By Geri Amani

 

Road Atlanta is one of those iconic race tracks that has a unique sense of history about it. Like many tracks across the US, Road Atlanta has rich racing history, hosting a variety of racing venues on its grounds for decades. This track is particularly known for hosting Petit Le Mans, which also attracts drivers from across the globe. This wouldn’t be my first time visiting Road Atlanta, as I have worked Petit as a photographer years prior. I knew the track well from behind the walls, but this would be my first time driving it myself. At long last, I would finally get to see this infamous road course from the other side of the fence.

 

For those familiar with Formula F, Honda Performance Development (HPD) developed a kit that consists of a Honda Fit 4-cylinder engine, paired with chassis-compatible engine mounting hardware.  Last but not least, behind the engine sat a Hewland “dog-box” transmission. Minus the addition to some new chassis designs, much of the class hasn’t changed. However, the new Honda-powered Formula F will ensure that this class not only lives on, but continues to grow across North America. In terms of Performance, the Honda engine doesn’t disappoint. The overall power, consistent torque in higher RPM ranges, and responsiveness to throttle inputs make the F1600 a very strong contender. To make matters more interesting, the F1600 series is expected to expand through select regions of US and Canada, bringing more single-class racing opportunities beyond Formula F in SCCA.  As a racer whose resume is filled with a history of sports cars, switching to the realm of formula car racing introduces a series of very specific adaptations. But anyone looking to get into formula car racing will find the Honda powered F1600 a delight to drive.

Becoming familiar with this platform began with a full day of testing with Palmetto Florida based team Jay Motorsports, led by Jay Green.  This F1600 wore some very nice shoes I might add, none other than Hoosier racing slicks. Unlike the DOT rubber, Hoosier the slick compound has superb grip, which can be very confidence inspiring.  My general practice is to build confidence in stages, then experiment within appropriate places at the track. I felt this was particularly important, not only because the compound was unfamiliar, but so too was the platform personality and the dog-box transmission.  A new track, new tire compound, new car… no problem!

I was immediately impressed with the level of mechanical grip the F1600 offers,  which came in handy as I carried increasingly more speed into faster sections of the track, including turn-1 and turn 12. In sports cars I often rely on the sensations of body-roll of the chassis, the scrubbing of the tires underneath me, and the variances of load transfer. In the F1600 you have to be one with the car as a whole, cinched in so tight where it almost hurts. It goes without saying that a proper seating position is absolutely imperative, far more than any sports car. Driving a formula car in general is an incredibly tactile experience. For every groove, dip, bump, and variety of textures on the road are all forms of feedback that a driver needs to understand.

Equally impressive is the braking in this car. The F1600 doesn’t have wings for downforce, but for what it lacks the car makes up for in its enjoyable simplicity. The F1600 is a great option for a driver looking to jump into a purpose-built race car. As with any no-frills racing machine, drivers are required to be deliberate, smooth and assertive When you apply the brakes correctly, the deceleration can be strong enough to relocate your guts to your feet. It takes some familiarity to brake crisply, quickly and late, which is also the mix of elements that satisfies the F1600. I understood braking in sports cars, however I had to set my learned tendencies aside to appease the needs of F1600, and of course, achieve those lower lap times.

Jay Green did a fantastic job helping me sort through data and video, not to mention supporting the requirements of the car. It takes a certain kind of personality to work with drivers and enable them to properly absorb information whilst they learn something entirely new. This was an area that Jay clearly excelled, making each subsequent session productive. At the end of both testing and qualifying days, I made it my mission to review data and video back at my hotel. My goal was to be prepared first thing each morning and address areas for improvement. It’s simple for a driver to jump into a car and drive, but it’s a whole other matter to be tenacious in your pursuit of learning. You have to want success from your core. With some room to grow, we qualified P3 in class after our two designated qualifying sessions.

Race day quickly approached and while the weather was bitterly cold outside, I was extremely eager to get back into the car and have my head in the wind. In my mind, I had carefully selected a series of items that I wanted to work on during the race, all while chasing the leaders in class. My tactics seemed to work for a time, however an extremely long stint under caution and patches of traffic spoiled some of my plan. I was destined to settle into my position all while weaving through lapped-traffic. There is no magic solution for lightning fast lap-times, though seat time is a very close second. By the end of the 40-minute race I had settled into a rhythm after the yellow flags were removed, closing the race in third.

With the right mindset, I have always believed that properly resourcing expert knowledge can help build a better driver. When you have a good team around you, put their knowledge to work. With Jay Green at my side, I wasn’t going to let any of his input or expertise go to waste. Driving the F1600 at this event proved to be one of the most enjoyable and inspiring learning experiences. It’s safe to say that my success at Road Atlanta is attributed partly because of my supporters, but equally so was an appropriate mindset that carried me towards the podium.

Special thanks to my family, Hoosier Racing Tire, Jay Motorsports, and G-Speed Race Management. I’m definitely looking forward to more seat time in a race car without doors!

 

 

 

Photo Credits: Rob Bodle, Geri Amani and Clark McInnis (http://www.clarkmcinnisphotography.com)
Geri Amani: www.GeriAmaniRacing.com
G-Speed Race Management: https://www.facebook.com/pages/G-Speed-Race-Management/141021149316181

 

Newry, ME. (July 18^th-19^th , 2014) – HPD and THR return to 2014 New England Forest Rally with B-Spec Honda Fit

Team Honda Research partnered with Honda Performance Development to showcase the B-Spec Fit developed specifically for Rally competition at the New England Forest Rally (NEFR), the sixth round of the Rally America National Championship.

 

“We had a fantastic 2013 season, where we were able to finish first in the B-Spec National Championship and fourth in the 2WD overall National Championship. We wanted to come back and build on that success by refining the B-Spec package for the Honda Fit," stated James Robinson, Honda Engineer and driver for THR.

 

In the first 5 rounds in the 2014 Championship, the B-Spec Fit collected four wins and two overall 2WD podium finish at the Sno*Drift, and Oregon Trail events.  Even having missed the Mt. Washington Hill Climb in June, all the team needed was one more podium finish to clinch the 2014 B-Spec Championship.

 

The New England Forest Rally (NEFR) marked the third event where THR and HPD partnered with Maxxis Tire to provide competition rally tires for the B-Spec Fit.  “The Maxxis R19 Rally tire has worked well on the fast stages in Oregon and in Pennsylvania, so this weekend will be the real test for the durability of the tire,” Robinson said before the start of the first stage.

 

New England Forest Rally is extremely challenging for most rally teams due to its very rough, long stages.  With a promise of improved road conditions for the 2014 event, the new Fit team hoped to improve on last year’s result.  “Last year, we nearly couldn’t finish due to the severe conditions,” Robinson explained, “With the improvements we’ve made in the skid plates, we’re hopeful that we can make it through this event.”

 

With five stages to contest on the opening day, the B-Spec Fit team set out to fight against a newcomer to the B-Spec class, Veteran 2WD National Champion Chris Duplessis.  Unfortunately, his new B-Spec Ford Fiesta proved to be very quick on the rough stages.  “We’re going to have to work hard to keep up with Chris. He’s carrying a lot more speed over the rough conditions than we are,” Robinson noted at the first service of the day.  “It’s great to have such a challenging competitor, to push the limits of what this class can achieve!”

 

Moving into the second day of competition, the B-Spec Fit continued to trail the Ford B-Spec Fiesta by a little over a minute.  “It’s going to be tough for us to catch Chris; we’ve found that both of our front dampers have finally worn out,” Robinson stated at the beginning of Stage 6.  “Although the front suspension has worn out, we’re quite pleased that it lasted for two complete seasons, without any rebuilds.”

 

Moving through the second day, the B-Spec Fit maintained a competitive pace in 2WD but was predictably unable to reel in the hard-charging Fiesta of  Duplessis.  Finally, the Fit was able to finish 2^nd in B-Spec, 5^th in 2WD and 12^th overall.

 

“Although we were hoping for a win today, we’re ecstatic about making it through the event without any huge issues, aside from our front suspension,” Robinson said at the awards ceremony. “The Fit was totally reliable over the whole event, and we had great success with the Maxxis R19 tire. 

“The best part is, our finish today allows us to mathematically wrap up the B-Spec National Championship, the B-Spec Manufacturers Championship, and also keeps our hopes of an overall 2WD National Podium alive, as well!”

Look for the THR B-Spec Fit at the next round of the Rally America National Championship Series, August 21-22 in Detroit Lake, Minnesota.

 

New England Forest Rally:

The sixth race on the Rally America National Championship schedule and always a favorite with drivers due to the technical demands of the course, the New England Forest Rally offers challenging logging roads with some of the longest stages on the Rally America National Championship.  This rally is also a crowd pleaser because of its stunning scenery and wildlife.  Quintessential northeastern settings such as winding creeks and one-lane bridges add not only beauty to the race, but also excitement, when encountered by drivers at breakneck speeds.

About Rally America:

Based in Williston, VT, Rally America, Inc. sanctions the Rally America National Championship, which consists of at least seven national-level events located at a variety of venues across the country, from Portland, Oregon to Newry, Maine. Top competitors in the Rally America National Championship reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour, driving highly modified street cars such as Mitsubishi Evolutions, Subaru WRX STIs, Ford Fiestas and Scion XDs on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt, ice or snow. For more information regarding Rally America’s National Championship or the sport of performance rally, visit www.rally-america.com.

 

 

Indianapolis is the birthplace of motorsports in the US and crossing the yard of bricks is every driver’s dream.  For the eighth round of the Continental Tire Sports Car Championship, the HART drivers got to live that dream, and fight for a chance to stand on a podium shared with many racing legends of the past. This year would bring new challenges, as the road-course configuration had changed, but the team was up for the task of competing at such a historic venue.

The weekend kicked off Thursday, with two practice sessions and qualifying.  Most of the HART drivers had been to Indy before, but none had had the chance to drive the new layout that was finished earlier this year.  In the past, the Civic had been strong here, as Chad Gilsinger grabbed pole position during the inaugural event in 2012 and the team had led many laps in two previous outings here.  Lady Luck had been the biggest challenge for HART as both visits to Indy had ended with car damage after the #93 Civic tangled with competitors.

In Practice 1, the team focused on getting the drivers familiar with the new layout.  The team went out on older tires to give the drivers a feel for what the car would be like near the end of the race, and also used the opportunity to set the balance of the car.  As many other teams went out on fresh tires, HART struggled to stay at the top of the time sheets, but the drivers were gaining valuable track time.  The new road-course layout would not be as friendly to the Civic as the old one.  The circuit is tighter, and favors rear-wheel-drive cars like the MX-5 and the Cayman. It’s also much harder on brakes.

During Practice 2, the team investigated alternate brake pads, to guarantee it had a package that would last the entire race.  Both cars continued to work on the setup, as the team simulated a pit stop and installed new front tires to help understand the balance of the car following the stop.  With the front-wheel-drive Civic, it is crucial to get the tires to last as long as possible.  Once the front tires “fall away”, the car will lose almost three seconds a lap, while the RWD cars lose less than a second.  Understandably, this makes it VERY difficult to battle for position at the end of a race.  By the end of Practice 2, the team had made progress and managed to post times among the top 10, knowing that the car was capable of more.

As HART prepared the cars for qualifying, its strategy would be a little different.  Michael Valiante would qualify the #93 for this event, in order to get him out of the car sooner, so he could have more time to rest before his DP drive in the Tudor United Sports Car Championship race, which would start only 25 minutes after the conclusion of the CTSCC race.  Steve Eich was back after missing the previous race, and would once again qualify the #92.  Meanwhile, HART continued its strategy of having the cars work together to get the best qualifying advantage possible.  Valiante led the two on track and quickly jumped into the top three on the grid after his first flying lap.  The two cars ran nose-to-tail, pushing the limit every lap until the tires started to fall away.  At the end of the session, Valiante had managed to grab the third position on the grid, while Eich had to settle for 18^th.  Both cars ran well, but neither was a match for the Porsche Cayman that grabbed pole with a time almost a full second faster than the Civic.

Friday was Race Day, and the temperature was once again in the low 80s, with sunny skies.  There was a small chance of rain later in the race, but the teams planned for a dry event.  The day kicked off the NASCAR Brickyard weekend, with opening NASCAR practice.  During the fan walk in advance of the CTSCC event, many fans shared their love for Honda and were excited to see the cars on track.   As the green flag flew, the cars were four and five wide heading into Turn One.  Valiante had a great run into the first turn, and tried to make a pass for the lead, but ended up losing a spot in the process.  Eich also had a great start and was moving his way forward.  After the chaos of the first few laps, #93 made a couple passes and had settled into second position, while #92 was trying to work his way into the top 10. It took only 15 minutes for a full-course caution caused by a crash in Turn One.  The caution would help the Civics conserve tires, but at the same time, it bunched the field again.  With plenty of car contact during the first few laps, there was already debris on the track.  This would make the restart tricky, as most cars would be forced to run “off line” in order to make passes and/or defend position.  When the track went green, #93 was already struggling, trying to keep the lightweight Mazda MX-5 behind him as the Civic’s tires started to fall off.  The #93 was in fourth place, trying to stay among the top five before the pit window opened.  Unfortunately, only 30 minutes into the race, the #93 ran over a piece of debris on track and its left rear tire went flat.  The team was forced to make an unscheduled stop for a tire change, and decided to also do the driver change and put Gilsinger in the car.

While #93 was in the pits, #92 was moving into the top 10.  As a result, the HART team would shift the “preferred” strategy to the #92 car, and hope that it could get the lap back for #93, while salvaging as many positions as it could.  Gilsinger would have an uphill battle, having to run almost two hours on a set of front tires.  With many cars involved contact, there would be multiple yellow flags. The #92 was able to pit in its fuel window to get Kevin Boehm in the car for the finish.  The car was in the top 10, and was on a great strategy to move up before the checkers.  Unfortunately for #93, HART was never able to get its lap back, and was forced to just run until the checkered flag, while hoping that others would drop out.  As the race moved into its final hour, radar showed rain moving into the area.  This could be an advantage for the FWD cars, but the question would be, when to pit?  Sprinkles of rain were falling on the front straight and in other spots on the track, but not enough to warrant rain tires. There was just enough moisture to make the conditions tricky for the drivers.  Boehm and Gilsinger did a great job keeping their cars under control during this time, but the rain came and went without creating the need for a tire change.  With less than thirty minutes remaining, Boehm was headed towards a top-10 finish when the car began to “stumble” in the switchback corners.  One lap later, the #93 was doing the same thing.  Both cars should have had enough fuel to make it to the end, but the symptoms seemed similar to low fuel conditions.  The #92’s situation worsened, and the team was forced to pit Boehm for fuel.  Gilsinger was able to alter his driving technique and nurse the #93 to the end.  As the checkered flag flew, HART could only manage to finish 15^th with the #92 and 18^th with the #93, while still being the highest-finishing Civics in the field.

 

After the race, the team analyzed the fuel systems of both cars and found that the fuel pickup lines had come loose from the bottom of the tanks.   This is why the cars had stumbled earlier than expected.  The team has already ordered new adhesive materials to address this issue, and will have the cars ready for the next event.

 

You can follow all the action on the new IMSA website, www.imsa.com

The next Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge event will be at Road America, August 8-9.

To keep up with HART’s progress and to see pictures and video of the cars and team, ‘Like’ us on Facebook  ( www.facebook.com/HARTracingteam )

Follow us on Twitter @HARTracingteam

Special thanks to all our Sponsors/Partners. 

After HART crossed the finish line first in the 2013 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge event at Kansas Speedway, the celebration was short-lived, as the Race Director handed the team a 10-spot penalty for “manipulating the restart” on the final lap.  The team appealed the penalty, but ultimately had to go home in 11^th position after fighting so hard throughout the race.  For 2014, the team still had high hopes but cautiously approached the event, as it would be battling against the new Porsche Cayman and anything could happen.

The Kansas schedule would be unlike any other schedule this year.  There would be two, one-hour practice sessions running into the evening on Friday and qualifying would not take place until 9:15pm.  With a busy day and a late night ahead, the team prepared for the worst (and it’s a good thing they did).

Both cars headed on track for the first practice with strong hopes of running up front.  Michael Valiante was able to place the #93 car at the top of the list before pitting, while the #92 was getting up to pace since Steve Eich and Kevin Boehm had little time on the Kansas circuit.  As Chad Gilsinger started his first stint behind the wheel in the #93, he managed to run only two laps before the clutch disk broke.  At almost the exact same time, the #92 had a drive shaft failure.  Both cars were able to make it back to the paddock and the team went to work.

With only a few hours in between sessions, the crew had its work cut out to perform the necessary repairs.  Luckily, the HART crew is one of the best in the paddock and did not panic. They simply got the job done.  Both cars would be ready for the second practice and the team still needed to gather valuable data on both setups and the new brake package which had been provided by HPD.   As both cars hit the track, the #93 quickly had a problem.  The transmission would permit gear changes, but the gates were very “notchy,” making it difficult to change gears quickly.  Gilsinger brought the car in immediately so the crew could diagnose the problem, as qualifying was only a couple hours away.  Meanwhile, the #92 car was providing valuable data for the team and its drivers were gaining needed experience on track.  Crew chief Andrew Salzano was also running calculations on fuel mileage to use for race strategy.  With the session winding down, the #92 once again started having drive shaft problems and the 4^th gear of the transmission was starting to feel weak.

As qualifying approached, the team was working diligently trying to get both cars prepared. The #93 was found to have the wrong pressure plate/clutch disk pairing, so the team had to pull the transmission one more time for repairs.  For #92, the team worked to build new drive shafts, but decided to wait to change the transmission until after qualifying.  In order to better understand the drive shaft concerns, the team installed a GoPro camera on the subframe and pointed it towards the drive shaft to see what was happening.  This would give the team a “real time” visual on the car and would hopefully indicate the cause of the failure.

At Kansas, the draft is worth up to two seconds in lap time so it is crucial to pair up with someone in qualifying.  Luckily, HART runs a multi-car team and the plan for #92 and #93 was to work together to provide each other a draft.  With all the repairs that were needed, the #92 car was not quite finished when the cars went to grid.  This left #93 without a “wingman” and would make things more challenging.  As the cars rolled onto the track, the #93 tried to pair up with one of the Porsches that had demonstrated good pace earlier.  Unfortunately, the Porsche overshot Turn One starting its first hot lap and cost #93 valuable time.  The #92 was able to make it on track and was searching for a drafting partner.  With both cars having radio communication, Eich and Gilsinger planned a method to get both cars a good lap.  As time was winding down, Eich was able to get a good draft off of the CRG Civic Si and #93 and posted a lap time that put it in the top five.  Gilsinger was still struggling trying to find a draft, so Eich put himself in a position to help.  On the last lap, Gilsinger was able to get a small draft off #92 and bettered his time to take the sixth position.  As qualifying came to an end, Gilsinger managed to hold onto sixth, while Eich was bumped back to seventh.  All in all, it was a great ending to a disastrous day.

After a wild Friday, the team had some time to rest on Saturday, since the race would not start until 6:15 p.m. and would end under the lights.  Steve Eich would start the #92 car and Chad Gilsinger started the #93.  Even though the race was late, the team had plenty to prepare for.  The #92 still needed a transmission and the drive shaft failure was still a concern.  The team analyzed the GoPro video and it seemed that the failure was occurring when the car was loaded up on the banking.  To reduce some of this compression and angle on the drive shafts, the team decided to stiffen up the front of the car by adding higher-rated H&R springs.  Once again, the team did an amazing job and had both cars cleaned and ready for the Fan Walk before the race.

This would be the first time the cars could start near each other.  The goal of the drivers was to work together and work their way into the top five.  The team knew it had a tough battle, as four of the top five cars we new Porsche Caymans.  As the green flag flew, Gilsinger had a great run going into Turn One and was able to move  into fourth place.  Meanwhile, Eich lost a couple spots because the car in front of him was “sleeping” at the start and he was not allowed to pass until crossing the start/finish line.  With this race taking place on a smaller road course inside an oval, there were not many corners, so the anticipation of yellows was low.  Eich was able to battle back up to fifth position and Gilsinger was able to stay in fourth after the first hour of the event.

Seeing that a yellow flag condition was unlikely, Andrew Salzano formulated a strategy to pit both cars under green as their pit windows opened.  Both were able to open up a bit of a gap to the cars behind them and this would give them an advantage.  Once again, the team did an amazing job in the pits and both cars were serviced and out without losing any time.  As the first round of pit stops came to a close HART found itself sitting in second place for #93 and seventh place for #92, with Valiante and Boehm, respectively, now at the wheel.

With about an hour left, the final caution period of the race was ending and Valiante was ready to move to the front.  As the track went green, Valiante took his Honda into the lead, passing Charles Espenlaub in the Porsche Cayman, which had started from the ST pole.  At the same time, another Cayman was moving  through the field and putting major pressure on Valiante.  The two battled back and forth and even made periodic contact.  It was a true nail-biter, but in the end Valiante and Gilsinger came out ahead in a tough battle with the Porsche Cayman of Will and Wayne Nonnamaker. The Honda edged the Nonnamaker Porsche by just 79 one-hundredths of a second at the checkers.  Unfortunately, the #92 once again had a drive shaft failure which forced Boehm to retire the car.

"This was one of the toughest wins I've had, with that much pressure and knowing that second and third [places] were coming," said Valiante. "I knew I couldn't make any mistakes, particularly when they were on my bumper. I kept telling myself, 'Hit your marks … hit your marks' and get good exit shots, and I was able to pull it off. That's one of the toughest wins I've had.

"The team finally got the “monkey off its back” and hopes to see the season turn around as it heads to Watkins Glen at the end of the month, a track where the team has seen victory  before.

You can follow all the action on the new IMSA website, www.imsa.com

The Kansas race will not be televised, but watch for upcoming events on Fox Sports 1.

The next Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge event will be at Watkins Glen, June 27-28.

To keep up with HART’s progress and to see pictures and video of the cars and team, ‘Like’ us on Facebook  ( www.facebook.com/HARTracingteam )

Follow us on Twitter @HARTracingteam

Special thanks to all our Sponsors/Partners. 

HART Returns To Victory Circle at Kansas Speedway

 

Equipped with Honda Performance Development’s new brake system, the Honda of America Racing Team duo of Chad Gilsinger and Michael Valiante returned to victory Circle Saturday night at Kansas Speedway, claiming the ST class honors at the fifth round of the 2014 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Championship.

 

The updated Honda Racing/HPD brake package, recently approved for compeititon by the International Motor Sports Association sanctioning body, enabled the 2014 Honda Civic Si fielded by HART and other Honda-equipped teams to run  the brakes hard from start to finish for the first time this season.

 

After two hours and 30 minutes on the Kansas Speedway road course, Valiante and Gilsinger came out ahead in a battle with Will and Wayne Nonnamaker, with the Honda edging the Nonnamaker Porsche by just 79 hundredths of a second at the checkers.

 

“This was one of the toughest wins I’ve had, with that much pressure and knowing that second and third were coming,” said Valiante, who took over from starting driver Gilsinger near the mid-point of the contest. “I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes, particularly when they are on your bumper. I kept telling myself, ‘hit your marks, hit your marks’ and get good exit shots, and I was able to pull it off.  That’s one of the toughest wins I’ve had.”

 

Valiante first took his Honda into the lead with 45 minutes remaining, passing Charles Espenlaub in the  Porsche Cayman, which co-driver Corey Lewis had started from the ST pole. Wayne Nonnamaker – who took over for his brother Will at the mandatory pit stop - made repeated challenges in the final 30 minutes, but was unable to find a way past the HART Civic Si.

 

Lewis and Espenlaub finished third, followed by Ryan Eversley and Kyle Gimple in the No. 75 Compass360 Racing Civic Si. Eversley showed great confidence in his new brake package, repeatedly taking competitors deep into Turn 1,  while managing a driveshaft vibration and shifter issue for the final hour.

 

His valiant effort gave Honda two finishes in the top four at Kansas.  Both top-finishing Civics were running the sealed Honda K24 engine package, also available to competitors through the Honda Racing Line.

 

The next race for the Continental Tire Challenge will be at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, June 28.

Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge: BMW Performance 200 recap for HART Racing

After a long winter break, HART is ready to start the 2014 season with a new 2014 Honda Civic Si and its current 2012 Civic Si from last season.  The driver lineup will stay mostly the same with Chad Gilsinger and Michael Valiante driving the #93 and Steve Eich, Kevin Boehm, and John Schmitt sharing duties for the #92 car.  The crew has been spending the off-season updating equipment, tools, and most importantly, practicing pit stops.  Races are often won or lost in the pits, and HART is sure to be one of the teams to watch down pit lane.

With temperatures being below zero and snow covering the ground, the Ohio-based team had a rough few days loading for this season’s opener, but everyone is always excited to head down south to Daytona.   The team has always been strong on the famous Daytona circuit and was leading the race last year until suffering brake pad failure, which forced it  to retire.  After testing with multiple brake pad manufacturers, the team is confident that reliability will not be an issue this year.

Practice 1 would set the tone as each team went on track to kick off the 2014 season.  The off-season work and continuous improvement from the team paid dividends early as it led the first practice session, setting the bar for the weekend.  Knowing the car was strong, the team used the second practice session to fine-tune the chassis that would keep the car consistent throughout the entire 2.5 hour race.  New for this year, teams are required to start the race on the same tires they qualify on, so it will be more important to manage tire wear, even in qualifying.  Qualifying is once again a 15-minute shootout for each class.  At a track like Daytona, it is critical to get a draft. Without a draft, you can lose 1-1.5 seconds of lap time, which could cost you 10-15 spots on the grid.  The team decided to partner with other teams to try and work with one another out on track.  John Schmitt qualified the #92 car while Chad Gilsinger qualified the #93 car.  Both cars were slotted solidly in the middle of the field in the early laps, but the team knew both cars were stronger.  It’s all about timing, and Gilsinger was able to time the draft in the last few laps of qualifying, laying down a 2 minute, 04.861 second  lap on the last lap which put him  second on the grid, only 0.092 seconds off of pole.  Schmitt was unable to catch a good draft and had to settle for 18^th in the 35-car field.

On the morning of race day, the team used its final practice to focus on pit stops.  The drivers would do ‘out’ and ‘in’ laps to practice actual ‘hot’ stops in the pits, just as they would in the race.  This was valuable testing as the team was able to set up the equipment perfectly for the race.  As practice came to a close, the team only had a couple of hours to get the cars ready for the race.  The weather was the best it had been all week, with sunny skies and brisk 60-degree temperatures.  The green flag would drop at 1:45 p.m. to begin the 2014 season.   Both cars had a great start, as #93 battled with two BMWs for the lead and #92 was able to use the draft to move through the field. The #93 would continue to swap places between 3^rd and 4^th with another Civic Si, but the two BMWs up front were gaining a little bit each lap.  The 6^th-gear ratio in the Honda is great for fuel economy in public use, but at 150 mph, it could not keep up with the Autobahn-designed gearing of the BMW.   Meanwhile, the #92 car was able to pick up some spots and made sure to stay with the pack until the first round of pit stops.

A yellow-flag came out just before the halfway mark, so HART decided to take the opportunity to pit both cars for driver changes.  Michael Valiante would take over the #93 car and Kevin Boehm would now pilot the #92.  This year, the new IMSA timing and scoring system logs total time from or ’Pit In’ to ’Pit Out’ for each car.  The HART crew lived up to  its reputation and proved that practice does make perfect as both cars were serviced in almost exactly the same amount of time and their pit stops were among the top  five best times  among all the teams!  At this point, it was up to the drivers. 

After the first round of pit stops, Valiante was still in the top five on track and Boehm was right around mid-pack.  Both drivers were anxious to move to the front, but the second half of the race was littered with cautions that restricted passing and ticked time off the clock.  Valiante was able to move up to fourth while battling with another Civic Si fielded by the Compass 360 team, and Boehm was attempting to move into the top 10.  With about 15 minutes left in the race, Valiante and the Compass Civic Si were nose-to-tail while approaching a lapped car going into the “bus stop” turn at 140 mph.  The lapped car did not yield to the leaders and caught the Compass car off-guard, causing him to take an evasive maneuver which led to contact with the HART car, and the rest is history.  Once again, the bad luck streak at Daytona showed its head, as the Civics made contact with each other and then the wall.  The race was done for the #93 car, and would now end under caution to clean up all the debris.  This would ultimately hurt the #92 car as well, forcing it to finish in the 13^th position under caution.

“It’s not really the result we were hoping for, but at least we know we have strong cars”, said crew chief Andrew Salzano.  “The crew did an awesome job during the pit stops and the drivers showed our competitiveness. We did everything right, but we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The damage to #93 was limited to mostly bolt-on parts, so the team should be able to repair the cars quickly for the next race in mid-March at Sebring.  This will be the first time the team has been to Sebring in many years and the first time it will run the Civic Si there.  This first race was filled with plenty of ups and downs, but the HART team has high hopes moving forward.  This being Race One of a 12-race series, the excitement has just begun.

You can follow all the action on the new IMSA website, www.imsa.com

The next event will be at Sebring on March 12-15^th.  This will mark the first time for many HART members to visit this historic track.

To keep up with HART’s progress and to see pictures and video of the cars and team, Like us on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/HARTracingteam )

Follow HART on Twitter @HARTracingteam

 

Salem, MO. (Feb 21-22, 2014) – HPD and THR head to 2014 100 Acre Wood Rally with B-SPEC Honda Fit

THR partnered with HPD to showcase the B-Spec Fit developed specifically for Rally competition at the second round of the Rally-America National Championship. 

“We had a fantastic 2013 season, where we were able to finish first in the B-Spec National Championship, and fourth in the 2WD overall National Championship.  Based on that success, we wanted to come back and build on that success by refining the B-Spec package for the Honda Fit," stated James Robinson, Honda Engineer and driver for THR.  “Looking forward to 2014, we hope to have more competition and excitement in the class, thanks to the continued involvement of Ford Racing and Toyota.” 

The B-Spec Rally Fit started the 2014 season with a win in the B-Spec Championship at the Sno*Drift rally.  “We were excited to get the season started with a win, and also to make it through the challenging snow and ice event without any issues,” Robinson said prior to traveling to the 100 Acre Wood Rally.  Based on the experiences from 2013, the team was hopeful to repeat its success in the fast gravel event held in Missouri. 

HPD and THR started the second round of the 2014 Rally-America championship series with a lot of excitement. Starting out on the mostly dry and fast roads, the Fit was able to build up a five-minute lead over the other B-Spec Toyota Yaris. 

“The road conditions are fantastic, and we’re really having a great time out there,” Robinson said following the eighth stage. “We’ll try and push the pace a bit to try and keep up with the faster 2WD cars.” 

Moving into the second day of competition, which included nine new stages, the B-Spec Fit continued to grow its lead over the Toyota Yaris. By afternoon, conditions had warmed enough for the team to gain some additional time.  “The afternoon stages really felt good for us, and we are able to push the pace of the Fit to its limit,” said James.

Finally, the B-Spec Honda Fit was able to hold off the Yaris and claim victory in the second round of the 2014 B-Spec National Championship. The Fit finished fifth-fastest overall in 2WD, and averaged 20.2 MPG over the course of the entire event.

“We were happy to finish with nearly a 20-minute lead over our competition and have no real issues throughout the event. The Fit was fantastic all weekend,” Robinson said afterward. “We’re excited to have to good finishes so far, and hope to carry that momentum into the third round of the Rally-America National Championship!”

 Look for the Honda Fit at the next round in Orgeon!

About 100 Acre Wood Rally:

The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is the second race of the Rally America National Championship and is known as one of the most scenic. Named after the storybook home of Winnie the Pooh, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is a picturesque race with enough twists and turns to test every driver’s ability. Set in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, this race is always a favorite due to its pristine surroundings and fast, tight roads. Although you won’t see Winnie the Pooh or any of his friends, you will see some of the best rally driving on some of the best rally roads in North America.

About Rally America:
Based in Williston, VT, Rally America, Inc. sanctions the Rally America National Championship which consists of at least seven national-level events located at a variety of venues across the country, from Portland, Oregon to Newry, Maine. Top competitors in the Rally America National Championship reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour, driving highly modified street cars such as Mitsubishi Evolutions, Subaru WRX STIs, Ford Fiestas and Scion XDs on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt, ice or snow. For more information regarding Rally America’s National Championship or the sport of performance rally, visit www.rally-america.com

The 2014 professional Formula F season kicked off in January with the start of the Pacific Formula F1600 Championship at Auto Club Speedway near Los Angeles, while several new teams and drivers announced their plans for the upcoming F1600 Formula F Championship Series plans were announced for a Formula F “45^th Birthday Party” at Barber Motorsports Park in August.

Pacific F1600 Championship at Auto Club Speedway

In California, the Pacific F1600 Championship opened January 17-19 at the 2.88-mile infield road course at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, with veteran Ethan Shippert and young newcomer Nikita Lastochkin each claiming a victory in the first doubleheader race weekend of the season.

Rookie Lastochkin, who recently announced plans to compete in both the eastern and western Formula F championships this year, qualified on the pole both days and led portions of the first race until a spin and late-race electrical issues ended his day.  Veteran Shippert then went on to claim his second career Formula F win, and first of 2014. 

In Sunday’s finale, Lastochkin again got off to a quick start and was never headed for his first professional Formula F victory.  Shippert survived wheel-to-wheel contact on the opening lap with Chuck Horn, as the latter’s Swift-Honda vaulted over Shippert’s Piper-Honda under braking for the first turn.  Both were able to continue with Shippert finishing fourth and Horn, fifth. 

Next up for the Pacific F1600 Championship Series is the April 25-37 SCCA doubleheader weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway.  More information on the series is available at www.pacificF2000.com. 

F1600 Formula F Adds New Drivers, Teams

The eastern U.S.-based F1600 Formula F Championship season doesn’t open until April, but a number of new drivers have already announced their plans to take part in the 14-race series, along with three new teams.

Florida-based Team Pelfrey brings a heritage of IndyCar competition to Formula F as it joins the series with a powerful, three-car lineup headed by 20-year-old Ayla Agren, who scored a pole and three podium finishes in 2013. 

Augie Lerch, a 17-year-old graduate or SKUSA’s Spec Honda shifter kart class, is a promising rookie find for Pelfrey; along with 21-year-old Garth Rickards who won a Skip Barber race series event at Homestead, Florida, in 2013, in his first year of racing. 

HP Tech, a two-time winner of the Ferrari Challenge Championship and the 2012 F2000 Championship with driver Robert La Rocca, enters to Formula F for the 2014 season with the successful Australian-build Spectrum Honda chassis.  Spectrum-mounted Jake Eidson won the 2013 Formula F title, and moves up to the USF2000 Championship in 2014.   Veterans Scott Rubenzer, Art Foster and Mike Scanlan also will be Spectrum-mounted in 2014.

Virginia-based WISKO Race Engineering had a very successful debut Formula F season in 2013, challenging for the title with driver Aaron Telitz.  Nikita Latsochkin, already a winner in the west coast-based Pacific F1600 Championship, also will drive a WISKO Mygale Honda in the eastern series.  He will be joined by rookie Will Harvey, coming to Formula F from the Bertil Roos Racing Series. 

The 14-race 2014 F1600 Formula F Championship Series opens April 11-13 at Road Atlanta for the first of seven double-header weekends.  Additional information on the F1600 Formula F Championship Series can be found at http://www.f1600series.com/.

Formula F To Be Featured at Barber Summer SpeedFest

The 45th birthday of Formula F class will highlight the SCCA Summer SpeedFest at Barber Motorsports Park, August 9-10.  Three classes of Formula F machines – Formula F, Club and Vintage – representing the beginning of Formula Ford through the modern day National Championship contenders, will run on the anniversary weekend, which will run as part of a doubleheader SCCA race weekend.

A large turnout is expected at the Barber circuit, located in Birmingham, Alabama.  The celebration comes five years after HPD unveiled its new engine for Formula F during the Formula F 40^th Birthday Party at Road America in 2009. 

Since the Honda L157A engine became eligible for Formula F at the start of 2010, more than 100 engines have been sold by HPD, and the category has experienced exponential growth, including an increase in SCCA Club Racing competition, the start of two new professional racing series in the USA and an increasing number of young racers graduating from karting to Formula F competition.

A detailed schedule for the two-day weekend will be announced soon, but the schedule is expected to include a practice, qualifying and 30-minute sprint races on Saturday, with a warm-up and longer 50-mile races on Sunday. More information on the SafeRacer SCCA Club Racing program can be found at www.scca.com.   

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