checkered flag in the Grand-Am Brickyard Grand Prix, for the GX class, after having won five of the eight races it has so far been entered (there are 12 in total). It now leads its respective class, having pushed ahead of the racing Porsches, both in this last race, as well as the entire championship. Check out the full three-hour plus on-board video which covers the entire race after the virtual jump.

By Andrei Nedelea

Story References: Mazda via USA Today

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