Honda, Michael Shank Racing Finish Fourth at Road America
• Team recovers from qualifying issues to contend for podium
• Fourth top-five finish for MSR in 2016
• Tight Manufacturers’ Championship battles continue with two races remaining

Honda Racing Report
WeatherTech SportsCar Continental Tire Road Race Showcase
Circuit: Road America (4.0-mile road course) Elkhart Lake, WI
Weather: Mostly sunny, mild, 77 degrees F

ELKHART LAKE, WI (August 7, 2016) – Starting 16th, after a spin in qualifying and resulting penalties moved the Michael Shank Racing Ligier JS P2 Honda to the rear of the prototype field for Sunday’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, the MSR team and drivers John Pew and Ozz Negri combined speed with fuel savings to finish fourth at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Continue reading Honda, Michael Shank Racing Finish Fourth at Road America →

Podium Finish for Munoz, Honda at Mid-Ohio
• Climbs from 15th to third to lead Honda effort
• Honda drivers lead 55 of 90 laps
• Aleshin stars, leads 33 laps until delayed by pit lane incident, penalty
• Daly leads 22 laps before fuel gamble comes up short

Taking advantage of strong car and a well-timed caution flag, Carlos Munoz vaulted from 15th on the starting grid to finish third in Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Munoz was one of several Honda drivers to feature in the “home” race for Honda, which has more than 15,000 associates in facilities throughout central Ohio, with many in attendance throughout the Verizon IndyCar Series weekend. Continue reading Podium Finish for Munoz, Honda at Mid-Ohio →

Acura’s Ryan Eversley Finishes Second, Fifth in Weekend Events at Mid-Ohio
• RealTime Racing earns three top 10s and podium finish
• Ryan Eversley makes up six spots on Sunday to earn Best Start Award
• Teammate Spencer Pumpelly earns Move of the Race and fastest race lap on Sunday
• Results propel Eversley into top five in the championship

LEXINGTON, Ohio – (July 31, 2016) – The RealTime Racing Acura TLX GT squad knew it had a chance to inspire thousands of Honda associates this weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and they did so in fine fashion, capping a pair of top-five finishes with a second-place run in Sunday’s Pirelli World Challenge GT race. Continue reading Acura’s Ryan Eversley Finishes Second, Fifth in Weekend Events at Mid-Ohio →

Wiman Pilots Honda Civic to Top-Five Finish
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• Joni Wiman Collects Honda’s Seventh Top-Five Finish of 2016
• Eriksson and Wiman Show Poise Through Adverse Weather in D.C.
• Honda Remains in Third Place in the Season-Long Manufacturers Championship

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 30, 2016) – The 2016 North American Car of the Year, the Honda Civic Coupe, powered Olsbergs MSE driver Joni Wiman to the manufacturer’s seventh top-five finish in Washington, D.C. this afternoon in front of a near sellout crowd at the temporary circuit at RFK Stadium. Continue reading Wiman Pilots Honda Civic to Top-Five Finish →

Hunter-Reay Heads Honda Qualifiers at Mid-Ohio
• Will start fourth in Honda Indy 200
• Graham Rahal continues run of top-six road course qualifying efforts
• Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammates Hinchcliffe, Aleshin round out top-10

Always a contender at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ryan Hunter-Reay led the way for Honda Saturday in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying in preparation for Sunday’s Honda Indy 200, and will start from the outside of the second row, fourth, in his Andretti Autosport Honda. Continue reading Hunter-Reay Heads Honda Qualifiers at Mid-Ohio →

An interview with:

ART ST. CYR
LEE NIFFENEGGER

T.E. McHALE: Good morning, everybody. Thanks for joining us for this latest in our series of media briefings throughout the 2016 I’m going to say motorsports season, because while our focus is normally on IndyCar activities during these, today we’re going to divert a little bit and talk about the advent of a very exciting program that got its debut in front of the public on Thursday with the NSX GT test sessions.
Our guests today, to my right, most of you know, Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development. We’re also joined by Lee Niffenegger, who is the project leader on the NSX GT project development.
We’ll start getting a comment from Lee, kind of an overview of Thursday’s activity and what was accomplished and how we feel coming out of those two, albeit very brief sessions, but there was a session early Thursday morning and midday on Thursday, a car was out for both of those. Give us a little sense of the postmortem. Continue reading Honda Racing–Art St. Cyr, Lee Niffenegger 7/30/16 →

Rahal, Honda Seek Mid-Ohio Repeat
• 2015 hometown winner Graham Rahal leads Honda pack in Friday practice
• Afternoon session interrupted by rain showers
• Rookie Enerson impresses with top-10 time

Defending Honda Indy 200 race winner Graham Rahal led the Honda field in Verizon IndyCar Series practice Friday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, posting the fourth-fastest time in his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda in a rain-shortened afternoon session and ending the day fifth overall in combined session times.

Making an impressive IndyCar Series debut, rookie RC Enerson rounded out the top-10 in his Dale Coyne Racing Honda, with James Hinchcliffe 11th, only three hundredths of a second behind. Activities at the Honda Indy 200 continue Saturday with final practice and qualifying. Sunday’s 90-lap race starts at 2 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on CNBC.

Graham Rahal (#15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): “The track can change so much in a short amount of time, and that why it’s hard to test here. Some teams don’t. With all the GT and other [support series] cars racing, there are a lot of different types of rubber on the track, just a lot of cars, period. We definitely improved the Steak ‘n Shake car in the second practice. We got a decent lap in at the end. The rain did catch me on the last part of the lap but we were fourth fastest [in the session], so we’ll take it. When you come here as a single car team, it’s tough. It’s all on you as the lone individual, whereas Penske, for instance, has four cars to share the data. It’s not easy, but my guys have done an excellent job of keeping their heads down and fighting hard. Obviously, we want to win here; we want to go back-to-back. It’s a big weekend for myself, for all of our sponsors like Honda, Steak ‘n Shake, PennGrade and everyone that is heavily involved and makes this happen. I hope we can have a solid weekend.”

RealTime Racing Acuras Bring New Driver Lineup To Mid-Ohio Race

• Acura earned its first two victories of 2016 with pair of Road America wins
• Seven-time series champion Peter Cunningham to focus on NSX GT3 development
• Spencer Pumpelly to compete in next two races in Acura TLX GT
• Ryan Eversley vaults to seventh in drivers’ championship with Road America victories

MARYSVILLE, Ohio – (July 28, 2016) – When Acura announced Wednesday that it was moving ahead with its racing plans with the new NSX GT3, it stood to reason that the manufacturer would bring some of its most experienced and successful assets to aid with the program. Continue reading RealTime Racing Acuras Bring New Driver Lineup To Mid-Ohio Race →

Acura NSX GT3 Program Progressing with Surprise Public Test Debut Slated for Mid-Ohio

• NSX GT3 program on-schedule for homologation this fall and North American racing to follow in 2017
• Peter Kox is development driver contracted through RealTime Racing
• Acura Motorsports is flying high on NSX production class win at Pikes Peak and TLX GT sweep at Road America

TORRANCE, Calif. (July 27, 2016) – The Acura NSX GT3 racecar will make its public test debut on July 28 during Pirelli World Challenge practice sessions at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Acura announced today. The racecar will be piloted by development driver, Peter Kox, during practice sessions on the 2.25-mile, 14-turn road course on Thursday, July 28 (8:50 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. EDT) and Friday, July 29 (4:15 p.m.- 4:45 p.m. EDT). Continue reading Acura NSX GT3 Program Progressing with Surprise Public Test Debut Slated for Mid-Ohio →

Honda, Red Bull GRC Civics Compete in D.C.

• Honda Civics Hunting First Red Bull GRC Final Victory
• New Layout for Third Year Event
• Olsbergs MSE Poised for Podium Results

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 27, 2016) – Olsbergs MSE, with drivers Joni Wiman and Sebastian Eriksson, looks to capitalize on the performance displayed by the brand new Honda Civics at the Marine Corps Air Station New River doubleheader weekend as the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series competes on the grounds of RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., July 30. Continue reading Honda, Red Bull GRC Civics Compete in D.C. →

Podium Finish for Hinchcliffe, Honda in Toronto
• Hometown favorite finishes third at Honda Indy Toronto
• Sato, Aleshin also produce top-six results
• Late caution flag sets up dash to the checkers

Taking advantage of track position and a well-timed caution flag, James Hinchcliffe thrilled his hometown fans with a third-place finish Sunday at the Honda Indy Toronto. It was Hinchcliffe’s second Verizon IndyCar Series podium of 2016 and best result since finishing third at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis in May. Continue reading Podium Finish for Hinchcliffe, Honda in Toronto →

Hinchcliffe Qualifies Sixth in Toronto
• Hometown favorite Hinchcliffe leads Honda field
• Conor Daly top rookie, qualifies seventh
• Aleshin, Filippi also advance

Toronto native James Hinchcliffe will start Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto from the outside of the third row, sixth, as he led the Honda field Saturday in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying in front of his hometown fans. It was the third time that the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver has advanced to the “Fast Six” final round of knockout qualifying in eight road racing weekends this season. It also was Hinchcliffe’s best qualifying result in seven career IndyCar starts in Toronto.

Conor Daly posted his best qualifying performance of 2016, advancing to the second round and just missing the “Fast Six” final round by 11 hundredths of a second. He will lead the rookie field and start seventh in his Dale Coyne Racing Honda.

Mikhail Aleshin, in the second Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, will start 10th. Daly’s teammate, Luca Filippi, qualified 11th in his Dale Coyne Racing entry. Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto starts at 3 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on CNBC.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “It’s good to be back at the sharp end of the grid after difficult qualifying sessions in the last two races left us shotgun on the field. It is unbelievably tough to win in the series [starting] from outside the top 10. I’m much, much more than pleased to be starting from the front. In terms of our chances to win tomorrow, this is my best qualifying spot [Hinchcliffe’s previous best Toronto qualifying result was eighth], so this is the best chance we’ve ever had here [to win].”

Hinchcliffe Heads Honda field Friday in Toronto
• Hometown favorite Hinchcliffe runs fifth-fastest in practice
• Rahal, Munoz, Hawksworth also post top-10 times

Toronto native James Hinchcliffe thrilled a large Friday crowd at Exhibition Place, running fifth in the opening Verizon IndyCar Series practice sessions in preparation for Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto.
Hinchcliffe rebounded from a difficult morning practice, when handling issues kept him well down in the order, 19th, to improve by nearly two full seconds in the afternoon session.

Hinchcliffe was one of four Honda drivers in the top 10 Friday at the narrow, demanding 1.786-mile temporary street circuit. Graham Rahal, in the top 10 in both practice sessions, finished the day eighth overall, with Carlos Munoz and Jack Hawksworth rounding out the top 10.

Activities at the Honda Indy Toronto continue tomorrow, with final practice and qualifying. Sunday’s 85-lap race starts at 3 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on CNBC.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “We had some issues with the car this morning, but we were able to sort it out. It’s tough, because the conditions out there are bumpy and there are so many surface changes. I bet even the fastest guy out there is saying how bad his car feels. It’s all relative. The guys did a great job [preparing the car for the second practice], and even during the session, to make the Arrow Electronics car better and better. We don’t know exactly what we need out of the car here just yet. We’re still learning. But so far, so good. It’s good to end the first day with a reasonable time and position, and hopefully we can just build on that for tomorrow.”

Aleshin, Honda Finish Fifth on Iowa Bullring
• Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver matches season-best result
• Impressive runs recorded by Indy 500 winner Rossi, Hinchcliffe
• Vibration issues, Ill-timed caution flag costs Rahal

Continuing to show the short oval form he demonstrated throughout practice and qualifying, Mikhail Aleshin led the way for Honda on Sunday at Iowa Speedway, finishing fifth in the Iowa Corn 300, the second and final short track event in the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series. Continue reading Aleshin, Honda Finish Fifth on Iowa Bullring →

Honda Racing Report
Sunday, July 10, 2016

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix
Circuit: Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (2.459-mile road course) Bowmanville, Ont.
Weather: Mostly sunny, mild, 73 degrees F

Honda, Michael Shank Racing Finish Sixth in Canada
• Spin, penalty hobble Honda and MSR victory hopes
• Tight Manufacturers’ Championship battle continues

Despite a disappointing sixth-place finish Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Michael Shank Racing kept Honda in the thick of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Manufacturers’ Championship after seven rounds in the 10-race endurance racing series. Continue reading Honda Racing–Canadian Tire Motorsports Park →

Aleshin Heads Honda Field in Iowa Qualifying
• Disappointing day for Honda teams and drivers
• Honda seeking third consecutive Iowa victory
• Final short-oval race of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series on Sunday

A tough day for Honda drivers and teams Saturday at Iowa Speedway saw Mikhail Aleshin lead the way for the manufacturer, qualifying ninth on the short, nine-tenths of a mile oval for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 300.

Aleshin and Graham Rahal were the only Honda drivers to break into the top 12 in single-car qualifying on a warm and sunny afternoon at the tight, high-banked Iowa Speedway oval. A.J. Foyt Racing teammates Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth qualified 13th and 14th, respectively. Ryan Hunter-Reay, seeking this third consecutive Honda-powered Iowa Speedway victory, will start 20th. His previous Iowa victories came after starting 13th [in 2014] and after running 12th in Friday practice last year.

Sunday night’s 300-lap event, the second and final short-oval race of 2016, starts at 5 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Mikhail Aleshin (#7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) qualified 9th: “I think we had a decent qualifying run and I’m happy to be the fastest Honda. Top ten is a good position to start tomorrow in the SMP Racing car and the race is very long. It’s going to be very difficult and it’s hard to say what to expect but I think we’ll be okay.”

Aleshin Heads Honda Field in Iowa Qualifying
• Disappointing day for Honda teams and drivers
• Honda seeking third consecutive Iowa victory
• Final short-oval race of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series on Sunday

A tough day for Honda drivers and teams Saturday at Iowa Speedway saw Mikhail Aleshin lead the way for the manufacturer, qualifying ninth on the short, nine-tenths of a mile oval for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 300.

Aleshin and Graham Rahal were the only Honda drivers to break into the top 12 in single-car qualifying on a warm and sunny afternoon at the tight, high-banked Iowa Speedway oval. A.J. Foyt Racing teammates Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth qualified 13th and 14th, respectively. Ryan Hunter-Reay, seeking this third consecutive Honda-powered Iowa Speedway victory, will start 20th. His previous Iowa victories came after starting 13th [in 2014] and after running 12th in Friday practice last year.

Sunday night’s 300-lap event, the second and final short-oval race of 2016, starts at 5 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Mikhail Aleshin (#7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) qualified 9th: “I think we had a decent qualifying run and I’m happy to be the fastest Honda. Top ten is a good position to start tomorrow in the SMP Racing car and the race is very long. It’s going to be very difficult and it’s hard to say what to expect but I think we’ll be okay.”

Eriksson Pilots Honda to First Heat Victory in Red Bull Global Rallycross
• Honda Finishes 1-2 in Round Seven Semifinal
• Severe Weather Forces Postponement of Round Seven Final

JACKSONVILLE, N. C. (July 3, 2016) – Olsbergs MSE, with driver Sebastian Eriksson, scored its first heat victories in the all-new turbocharged Honda Civic Coupe in Rounds Six and Seven of the Red Bull Global Rallycross Supercar championship.

Eriksson led his teammate, Joni Wiman, in the Heat 2A victory from start to finish, with Wiman completing the six-lap race in second place. Eriksson and Wiman’s smooth and consistent skill behind the wheel of the Civic, powered by an 8,500 rpm Honda Performance Development engine, proved to be too much for the field, gapping the competition by over six seconds.

The weekend’s action unfolded on the runways of Marine Air Corps Station New River with a .713-mile, 58 percent pavement/41 percent dirt circuit that tested the Civic Coupe’s durability and agility throughout the doubleheader weekend. Saturday’s Round Six final took place after a 45-minute delay for severe weather and lightning. The track conditions were sloppy, featuring deep puddles and mud across the entire second half of the course. By the end of the chaotic final, Eriksson finished in sixth place and Wiman, seventh.

On Sunday, the track dried up, thanks to 95 degree heat and 65 percent humidity. The Olsbergs MSE duo was able to claim Honda’s second heat victory of the weekend in Semifinal A, with Eriksson finishing on top and Wiman, second.

Unfortunately, the persistent severe weather, including lightning, forced Red Bull GRC officials to postpone Sunday’s scheduled seventh round at the Marine Air Corps Station. Red Bull GRC officials announced that all points and results from Round Seven are currently suspended. The situation continues to be evaluated, however, there are no plans for making up the race at this time.

Honda remains third in the Red Bull GRC manufacturers’ championship heading into Round Eight, July 30 in Washington, D.C. The event takes place at RFK Stadium and can be seen live on NBC at 2 p.m. ET, with online coverage by Red Bull TV beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Honda Racing Report
Sunday, July 3, 2016

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen
Circuit: Watkins Glen International Raceway (3.4-mile road course) Watkins Glen, NY
Weather: Partly sunny, mild, 78 degrees F

Honda, Michael Shank Racing Produce Podium at Watkins Glen
• Honda-powered Tequila Patron ESM leads at half-distance in six-hour contest
• Michael Shank Racing finishes third despite late-race cautions
• Combined results keep Honda in endurance championship lead

The combined efforts of Tequila Patron ESM and Michael Shank Racing kept Honda in the lead of the North American Endurance Championship manufacturers’ contest Sunday at Watkins Glen International Raceway, as MSR finished third in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, while the ESM team led at half-distance to earn additional championship points. Continue reading Honda Racing– WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen →

Honda, Red Bull GRC Civics Compete at MCAS in New River July 4 Weekend

• Sebastian Eriksson Looks to Deliver Another Podium Result for Honda
• Red Bull Honda Civics set to Compete on Shortest Circuit of the Season
• Third Doubleheader Marks the Halfway Point of the 2016 Season.

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (June 29, 2016) – Olsbergs MSE, with drivers Joni Wiman and Sebastian Eriksson, looks to capitalize on the performance displayed by the brand new Honda Civics at Daytona International Speedway as the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series competes at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in New River, N. C. for Rounds Six and Seven of the 2016 season.
Continue reading Honda, Red Bull GRC Civics Compete at MCAS in New River July 4 Weekend →