Category Archives: Honda Racing

Honda Red Bull GRC Race Review: Dallas

Honda Red Bull GRC Race Review: Dallas

• Joni Wiman finishes a season-high fifth in the Honda Civic
• Olsbergs MSE scores second consecutive top-five finish
• Honda remains third in the Manufacturers’ Championship

DALLAS, Tex. (June 4, 2016) – Olsbergs MSE, with driver Joni Wiman, score a fifth-place finish in the turbocharged Honda Civic Coupe in the third round of the 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross season. Continue reading Honda Red Bull GRC Race Review: Dallas

Hinchcliffe Leads Honda Qualifiers in Detroit

Hinchcliffe Leads Honda Qualifiers in Detroit
• Indy 500 pole qualifier will start fourth in Saturday’s opening race
• Munoz, second-place finisher at Indy, qualifies fifth in Detroit
• Doubleheader weekend in Detroit features races Saturday and Sunday

James Hinchcliffe led the Honda effort Friday at Belle Isle Park, qualifying fourth for Saturday’s first race of the Dual in Detroit Presented by Quicken Loans, a Verizon IndyCar Series double header race weekend on the temporary street circuit in Detroit, Michigan.

The pole qualifier for last week’s Indianapolis 500, Hinchcliffe was one of five Honda drivers to advance beyond the first round of Indy car “knockout” qualifying. Carlos Munoz also advanced to the final round and qualifed fifth, after finishing second last Sunday at Indy. Second-round qualifiers Graham Rahal will start 10th, with Takuma Sato 11th and Mikhail Aleshin, 12th.

Activities continue Saturday in Detroit with the first of this weekend’s 70-lap Verizon IndyCar Series races. The seventh and eighth rounds of the 16-race 2016 season start at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with live television coverage of both races on ABC.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “I’m really happy with qualifying. To get into the Firestone Fast Six two races in a row is big for the Arrow Electronics team. Some of the other cars were really quick, but we managed to have enough there at the end of the second round and then a solid effort in the third round to put it on the second row. I’m very pleased with that. We still have two races and another qualifying to go but to come back here after missing last year and be able to get up to speed quickly, I can’t thank Allen [McDonald, engineer] and the crew enough. The Arrow car was great off the truck and it’s just allowing us to keep this momentum going.”

Ryan Eversley Finishes Fourth and Sixth For Acura at Lime Rock Park

Ryan Eversley Finishes Fourth and Sixth For Acura at Lime Rock Park
• RealTime Racing, forced into a single-car effort by last week’s crash, earns top-six runs
• Ryan Eversley earns Hard Charger Award for Friday’s race results
• Results propel Eversley back into the top 10 of the series standings

LAKEVILLE, Connecticut – (May 28, 2016) – The outside of a corner is usually regarded as the long way through a turn, but RealTime Racing’s Ryan Eversley found the outside line of Turn One at Lime Rock Park to be the pathway to the sharp end of the field. Continue reading Ryan Eversley Finishes Fourth and Sixth For Acura at Lime Rock Park

Rookie Rossi, Honda Win 100th Indianapolis 500

Rookie Rossi, Honda Win 100th Indianapolis 500
• Alexander Rossi extends final fuel run for 36 laps to claim historic victory
• Record-extending 11th Indy triumph for Honda
• Carlos Munoz completes 1-2 finish for Honda, Andretti Autosport

Hondas have always been known for their exceptional fuel economy. Sunday, Indy rookie Alexander Rossi stretched his final tank of fuel for 36 laps to the checkers – four more laps than any other competitor – to win the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. On a similar strategy, Carlos Munoz ran an impressive 32 laps after his final fill-up to make it a 1-2 finish for Honda and the Andretti Autosport team. Continue reading Rookie Rossi, Honda Win 100th Indianapolis 500

Munoz Leads Honda Effort at Indy 500 “Carb Day”

Munoz Leads Honda Effort at Indy 500 “Carb Day”
• Carlos Munoz posts second-fastest speed in last practice prior to the Indianapolis 500
• Honda drivers post 10 of top 16 speeds
• 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 29

Former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Carlos Munoz led the way for Honda Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, posting the second-fastest speed in final “Carb Day” practice in preparation for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500. Munoz finished second to his Andretti Autosport teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, in his 2014 “500” debut.

For his part, Hunter-Reay ended the day fifth overall, with another Andretti Honda, rookie Alex Rossi, sixth fastest. Oriol Servia led the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports effort for Honda, eighth fastest, with teammates Mikhai Aleshin and James Hinchcliffe 11th and 12th, respectively.

Hinchcliffe will start from the pole for Sunday’s 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, with live television coverage on ABC starting at 11 a.m. EDT.

Honda Racing–INDYCAR–Art St. Cyr

An interview with:

ART ST. CYR

T.E. McHALE: Thanks for joining us for our pre Indianapolis 500 media briefing. Our guest this morning is HPD president, Art St. Cyr.
Art, thanks for making time to spend with us this morning.
ART ST. CYR: Thanks for having me.
T.E. McHALE: Pretty good days in Hondaland so far during the month of May. Basically just want to get your evaluation of the month to date, kind of explain to us what has happened in terms of preparation for the superspeedways.
ART ST. CYR: Well, as I told many of you, the Indy 500 is a major focus for Honda. Actually, it’s a major focus for most people in IndyCar. We really worked hard for 12 months on this particular race. Continue reading Honda Racing–INDYCAR–Art St. Cyr

Experience the F4 U.S. Championship at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Experience the F4 U.S. Championship at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing
SCCA Pro Racing reveals the new F4 U.S. Championship car in the Honda Fan Zone during Indy 500 weekend

INDIANAPOLIS (May 24, 2016) – The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 is adding another first for open-wheel fans with the reveal of the Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda SCCA Pro Racing F4 car. Continue reading Experience the F4 U.S. Championship at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Honda Prepares for 100th Indianapolis 500

Honda Prepares for 100th Indianapolis 500
• Honda, Hinchcliffe to start from the pole
• Rossi leads five-driver rookie field
• Honda to field 17 drivers and teams in celebrated race

TORRANCE, California (May 24, 2016) – As the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 approaches on Sunday, Honda and its Honda Performance Development racing subsidiary will be starting the historic race from a position of strength, with a Honda driver on the coveted pole and having claimed eight of the top 12 starting positions. Continue reading Honda Prepares for 100th Indianapolis 500

Acura Motorsports Race Report– Pirelli World Challenge Canadian Grand Prix

Acura Motorsports Race Report
Sunday, May 22, 2016

Pirelli World Challenge Canadian Grand Prix
2.458-mile road course – Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Weather: Cloudy, damp, 72 degrees F

RealTime Racing’s Ryan Eversley Earns Acura’s First Podium of 2016
• Eversley parlays season-best qualifying result into season-best finish
• Peter Cunningham claims two contingency awards in Saturday’s opener
• Acura TLX GT earns first podium finish since March 2015
Continue reading Acura Motorsports Race Report– Pirelli World Challenge Canadian Grand Prix

Hinchcliffe, Honda Claim Indy 500 Pole

Hinchcliffe, Honda Claim Indy 500 Pole
• James Hinchcliffe to lead the field to the start of the 100th Indianapolis 500
• Honda drivers claim four of the top five starting positions
• Ninth Honda pole in 16 “500s”

After a thrilling final-hour performance on Saturday, James Hinchcliffe again delivered when it mattered the most, claiming the pole Sunday for next weekend’s Indianapolis 500, edging Josef Newgarden and fellow Honda driver Ryan Hunter-Reay by the narrowest of margins in the final qualifying run of the day. It is Hinchcliffe’s first “500” pole, and the ninth for Honda at the historic Brickyard.
Continue reading Hinchcliffe, Honda Claim Indy 500 Pole

Hinchcliffe, Honda Lead First-Round Qualifying at Indianapolis

Hinchcliffe, Honda Lead First-Round Qualifying at Indianapolis
• Second run for Hinchcliffe secures top speed and Sunday pole effort
• Five Honda drivers qualify for “Fast Nine” pole shootout
• Sunday final qualifying to set 33-car starting field

A thrilling late-afternoon qualifying run by James Hinchcliffe of nearly 231 mph secured first-round qualifying honors Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Honda drivers claimed the top two preliminary qualifying positions and five of the “Fast Nine” who will contend for the pole in Sunday’s final qualifying.

Just over a year after a practice-session crash resulted in life-threatening injuries for Hinchcliffe, the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver produced a four-lap average speed of 230.946 mph around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval to claim fastest speed of the day, with fellow Honda driver Ryan Hunter-Reay second at 230.805 mph.

Andretti Autosport drivers Townsend Bell and Carlos Munoz, fifth and eighth, respectively; and Hinchcliffe’s teammate, Mikhail Aleshin, who posted the seventh-fastest qualifying run just as time expired, also advanced to Sunday’s “Fast Nine” pole shootout.

In the third year of the current qualifying format, the nine fastest drivers from today’s first-round qualifying will contend for the pole on Sunday, with each driver making a single attempt for the coveted pole position. The remaining drivers are assured of making the “field of 33”, but will qualify again tomorrow to determine their starting positions.

Live television coverage for Sunday’s final qualifying will again be on ABC, starting at 4 p.m. EDT. The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 29, with live coverage on ABC starting at 11 a.m. EDT.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) fastest in first-round qualifying: “The car was pretty good. What am I talking about? It was really good. In our first [qualifying] run, I made some mistakes. So we went back and made a couple of changes to the car, and the car was extremely consistent throughout the second run. That made the difference. Being fastest today doesn’t really mean much more than bragging rights, but it gets us in the “Fast Nine” and a shot at the pole tomorrow. That’s what we really wanted. This race track means a lot to me, to everyone in the sport. After the deal [his accident and severe injuries] a year ago, it seems like everyone in this city has supported us. I think [all the drivers] sitting up here will tell you that the competitive spirit fighting to get into the Fast Nine made for a very exciting format today.”

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice
LAT-levitt-I500-13179
• Gabby Chaves, Dale Coyne Racing and Honda top Thursday speed chart
• Honda drivers claim top four positions, 12 of fastest 16, for the day
• Honda drivers, teams, have led all three practice days for the “500”

Called in as a replacement driver for Dale Coyne Racing only last Wednesday, Gabby Chaves went from the sidelines just one week ago to the top of the speed charts Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading the field for Honda as preparations continued for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29. Continue reading Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice

Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in Phoenix

Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in PhoenixGRC Screenshot1
• Olsbergs MSE to field 2016 Honda Civic Coupes for Joni Wiman and Sebastien Eriksson
• Technical assistance provided by Honda Performance Development
• First and second rounds of the 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship

Phoenix, Ariz. – The Honda Civic, 2016 North American Car of the Year, will be making its Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship debut in the first and second rounds at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix, Arizona, May 20-22. Continue reading Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in Phoenix

Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice
• Ryan Hunter-Reay tops speeds in second full day of practice
• Six Honda drivers, three Honda teams in top 10
• Alexander Rossi runs 15th, continues to lead rookie field

Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indianapolis 500 champion, led the way for Honda and his Andretti Autosport team Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as 33 drivers and teams completed the second full day of practice in preparation for the 100th running of the Memorial Day Classic. Continue reading Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins

Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge

Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge
• RealTime Racing Acuras have earned top-10 results in four of year’s seven races
• Ryan Eversley stands 10th in Pirelli World Challenge points

TORRANCE, Calif, (May 19, 2016) – The Acura TLX GT squad with RealTime Racing has had nearly a full month to shake off a rough weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, and as a result, heads north of the border this weekend with renewed confidence. Continue reading Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge

Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins

Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins
• Marco Andretti and teammates sweep Opening Day for Indy 500 preparation
• Alexander Rossi runs fourth, leads rookie field
• Seven Honda drivers, three Honda teams in top 10

Marco Andretti led the way for Honda and his Andretti Autosport team in Opening Day practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Monday in preparation for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. In a day of fast speeds at the “Brickyard”, Andretti led a 1-2-3-4 sweep for Honda on the day, with his Andretti Autosport teammates Carlos Munoz, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi rounding out the top four positions on the speed chart.

Townsend Bell, in a fifth Andretti Autosport entry, Graham Rahal of Rahal Lanigan Racing and Dale Coyne Racing’s Bryan Clauson also posted top 10 efforts on the day. Speeds increased dramatically under nearly ideal conditions during the final hour of the day-long practice, as drivers took advantage of the large number of cars on track to draft one another for a fast lap. All 33 driver/team combinations took to the famed 2.5-mile oval for at least a portion of the day’s activities, and Rossi led the five-driver rookie contingent.

Marco Andretti (#27 Andretti Autosport Honda) fastest in Indy 500 Opening Day Practice: “Definitely a good start for the entire team. With the weather [forecast] we moved some of our [practice] plans up a few days. I definitely know how this month goes, it’s a roller coaster, but this was a good first day. These were picture-perfect conditions today. Next week will likely be warmer, so it’s too early to read much into things today. I think we’ll see more of the way things will play out in the next several days. As always in Indy car, ther10-15, or more, potential winners in the field here

Honda Drivers Make Their Mark at Grand Prix of Indianapolis

• James Hinchcliffe produces podium finish with third-place run
• Graham Rahal’s charge from the back of the field nets fourth-place finish
• Conor Daly leads 14 laps, finishes sixth, takes rookie lead

James Hinchcliffe continued his rise in the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Saturday at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, taking his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda to a third-place finish for his first podium result of the season. Continue reading Honda Drivers Make Their Mark at Grand Prix of Indianapolis

Rahal Heads Honda Opening-Day Effort for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis

Rahal Heads Honda Opening-Day Effort for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis
• Rahal runs third in afternoon session, fourth overall
• Schmidt Peterson Motorsports duo of Hinchcliffe, Aleshin post top-eight times
• Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis runs Saturday

Graham Rahal continued to pace the Honda effort in the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, running third in second of two practice sessions on the day and fourth overall in preparation or Saturday’s Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports duo of Mikhail Aleshin and James Hinchcliffe finished the day sixth and eighth, respectively, despite Hinchcliffe missing the morning practice session due to a fuel system failure. Ryan Hunter-Reay rounded out the top-10 for Honda and Andretti Autosport, with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Spencer Pigot leading the five rookies in the field, 12th overall.

Activities at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, precursor to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, continue tomorrow, with final practice and qualifying. Saturday’s 82-lap race starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on ABC.

Graham Rahal (#15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): “I think we are okay in terms of performance. We took a big swing there and made a big change for the second session. It was one of those things that would either go our way or not, and I think it hurt us a bit so we will go back on that change for tomorrow. Spencer [Pigot, teammate] had some good finds so we will work with that. Overall we are competitive but I have been fighting a pretty bad cold so it beat me up a little today. We ran a lot of laps this afternoon, so I definitely got a workout and I will sleep well tonight, that’s for sure. I think we learned some stuff there. We’re going to get this Steak ‘n Shake machine back up front.”

Honda Commemorates Its IndyCar Racing Heritage and Success

Honda Commemorates Its IndyCar Racing Heritage and Success as it Gears up for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500

• Honda is the most successful carmaker in Indy 500 wins, starts, and laps completed
• Honda also leads with 12 IndyCar Manufacturers’ Championships

TORRANCE, Calif., May 11, 2016 – As Honda Racing heads into a historic month of May and the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, the automaker is commemorating its history and success in both the Indy 500 and in the Verizon IndyCar Series.
Honda is the most successful carmaker of all-time at the Indy 500, winning more races, having more starts and completing more laps than any other carmaker in the 99 previous editions of the event. Since 1994, Honda has taken part in 15 Indianapolis 500 races, powering 10 race winners at The Brickyard. Continue reading Honda Commemorates Its IndyCar Racing Heritage and Success

Honda Racing–Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix

Honda Racing Report
Sunday, May 1, 2016

Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix
Circuit: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (2.238-mile road course) Monterey, CA
Weather: Sunny, mild, 75 degrees F

Honda, Michael Shank Racing Win in Monterey
• Ozz Negri, John Pew pilot Ligier-Honda to victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Third WeatherTech SportsCar Championship win in four races for Honda in 2016
• Honda extends lead in IMSA Manufacturers’ Championship

Michael Shank Racing, with drivers Ozz Negri and John Pew, brought its Ligier-Honda to Victory Circle Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, scoring its first triumph – and the third win for Honda – in four 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events. Continue reading Honda Racing–Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix