8-Hour Enduro of the Cascades Podium Finish for Matthews Motorsports B-Spec Honda Fit

The B-Spec Honda Fit of Matthews Motorsports finished first in class and an amazing third overall at the 37th Running of the 8-Hour Enduro of the Cascades, held at Portland International Raceway.

Starting from last position during the Le Mans-style start, a quick sprint and entry by Todd Harris had the Honda Fit rolling down pit lane before any other competitor. In a field of 22 cars – ranging from a Norma M20B Sports Racer to Spec Miatas – and starting on a wet track, Todd was able to work his magic and had the Honda Fit in sixth place by the end of the first lap. Even though the B-Spec Fit was the lowest-horsepower car in the field, it was also the only front-wheel-drive car entered. As the unpredictable weather continued, the Matthews Motorsport Team made smart tire, fuel, and pit stop strategy decisions. “The Honda Fit achieved great mileage, low tire wear, and was very fast in the rain. That gave us the ability to extend our pit windows and gain a big advantage over the competition”, said Leo Matthews. “As the track remained wet for most of the race, the FWD Honda Fit was able to take advantage of the conditions and steadily march to the front of the field. Each of our drivers (Todd Harris, Steve Gatrell, and John Bender) had amazing stints, and were able to gain track time and positions on the racetrack.”

As the race continued into the night, and with the track slowly drying, the Matthews Motorsport Team pushed to the finish, clinching an E4 Class Win, and a third-place finish overall, behind the unlimited class Mustang FR302S and a Turbo Porsche 968.

Matthews Motorsports would like to thank Honda Performance Development, ProFab RaceCars, ProDrive, and 99West Trailers for all their support!

Steve Gatrell, Owner of ProFab Racecars: "I've never had so much fun passing BMWs, Porsches and Mustangs in the wet. It was the little Honda Fit that could…and DID! "

Todd Harris, Owner of Pro Drive Racing School: “The Honda Fit B-Spec was a dream to drive. It ran flawlessly for eight hours straight and never skipped a beat. And driving it in the rain was awesome! Passing car after car on the wet track was a memory I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to do it again!”

John Bender, Owner of 99West Trailers: "The Matthews Motorsport-prepared B-Spec Honda Fit was awesome to race in! It was my first experience racing a front-wheel-drive car, and it was very consistent during my two-and-a-half hour stint in the mixed weather conditions."