Las Vegas, NV. -- Jeff Kelley of Eden, Utah won Saturday night’s USAC Western HPD Midget finale at the Las Veas Motor Speedway Bullring. He passed Shawn Buckley on lap 25 and led the final six laps to beat Buckley, Jim Waters, Christine Breckenridge and Michael Daniels. Buckley wrapped up the 2014 USAC Western HPD and Pavement titles in the process. Kelley's win was the first in HPD Western competition by a Honda engine.

HPD USAC WESTERN MIDGET PAVEMENT RACE RESULTS: November 22, 2014 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Jim Waters, 24, Waters-15.287; 2. Jeff Kelley, 55x, Kelley-15.298; 3. Christine Breckenrdge, 26, Breckenridge-15.329; 4. Shawn Buckley, 7, Buckley-15.443; 5. Michael Daniels, 87, Daniels-15.666; 6. Courtney Crone, 98jr, Pankratz-15.843; 7. Jeanille Waters, 17, Waters-15.958; 8. Anthony Waters, 02w, Waters-15.977; 9. Ashley Hazelton, 32, Hazelton-16.006; 10. Annie Briedinger, 75, Briedinger-16.038; 11. Joel Rayborne, 2U, RamBull-NT; 12. Toni Briedinger, 80, Briedinger-NT.

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Jim Waters, 2. Breckenridge, 3. Daniels, 4. Hazelton, 5. Jeanille Waters. NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Kelley, 2. Buckley, 3. T.Briedinger, 4. A.Waters. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Jeff Kelley, 2. Shawn Buckley, 3. Jim Waters, 4. Christine Breckenridge, 5. Michael Daniels, 6. Ashley Hazelton, 7. Annie Briedinger, 8. Antony Waters, 9. Jeanille Waters, 10. Joel Rayborne, 11. Toni Briedinger. NT

----------------------------

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-24 Buckley, Laps 25-30 Kelley.

FINAL USAC HPD WESTERN POINT STANDINGS: 1-Buckley-1,725, 2-Hazelton-1,149, 3-T,Briedinger-1,053, 4-Cody Jessop-1,026, 5-Breckenridge-867, 6-Rayborne-819, 7-A,Briedinger-756, 8-Kelley-594, 9-Tom Paterson-581, 10-Dylan Nobile-572.

FINAL USAC HPD WESTERN PAVEMENT POINT STANDINGS: 1-Buckley-1,188, 2-T.Briedinger-955, 3-Breckenridge-867, 4-A.Briedinger-756, 5-Rayborne-723, 6-Cody Jessop-635, 7-Kelley-594, 8-Tom Paterson-581, 9-Dylan Nobile-572, 10-Hazelton-432.

For more information: 

T.E. McHale  (310) 783-3169

Dan Layton   (314) 614-9763

For Immediate Release

Honda Performance Development Unveils 3.5-Liter Prototype Engine

·         Starworks Motorsport to Debut HR35TT at Sebring

·         Latest Racing Application of Production-Based Honda V6 Engine

·         Two-Team HPD Effort In TUDOR United SportsCar Championship

SANTA CLARITA, Calif., Feb. 20, 2014 – Honda Performance Development Thursday announced a new, 3.5-liter racing application for the versatile, production-based Honda V6 engine found in a wide range of Honda/Acura passenger cars and light trucks and now raced in multiple categories worldwide.

The Honda HR35TT twin-turbocharged V6 is expected to make its TUDOR United SportsCar Championship debut at the 2014 Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring, mounted in a Riley Gen3 prototype chassis campaigned by Starworks Motorsport.

Previously, Starworks partnered with HPD to win the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Endurance Championship in 2012, using HPD’s ARX-03b chassis and Honda HR28TT twin-turbocharged V6, which also is derived from Honda’s J35 series of engines. 

Starworks becomes the second team to utilize Honda power for the new TUDOR championship.  Extreme Speed Motorsports campaigns a pair of prototype class HPD ARX-03b Hondas, after a successful initial season with the same package in the 2013 American Le Mans Series.

“This is an exciting program for HPD and our customer teams in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship,” said Steve Eriksen, HPD Vice President and COO.  “Adding Starworks, a team that achieved great success with us in 2012, in a prototype machine alongside the proven HPD-Honda combination run by Extreme Speed Motorsports provides HPD with a strong, balanced attack in the inaugural TUDOR Championship.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be partnering with Honda once again,” said Starworks team owner Peter Baron.  “No doubt we had amazing success with HPD in 2012, but unfortunately it was only a one-year program.  We have had numerous conversations over the past two years about building a Daytona Prototype motor and we're thrilled to see it come to fruition.  We absolutely love working with HPD and have been in collaboration to find a new opportunity to partner with them again.  We will have our work cut out with the steep learning curve to get us to Victory Lane, but HPD brings determination and success to every program it touches.  Although HPD already competes in the Prototype class, we feel this is huge step for the TUDOR series and Starworks is thrilled to be part of it."

Starworks Motorsport has compiled an enviable record in Daytona Prototype competition, with five race victories, including back-to-back wins at Indianapolis in 2012 and 2013; and a second-place finish in the Daytona Prototype team championship in 2012, with two victories and six podium finishes.  That same year, Starworks became the first American-based prototype team to win an FIA World Championship since 1968, and HPD won its first world title in WEC competition. 

The HPD-developed twin-turbocharged Honda engines to be used in the TUDOR championship are both derived from the Honda J35 series of production V6 engines, and include relevant twin-turbocharger technology, along with the efficiency provided by direct fuel injection.  

The HR35TT is yet another competition application of the ubiquitous J35 engine.  The first, the HR28TT, was designed for LMP2 competition and won in its American Le Mans Series debut in 2011.  The engine has gone on to record 24 individual race victories and three series titles in the American Le Mans Series, World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series Competition.

Other variants of the engine have been raced in Japan’s Autobacs SuperGT Championship, the One Lap of America competitive rally and Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda performance company within North America.  Located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines. The company is marking its 20^th anniversary in 2013.

As an engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series, Honda has scored 204 race victories in both CART and IZOD IndyCar Series competition since 1994, and powered Scott Dixon to a series-high four victories and the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series drivers’ championship.

HPD offers a variety of race engines for track applications from prototype sports cars to karting; and showcases “fun-to-drive” products for professional, amateur and entry-level racers.

Honda HR35TT V6 Engine

• Engine Type                 Aluminum alloy, twin-turbocharged, direct fuel-injected V6  
• Displacement               3.5 liters
• Valve Train                   Single overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder
• Crankshaft                   Alloy steel
• Pistons                         Forged aluminum, low-friction coatings
• Connecting Rods        Machined alloy steel
• Engine Management   HPD/McLaren
• Ignition System           Digital inductive
• Lubrication                  Dry sump system
• Cooling                        Single mechanical water pump
• Fuel                              E10 100-101 octane gasoline, 10% ethanol

###

Art St. Cyr, President, Honda Performance Development, on Chip Ganassi Racing’s decision to change engine manufacturers for the 2014 IndyCar Series:  

“On behalf of everyone at Honda, I’d like to thank Chip Ganassi and the entire Ganassi Racing organization for their efforts in our very successful, eight-year partnership in the Indy Racing League and INDYCAR, which included four driver’s championships, three Indianapolis 500 victories and more than 40 individual race wins since 2006.   

“It may be worth noting that when our previous – and also very successful – association with the Ganassi organization in Championship Auto Racing Teams competition ended after the 1999 season, Honda went on to win 15 races over the next two seasons, including both the 2000 and 2001 driver’s championship, and the 2001 Manufacturers’ Championship. 

“While this partnership is coming to an end, Honda and Honda Performance Development remain committed to achieving even greater IndyCar success in the future with our continuing and new partner teams.  While Honda and the Ganassi organization are going our separate ways, we remain committed to winning the 2013 Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ championships, and our collective efforts for the final three races will be entirely focused on accomplishing those objectives.”

For the second time in three attempts, Honda Performance Development has won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the American-based Starworks Racing claiming the category victory in its first Le Mans start.

Starworks, which earlier this year won LMP2 at the 12 Hours of Sebring, made it’s 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in the most impressive way possible, with drivers Ryan Dalziel, Tom Kimber-Smith and Enzo Potolicchio piloting their HPD ARX-03b to a seventh overall finish, one lap ahead of the next LMP2 entry.

In 2010, HPD’s first attempt at Le Mans, it was British-based Strakka Racing winning LMP2 in its HPD ARX-01c with a commanding margin of seven laps and LMP2 record fifth overall finish.  This year’s race was far more dramatic, but just as rewarding for HPD.

Starting ninth in LMP2 and 22^nd overall after electing to focus on race preparation rather than making an outright qualifying run, the Starworks trio also made a conservative start to the 24-hour endurance racing classic.  But by the six-hour mark, the team had moved into the top-10 overall and third in LMP2.  As night settled over the Circuit de la Sarthe, LMP2 settled into a multi-car battle between the HPD and several Nissan-powered teams

But three hours later, at midnight, the Starworks HPD ARX-03b chassis and HPD HR28TT twin-turbo V6 engine combination was in the LMP2 lead and – although challenged for the remaining 12 hours by several Nissan-powered teams – Starworks was more than capable of defending it’s hard-won advantage, and maintained a steady, if narrow lead for the remaining 12 hours to take the LMP2 victory over TDS Racing.  

For the first time, HPD also fielded a pair of entries in the headline LMP1 class, utilizing the new ARX-03a chassis and normally aspirated HR-LM V8 engine.  Strakka Racing moved up from LMP2 for 2012 and driver Danny Watts qualified the new combination seventh overall on Thursday, fastest of the “privateer” teams doing battle with the full manufacturer-supported teams from Audi and Toyota.  Another British team, JRM Motorsports, started 11^th in their ARX-03a.

JRM had a steady run in their first Le Mans attempt, after winning the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2011.  The driving trio of David Brabham, Karun Chandhok and Peter Dumbreck moved into the top-10 in the opening hours, and seventh overall at the 16-hour mark.  Other than a few minor delays, JRM pressed on for an excellent sixth-place finish, behind only the four “works” entries from the winning Audi effort and the first of two Rebellion entries.

Meanwhile, for Strakka, it was a drama-filled 24 hours.  A transmission oil leak discovered shortly before the race start left drivers Jonny Kane, Nick Leventis and Watts still in their garage area as the green flag waved, with Kane finally starting 22 minutes later, six laps down on the leaders.  The team rapidly went to work making up that deficit, climbing through the GT field, making up 35 positions in the first six hours. 

At the 18-hour mark, Strakka was up to 10^th overall, behind JRM and the Lolas of Rebellion Racing in the battle for independent team honors.  But overheating issues slowed Strakka’s pace in the final hours, and the team settled for an eighth-place finish in LMP1.

HPD’s second LMP2 entry, the Level 5 Motorsports HPD effort of Christophe Bouchut, Luis Diaz and Scott Tucker, suffered early disappointment in its effort to build on a third-place class finish in 2011.  Communication problems during the night led to the car missing its scheduled pit stop, and running out of fuel midway around the eight-mile circuit. Unable to make it back to pit lane, the ARX-03b was retired.

Steve Eriksen (Vice President, Honda Performance Development) on this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans:  “What an incredible day.  I believe Starworks has confirmed their status as a world-class racing team, their effort both here at Le Mans and earlier this year at Sebring is a real testament to [team owner] Peter Baron’s dedication and ability; as well as the skill and hard work from everyone in Starworks organization.  We are proud to have them as a partner.  All four of our teams put in an outstanding effort this year, with Strakka’s exciting early-race charge and the consistent race-long performance from JRM Racing just two of the highlights.  Level 5 also again produced a very competitive effort prior to their unfortunate problem.  Congratulations to all of our teams for their efforts, and to everyone at HPD and our technical partner Wirth Research on our second LMP2 victory in just three starts.  We’re already looking forward to defending our win here next year!”

Peter Cunningham and his RealTime Racing Acura TSX fought off a determined challenge from the Porsche Cayman S of veteran Jack Baldwin to win the GTS class at the Laguna Seca on May 12, in the fourth round of the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge.

The victory was the first for Cunningham since switching to Acura V6 power at the start of the season, and moved both driver and manufacturer to the top of the GTS championship standings.

In the Touring Car class, it was Todd Lamb coming through to post his second class victory of the season aboard his Compass360 Honda Civic Si, also taking over the drivers’ championship points lead and moving Honda to the top of the TC manufacturers’ championship.

GTS

Starting from the GTS pole for the fourth time this year, Cunningham fell back to second behind Baldwin on the opening lap, but regained the advantage on the second lap. From there, Cunningham was never headed, but Baldwin was relentless in his pursuit, finishing less than a half-second behind at the checkers. Nick Esayian finished fourth in the second RealTime Acura V6.

“I was pleased we had such good speed at the start,” Cunningham said. “We were able to get a good run out of [Turn] Six. We went side-by-side up the hill and we touched a little, but ended up in the lead. From there, it was a controlled pace for awhile. I could do my laps and still be nice to the tires. Then two yellows. Of course, we’ve been there before so we know what can happen. The first restart was great, and I had a good advantage after the first lap. Then the yellow came out again. After the second restart, Jack was coming and he was doing a great job and pressuring pretty hard and I managed to just stay ahead of him to the checker.”

Touring Car

In TC, Lamb started second, but moved around pole qualifier Tristan Herbert’s Volkswagen GTi at the start. Lamb led for the entire race, but was challenged mid-race by the GTi of Jeff Altenburg. Late in the contest, Lamb was able to put a lapped car between his Civic Si and Altenburg’s car, giving him the margin needed for his second TC win of 2012. Teammate Shea Holbrook finished fourth in her Truecar Civic Si for Compass360.

“It was a great [championship] points day,” Lamb said at the finish. “It’s nice to win races, but we’re here to win the championship for Honda, and taking over the points lead today is a huge step forward.”

The Pirelli World Challenge Championships next travel to the streets of Belle Isle Park for the Detroit Grand Prix, June 1-3, with live timing and scoring available at www.world-challenge.com. The Laguna Seca round of the Pirelli World Challenge Championships will be televised on the NBC Sports Network, Sunday, May 27, at 11 p.m. EDT.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) will support the 2012 Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) with contingency offerings in the Super and Touring classes, as well as the new B-Spec category. Contingency monies will will be paid to first- through third-place finishers who campaign a Honda or Acura in the Super or Touring classes, or a Honda Fit in the B-Spec class, during the 2012 CTCC season. Additionally, HPD will reward championship-winning drivers in all classes during the 2012 CTCC season.

"Honda and Acura models have been well-represented in CTCC since our first event six years ago," noted John Bondar, President of Canadian Touring Car Championship. "They have been Champions in both Super Class and Touring Class, and I look forward to their challenge for supremacy in the B-Spec Class."

“Honda is proud to make fun cars that people really enjoy,” said Marc Sours, general manager of HPD. "Racing has always been very popular in Canada, and HPD is pleased to be a part of the exciting Canadian racing community."

Administered by HPD, the contingency payout structure will reward first, second- and third-place finishers in the Super and Touring classes, as follows:

Payout	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
Parts Credit - All Honda/Acura	$ 250	$ 125	$ 75
Cash Award - 2012 Civic Si only	$ 1,000	$ 750	$ 500

Driver Champion Bonus:  $ 2,500 Cash for 2012 Civic Si; $ 1,000 HPD Credit (all other models)

Additionally, HPD’s contingency payout structure will reward first, second- and third-place finishers with cash prizes in the B-Spec class, as follows:

Payout	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
10 or more class starters	$ 500	$ 300	$ 125

Driver Champion Bonus:  $ 1,000

To be eligible for the HPD CTCC Contingency payout, competitors must be enrolled in the Honda Racing Line program and display the required “Honda Racing/HPD” and “H” decals on their race vehicles. Registration for the Honda Racing Line is available at http://racing.honda.com/hpd/race-for-honda/registration.aspx

All 2012 HPD CTCC Contingency Program award recipients will be able to use their parts credits toward Honda Racing Line purchases.

In December 2010, Honda Performance Development announced its intention to work with other manufacturers to create a new segment of race cars called B-Spec, which would target the sub-compact market. B-Spec refers to all cars meeting a common set of rules , which can be adopted by any race circuit or sanctioning organization. Several sanctioning bodies have adopted B-Spec rules for classes from Club to Pro racing.

Designed to be an entry-level category, B-Spec cars feature showroom stock racing cars utilizing stock engines and chassis, fitted with competition roll cages, racing seats and other safety equipment; and manufacturer-approved suspension components, tires and wheels. For 2012, Honda Performance Development is offering the HPD/B-Spec kits, which include a coil-over kit, front and rear race springs, camber bolts, cat-back exhaust system, brake line set (braided stainless), front brake-pad set, air filter and air-conditioning delete belt.

“A cornerstone of our grassroots motorsports marketing initiative has been to establish a connection between Honda’s passenger cars and the racing cars that evolve from these models,” said HPD General Manager Marc Sours. “The B-Spec category provides a relatively low-cost means for the prospective racer to enter the sport, and the Honda Fit offers a natural point of entry. These are inexpensive, great-handling cars that should provide both excellent competition and help grow the sport at the entry level.”

About Honda Performance Development:

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. HPD served as single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series from 2006-2011 and spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.

HPD offers a line of race engines for track applications from IndyCar and prototype sports cars to karting; for professional, amateur, and entry-level efforts.

For more information, please contact HPD at (661)702-7777.

*translated from a French language post by MaxMarcel

The series FORMULA TOUR 1600 Inc. is pleased to announce a technical change with the arrival of the new, modern 1500cc Honda Fit engine, specially developed by Honda Performance Development. Formula Tour 1600 Series Inc. announces that the Honda Fit 1500cc engine will be allowed for 2012.

More than 61 drivers registered to compete in Formula Tour 1600 in 2011, with an average attendance of more than 35 cars. The new, modern Honda engine will be allowed at each of its 12 races over 6 weekends in 2012. The Ford Kent engine will continue. This engine will always be part of F1600, and will probably continue to be used in most of the chassis. But the more modern Honda engine will be really good to attract new racers coming into the series, from karting and elsewhere. From 2012, the Ford Kent engine will have competition from the Honda Fit for sure.This link between Formula Tour 1600 and Honda/HPD Los Angeles -- already well known for their successful IndyCar engines -- is part of the development strategy the series wants to put forward for the next five years. The questions of some regarding interest in our series can now disappear because they have the choice of two engines. This is a very good news for people who have no interest into Ford Kent engine.

The main specifications / specicications:

	Ford KENT	Honda L15A7 (Fit)
Displacement	1600	1500
Intake	Carburetor	Throttle Body, Restricted
Valve	8	16
Cam Location	Block	Head
Charging	n/a	Alternator
Block Material	Fe	Al
Head Material	Al	Al
HP	115 hp	115 hp
TORQUE	112 ft/lbs.	112 ft/lbs.
Max RPM	7000	6800
Management System	n/a	Honda ECU
Approximate Prices	$12,000	$15,000
Minimum Maintenance	1 Year	3 Years

RESTRICTION: The Honda Fit MUST use a restrictor of 30.5 mm and is original (all parts) and no changes are allowed. This plate is given by Formula Tour / restrictor plate of 30.5 mm IS mandatory for Honda Fit. This one Will Be supply by Formula Tour.Motor sealed: avoid inspection by race and may be done by preparers include: Quicksilver, Britain West, Mortimer Racing, Remillard. This option is not mandatory / Seal engine IS RECOMMENDED Eliminate tech inspection and purpose It is not mandatory.

For more information please contact the Formula Tour Series at 819-350-9750.

####

Monday, May 23, 2011

TMI AutoTech, exclusive North American manufacturer of the Ariel Atom, together with Honda Performance Development(HPD) are pleased to announce the launching of an exciting new racing series that will provide grassroots racers with an affordable, competitive, wheel-to-wheel series.

Building on the incredible worldwide success of the Ariel Atom as an ultra-performance track-day car, the only next logical step is to transform it into a successful competition car.

The Spec Race Atom (SRA) competition vehicle builds on the Atom 3 production chassis with the addition of a SRA specific roll structure as well as other motorsport safety additions. Performance is kept reliable and consistent with the use of naturally-aspirated Honda K20 engines from HPD.

The 2011 Spec: RaceAtom series presented by Honda Racing/HPD will mark the first time in the 10 year history of the Ariel Atom that there has been an exclusive one-make series for this exciting vehicle.

“We have had tremendous response to the SRA series since the announcement only a few months ago and are very excited by the opportunity we can provide the racers with this grassroots program.” enthused Mark Swain, V.P. sales and marketing for TMI AutoTech. “Having Honda Racing/HPD involved during this initial season is a fantastic platform to build upon in years to come for the vehicles, the competitors, as well as the series as we look to expand into new markets.”

Marc Sours, HPD general manager agrees that the series is great for grassroots motorsport “We look forward to working with TMI and taking part in the Spec Race Atom series.”

2011 Spec: RaceAtom presented by Honda Racing/HPD schedule:

Race#1: June 11 – Virginia International Raceway – South
Race#2: June 12 – Virginia International Raceway – South
Race #3: July 16 – Virginia International Raceway – Full
Race #4: July 17 – Virginia International Raceway – Full
Race#5: August 20 – Virginia International Raceway – North
Race#6: August 21 – Virginia International Raceway – North
Race#7: September 17 – Virginia International Raceway – Full
Race#8: September 18 – Virginia International Raceway – Full
Race#9: November 26 – Virginia International Raceway – Grand
Race#10: November 27 – Virginia International Raceway - Full

For more information on the Spec: RaceAtom series presented by Honda Racing/HPD contact:

Mark Swain, TMI AutoTech, Inc. mswain@arielatom.com 434.822.9130x303

SCCA & NASA Adopt “Freeshare” Rules

ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2010) – With the goal of providing close racing in affordable cars from a variety of manufacturers, Honda and Mazda jointly announce the formation of “B-Spec” Showroom Stock racing.
Mazda and Honda debuted their new B-Spec cars at the recent NASA 25 Hour RaceHonda Performance Development, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; and MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, the performance division of Mazda North American Operations, today unveiled their entries for the proposed new low-cost B-Spec, developed from the MAZDA2 and Honda Fit. Both cars will be on display at the annual Performance Racing Industry trade show in front of 40,000 racing insiders.

B-Spec refers to all cars meeting a common set of rules that can be adopted by any race circuit or sanctioning organization. Together, Honda and Mazda solicited an independent body to develop a set of vehicle specifications that will be available for all to use – the motorsports equivalent of “freeware.” The final rules should be ready for release within 60 days.

One of the fastest-growing segments of the automobile business, B-segment cars are among the most affordable, and enjoy great support from younger demographics. In addition to the MAZDA2 and the Honda Fit, the category includes the Chevrolet Aveo, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris.

Two prototypes for the class – a MAZDASPEED-run MAZDA2 and a Honda Fit, prepared and entered by Team Honda Research-West – debuted at last weekend’s 25 Hours of Thunderhill season-ending NASA endurance racing contest in Willows, CA.

Designed to be an entry-level category, B-Spec cars will feature showroom stock racing cars utilizing stock engines and chassis, fitted with a competition roll cage, racing seat and other safety equipment; and manufacturer-approved suspension components, tires and wheels. Weight distribution will be used to balance performance among competing manufacturers.

The manufacturers will use an independent third party to homologate competing cars and provide equalized specifications to any interested sanctioning bodies or race tracks. A racer who builds a B-Spec car will be able to race the same car across multiple sanctioning bodies by simply changing the sanctioning-body decals. Only homologated OEM models will be eligible within the rules.

This is intended to be a grassroots class of racing, and at present, there are no plans for a B-Spec professional series.
Quotes:

Marc Sours, General Manager, HPD -- “A cornerstone of our grassroots motorsports initiative has been to establish a connection between Honda’s passenger cars and the racing cars which evolve from these models. The B-Spec category provides a relatively low-cost means for the prospective racer to enter the sport, and the Honda Fit offers a natural point of entry. These are inexpensive, great-handling cars that should provide both excellent competition and help grow the sport at the entry level.”

John Doonan, Manager, Motorsports Team Development, MAZDASPEED -- “Road racing remains a highly popular activity, but affordability is a huge challenge. Mazda enjoys the largest spec class in the world in Spec Miata and the easy way to race the MAZDA2 would have been to create a similar spec class. But we feel cooperation and multi-manufacturer competition can grow the sport for everyone.”

Jeff Dahnert, SCCA President & CEO – “We’re very intrigued by the collaboration of Honda and Mazda on a common rule set for these sub-compact market cars. It’s often perceived that manufacturers are seeking any advantage possible over their competition, but this effort is proof that rivals can work together toward a common goal—one that will likely be attractive to many of SCCA’s members. We look forward to seeing these cars in National competition in 2012”

Jerry Kunzman, Executive Director NASA – “NASA supports the OEMs in their endeavor to create a multi-manufacturer race class for the new B category cars like the MAZDA2 and the Honda Fit. A tightly controlled ruleset which will control costs and limit modifications will make this a drivers’ class and help expose this new segment of vehicles. This is in line with the NASA goals of making racing as affordable as possible to draw even more participants.”

In addition to the four confirmed participants, others have been involved in the discussion with an eye to joining the B-Spec ranks in 2011 or 2012. Ron Stukenberg, Senior Manager, Motorsports, Nissan North America noted that “Nissan Motorsports is very interested in the B Spec program and is closely evaluating it for possible future Versa entrants. The concept of cost-effective, entry-level sedan racing is certainly a great way to hone a driver’s motor-racing skills and hearkens back to the days of our involvement with the BRE 510. In the next few months, Nissan Motorsports should be in a position to finalize our intentions in this new class.”

About the participants:

MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development is the motorsports division of Mazda North American Operations, and has provided support and competition parts for Mazda teams and racers since 1983. MAZDASPEED is involved in racing activities at all levels of the sport, from local autocrosses through multiple levels of professional open-wheel and sports-car racing. On any given weekend, more Mazda cars are road-raced than any other brand.

Honda Performance Development 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.

Since 1944, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has championed one mission: To bring motorsports to the masses of American men and women who are passionate about automobiles, speed and competition. From National Championships to regional events, whether professional or amateur, we exist to organize, support and develop auto racing at every level and provide an outlet for you to get out of the armchair and into the action. So, whether your passion is autocrossing, rallying or road racing as a professional or as a weekend warrior, SCCA wants to help you fuel your passion.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 to deliver high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment. NASA offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.


###

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

Cunningham Outlasts Foes for 40th WC Victory

October 3, 2010—Tooele, Utah

The final round of the 12-race 2010 World Challenge Championship was held at Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah, just west of Salt Lake City. Peter Cunningham secured his 10th pole position of the year and his eighth GTS category victory, but it wasn’t quite as simple as that.

Cunningham, who had already locked up the inaugural GTS Drivers’ Championship, and RealTime Acura teammate Nick Esayian, who had already clinched the second spot in the points, knew the outcome of this race wouldn’t affect either’s year-end status, so they were racing for pride and the ‘W’.

The matching Acura TSXs lined up first and fourth, but after the standing start drag race down the long front straightaway to Turn 1, a swarm of rear-wheel-drive GTS competitors drove past, knocking them back to sixth and ninth.

Cunningham worked his way back through the field to third by the end of the first lap. But as he and Ernie Jakobowski’s Porsche Cayman were battling for position, the Corvette of Kyle Kelley drafted past as they crossed the starting line to begin Lap 2 of the 21-lap sprint around the 3.08-mile perimeter circuit.

After dispatching the Porsche, the Acura gave chase to the Corvette and on Lap 6 found its way by. Now up to second place, Cunningham began to reel in the leader, 17-year-old Ben Crosland, in a Ford Mustang FR500S.

By the 13th lap, the TSX was pressuring the Mustang and finally found an open door approaching the final corner. The two raced side-by-side cleanly onto the front straight and Cunningham was able to keep the lead and edge away from there.

Meanwhile, Esayian was filtering through the pack in similar fashion, moving up to fifth by Lap 5 and to fourth on Lap 7. As the race ran caution-free, Nick did his best to catch the third place Mustang of George Winkler. With a lap to go he had him in sights but ran out of time, missing the podium for only the third time in 2010.

On the strength of the two RealTime cars scoring 10 poles and 19 top-three finishes throughout the year, Acura collects its ninth World Challenge Manufacturers’ Championship, breaking the tie with Porsche, which owns eight.

Catch all the action from the Miller race in a two hour special on VERSUS, October 30th at 3:00p Eastern.

The RealTime Racing team is sponsored by Acura Motorsports, Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Red Line Oil, Eibach Springs, Sparco, Hawk Performance, Brembo, A-SPEC, BOSCH, and Total Auto Body.

TORRANCE, Calif. (September 13, 2010) – Honda Performance Development and American Honda have released details of their support program for Honda and Acura competitors during the 2010 National Auto Sport Association Championships, Sept. 16-19 at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

“The NASA Championships have demonstrated impressive growth among the country’s amateur racing enthusiasts in a mere few years,” said Erik Berkman, HPD president. “We are pleased to support the NASA Championship efforts of our Honda and Acura competitors for the first time in 2010, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the NASA Championships for years to come.”

To be eligible for support, all Honda competitors must be enrolled in the Honda Racing Line program and display the required “Honda Racing/HPD” or “Acura Motorsports” decals on their race vehicles. Registration for the Honda Racing Line will be offered on-site at Miller Motorsports Park, in the Honda Racing paddock areas.

Administered by the NASA on behalf of HPD and American Honda, these incentives will be distributed following the completion of each National Championship race:
• $500 for starting a National Championship event;
• $1,500 for winning a National Championship, with additional awards of $1,000 and $500 for second- and third-place finishes, respectively.

In addition to these benefits, American Honda will provide a catered hospitality tent on site, exclusively for Honda competitors and crew members. The tent will provide a lunch buffet from Thursday, Sept. 16 through Saturday, Sept. 18.

Competitors may pick up their hospitality passes in the Honda Racing paddock at Miller Motorsports Park.

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 support programs. HPD is the single engine supplier to the IndyCar Series and competes in prototype sports-car racing under the HPD banner in the American Le Mans and European Le Mans Series.

TORRANCE, Calif. (August 3, 2010) –Honda Performance Development and American Honda have released details of their support program for Honda and Acura competitors during the 2010 Sports Car Club of America National Championship Runoffs, Sept. 20-26 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

“Our support program for the 2009 SCCA National Championship Runoffs was a critical component of the grassroots motorsports initiative we announced last year,” said Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development, Inc. “We were very gratified by the response we received from Honda- and Acura-powered Runoffs competitors at Road America.

“We are pleased to return with an expanded support program for the 2010 Runoffs, and to celebrate the accomplishments of all the drivers who carry the Honda or Acura banner.”

To be eligible for support, all Honda competitors must be enrolled in the Honda Racing Line program and display the required “Honda Racing/HPD” or “Acura Motorsports” decals on their race vehicles. Registration for the Honda Racing Line will be offered on-site at Road America, in the Team Honda Research and Honda Racing paddock areas,

Administered by the SCCA on behalf of HPD and American Honda, these incentives will be distributed following the completion of the Runoffs:
· $500 for starting a Runoffs event;
· $500 for winning a Divisional Championship;
· $2500 for winning a National Championship, with additional awards of $1500 and $1000 for second- and third-place finishes, respectively.

Honda/Acura competitors will be reimbursed with a $100 credit for reserving a paddock parking space at the Runoffs. The space must be reserved directly through Road America and prepaid by the competitor.

In addition to these benefits, American Honda will provide a catered hospitality tent on site, exclusively for Honda competitors and crew members. The tent will provide a lunch buffet from Tuesday, Sept. 21 through Saturday, Sept. 25.

Competitors may pick up their hospitality passes in the Honda Racing paddock at Road America.

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 support programs, HPD is the single engine supplier to the IndyCar Series and competes in prototype sports-car racing under the HPD banner in the American Le Mans and European Le Mans Series.

Patrón Highcroft's "Scottish Terrier" was not about to give up without a fight - Franchitti hounded Smith for 17 laps before the Mazda made its final pit stop, giving Highcroft back the lead.

Five laps later, Franchitti made his final visit to the pits - the team electing to double-stint its Michelin tires. The fuel-only stop enabled Franchitti to retain the lead and with 41 minutes remaining, the reigning American Le Mans Series LMP1 champions enjoying a 37 second advantage.

Franchitti's performance on his original tires remained strong and after 16 minutes, Smith was still trailing by 26 seconds.

However, with 24 minutes of the race remaining, Patrón Highcroft Racing's ninth American Le Mans Series presented by Patrón class victory and sixth overall win was virtually confirmed after their rivals at Mazda suffered a mechanical issue ending their race.

Franchitti was then able to cruise to the finish to take an incredible victory by an enormous seven lap margin.

The is the second in a row for the team after a thrilling final-lap win on the streets of Long Beach. For Simon Pagenaud, it also represents his third sportscar win in a row after he also took victory for Peugeot in the recent Le Mans Series event at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Today's victory was Brabham's 21st American Le Mans Series victory and his sixth overall victory for Patrón Highcroft Racing. Pagenaud scored his second victory in Patron Highcroft colors and his seventh ALMS win. Today's win was also the first overall Series victory for Marino Franchitti in the American Le Mans Series and his second consecutive podium finish for the team in just two starts.

Patrón Highcroft Racing also won the LMP portion of the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge, based on overall performance and environmental efficiency. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca continues to be a happy hunting ground for the team with today's win adding to last season's championship-clinching success at the famous California track.

Patrón Highcroft Racing has now taken a four point lead in the championship after finishing second in the LMP2 class at Sebring and completing back-to-back wins.

The team now faces another battle - a busy week-long race to prepare the team's HPD ARX-01c for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team's transporters will leave for its Danbury, CT-base tonight with the car leaving for France by the end of the week.

MONTEREY, CA, Saturday, 23 May, 2010: Patrón Highcroft Racing took its second victory in a row with a brilliant "last to first" win for David Brabham, Simon Pagenaud and Marino Franchitti at the six hour event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today.

After being put to the rear of the grid by race officials for a minimum driver time infringement in practice yesterday, Simon Pagenaud made a barnstorming start aboard the Honda Performance Development factory-backed HPD ARX-01c - charging through the field to be 20th after one lap, 13th after two, seventh after three and through to fourth and on the tail of the leading LMP class pack in four laps.

He recorded his fastest lap of the race on lap five and was right back in contention at the first safety car period on lap nine.

Pagenaud moved to third on lap 34, inherited second on lap 39 after Clint Field blew an engine and then lightning pit work by the Highcroft squad cycled him through into the lead at the first stop on lap 54.

On lap 95, the Frenchman pitted to hand over David Brabham who continued the team's dominant form at the front. He lost the lead to the Dyson Mazda of Andy Meyrick after his mid-stint round of stops, but regained it after a yellow flag restart when the young Brit spun on the green flag.

With two hours to go, Brabham handed the car over to Marino Franchitti for the run to the flag.

"However, 13 laps into his stint, the Mazda with Guy Smith at the wheel used its straight line speed advantage to pass Franchitti on the front straight and steal the lead.

With Pagenaud competing in the LMP1 class for Peugeot, Brabham and Franchitti will be joined by three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner for the French endurance classic.

HIGHCROFT RACING AT MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

2009 Acura ARX-02a Brabham/Sharp
Qual: 2nd 1:11.298
Race: 3rd (2nd in P1) 164 laps

2008 Acura ARX-01b Brabham/Sharp
Qual: Pole 1:10.103
Race: 15th (9th in P2) 139 laps

2007 Acura ARX-01a Brabham/Johansson
Qual: 4th 1:11.101
Race: 28th (9th in P2) DNF - 89 laps (Accident)