Honda Performance Development to Provide
Build Kits and Rebuild Parts for CR125 ‘Spec Honda’ Class Engine

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (November 4, 2010) – Continuing its mission to meet the needs of grassroots competitors who are racing Honda products, Honda Performance Development, Inc., will begin offering Honda CR125 parts and engine-rebuild kits within the United States for competition in karting’s ‘Spec Honda’ class.

The rebuild kits and service parts will be available through the Honda Racing Line, HPD’s parts and service program for licensed amateur and entry-level professional racers. Licensed kart competitors may now register for the Honda Racing Line through HondaRacingLine.com.

The Honda Racing Line provides its members with a direct connection to Honda Performance Development and its unparalleled record of success at the pinnacle levels of motorsport, including the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series. This channel to factory support provides Honda Racing Line members the opportunity to purchase racing-performance parts via convenient web-based ordering, with expedited, door-to-door delivery.

“The Honda Racing Line was founded in 2009 with the goals of supporting existing Honda racers and helping to grow the sport at the ‘grassroots’ level,” said HPD General Manager Marc Sours. “From the start, incorporating a karting component has been an integral part of our plan. Honda’s 125cc engine has been very popular in the karting community. Through this program, we hope to make it easier and quicker for the competitor to obtain parts.”

'Spec Honda' class competitors will be able to purchase a CR125 engine ‘kit’, containing all of the required parts to assemble a complete engine. The engine kit will include a six-speed transmission for the appropriate engine model, with ‘top end’ parts available for 1999-2002 engines, the most popular for karting applications. All parts will be SKUSA, Spec Honda-compliant. HPD will begin taking kit and part orders commencing with the start of the 2011 season.

The Honda Racing Line karting program will be formally launched at the 2010 SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas November 17-21, where Honda/HPD will be a sponsor of the Spec Honda S2 class. Representatives of HPD will attend the event to explain details of the new program and introduce the karting community to the Honda Racing Line. A complete Spec Honda CR125 engine also will be on display.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines.

In addition to its grassroots motorsports business, HPD is the single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series and spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For more information on the Honda Racing Line, interested racers can explore the HPD website, http://hondaracing.com/hpd, or contact the company at:

Honda Performance Development, Inc.
661-702-7777
grmsadmin@hra.com

Forty Honda racers from across the country made the trek last month to Miller Motorsports Park outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2010 National Auto Sport Association (NASA) National Championships, taking part in five of the weekend’s title races, highlighted by large and competitive fields for the Honda Challenge events.

Earlier this year, Honda Performance Development announced a new contingency program for NASA racers in connection with its sponsorship of the Honda Challenge category. All Honda and Acura racers competing at Miller received $500 for taking part in the National Championships, while contingency awards of up to $1,500 were also paid out to the top three finishers in each of the Honda Challenge classes.

Graham Downey claimed the Honda Challenge 1 race victory in his Redstone Motorsports Honda Civic, edging the Honda Prelude of Brandon Kraus, with Brian Shanfeld rounding out the top three in his Team Honda Research Acura TL Type S. Shanfeld went on to win the PTB class championship on Sunday in the same car.

Against one of the larger fields of the weekend, Jonathan Meris won the Honda Challenge 2 race in his Midnight Performance Civic, despite contact early in the race that resulted in a damaged front wheel. After a full-course caution period, Meris passed the Diva Racing entry of Donna Gilio to take the victory.

“The Honda Civic came through when it really counted,” Meris recounted. “At the start, I was able to go from eighth to third by the time we got to the first turn. Unfortunately, the #25 car [of Jeremy Croiset] and I got together and our front wheels seemed like they locked together. Little did I know that a couple of the spokes of my Konig wheel broke off [in the contact]. Luckily, the wheel held together! After the double yellow, I was able to find my groove and work my way to the front. Then I just had to make sure to stay clean to the checkered flag.”

Gilio and Greg Neuwirth, both in Acura Integras, rounded out the top-three finishers in the 18-car Challenge 2 field.

“It was a fantastic event. It’s good to see Honda supporting grassroots racing in this country,” said Gilio, who also finished third in Sunday’s TC race. “If you’re a girl and want to start racing, get into a Honda and race in the Honda Challenge. It’s competitive, fun and the culture of Honda racers are good people.”

Honda/Acura NASA Championship Results:

Honda Challenge 1 (Top 3 finishers)
1. Graham Downey (Redstone Motorsports Honda Civic)
2. Brandon Kraus (Honda Prelude)
3. Brian Shanfeld (THR Acura TL Type S)

Honda Challenge 2 (Top 3 finishers)
1. Jonathan Meris (Midnight Performance Honda Civic)
2. Donna Gilio (Diva Racing Acura Integra)
3. Greg Neuwirth (AEM Acura Integra)

PT B
1. Brian Shanfeld (THR Acura TL Type S)

PT C
3. Donna Gilio (Diva Racing Acura Integra)
4. Manny Coats (Iron Clover Inc. Honda CRX)
5. Jeremy Croiset (Hasport/ASR Honda CRX)

TT S
2. Tage Evanson (KSport Honda Civic)


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