A dominating Verizon IndyCar Series performance by Honda during the first half of Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach came to naught, as no fewer than a half-dozen Honda-powered potential winners saw their races either ended early or significantly delayed by contact on the concrete-lined Southern California street circuit.

Despite the high attrition, star rookie Carlos Munoz claimed his first Indy car podium of 2014 for Honda and Andretti Autosport with a well-judged run to third, while Simon Pagenaud finished fifth, despite a Lap 30 incident that saw the Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports driver knocked off course, resuming at the rear of the field.

Starting from the pole –after Honda drivers claimed five of the top six starting positions in qualifying – Ryan Hunter-Reay led the first 26 laps, until his first scheduled pit stop.  After out-of-sequence drivers cycled through their second round of stops, Hunter-Reay returned to the lead until the second round of stops took place just after the 50-lap mark.

The exchange of second-round stops saw Josef Newgarden – who had spent much of the first half of the race running a very competitive third for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing –emerge from pit lane with a narrow lead over Hunter-Reay at the start of Lap 56

After closely following Newgarden for several corners, Hunter-Reay attempted a pass, only to see the two Honda-powered Dallaras make contact, sending both into the wall and out of the race.  In addition to the leaders, third-place James Hinchcliffe’s Andretti Autosport Honda and the Hondas of Jack Hawksworth and Takuma Sato were also collected in the incident.

Only Hawksworth was able to resume, after a long pit stop for repairs to his Bryan Herta Autosport Honda.  He finished three laps down, in 15th, after running solidly in the top six prior to the incident

Before the multi-car Lap 56 crash, a tap from Will Power sent Pagenaud’s Honda into the Turn 9 tire wall, while another Honda front-runner, Justin Wilson, was tapped into a spin in the Turn 11 hairpin after contact from Graham Rahal.  Pagenaud recovered, posting some of the fastest laps of the race to finish fifth.  But Wilson’s attempt at a similar move through the field ended after a second incident of contact – this time with Scott Dixon – sent Wilson’s Dale Coyne Racing Honda into the wall and out of the race.

Pagenaud’s IndyCar rookie teammate, Mikhail Aleshin, finished sixth, followed by veterans Oriol Servia and Marco Andretti as, despite the crashes, Honda-powered drivers claimed five of the top eight finishing positions.

In recognition of his efforts on behalf of Teen Cancer America, rock and roll legend Roger Daltrey paired up with a racing legend – Mario Andretti – to lead the field in the two-seat Honda Indy car just prior to the start of Sunday’s race. Daltrey and “The Who” bandmate Pete Townshend are the founders of Teen Cancer America, intended to ensure that teenagers and young adults with cancer get access to special facilities and treatments designed for them, in every cancer hospital in the U.S.

Honda-powered drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and Justin Wilson, along with fellow Verizon IndyCar Series driver Scott Dixon, have ambassadorial roles with TCA and met with Daltrey on Sunday.  Interested fans can find more information on Honda’s “Fastest Seat in Sports” two-seat Indy car program by going to

The Honda-powered HPD ARX-03b of Ryan Dalziel and Scott Sharp challenged for a podium finish in Saturday’s Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach, but the lack of a single full-course caution during the second half of the 100-minute timed event spoiled the strategy for the Extreme Speed Motorsports effort, forcing Dalziel to slow drastically during the final laps and dropping him to an unrepresentative sixth-place finish.

The third round of the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, and first temporary street circuit event of 2014, saw the Dalziel/Sharp HPD – along with teammates Ed Brown and Johannes van Overbeek in a second HPD machine – seeking a second consecutive Long Beach victory, and a fifth overall win in the last six years of sports car competition for Honda.

The HPD-developed Honda engines used in the TUDOR championship are 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. Key production-based components that are utilized include block and heads, crankshaft, direct injection fuel system, valve train components, drive-by-wire throttle, alternator, sensors, fasteners, etc. The engine even utilizes a stock Honda oil filter.

Starting eighth after a transmission issue in qualifying, Sharp quickly moved the #1 HPD up to fifth, then handed off to Dalziel at the team’s single scheduled pit stop, just prior to the halfway point of the race.  Dalziel immediately improved to fourth overall and continued to gain ground on the leaders, until it became apparent the race would run caution-free.  Dalziel was forced to reduce his pace, and slowed even further on the final lap, dropping him to a disappointing sixth-place result.

Extreme Speed’s second LMP2-style prototype, the #2 HPD ARX-03b Honda, was started from seventh by Brown and sustained minor body damage in early-race contact with a GTLM-class entrant.  Dropping to 15th after the contact.  He recovered several positions before handing the HPD over to van Overbeek at the mid-race pit stop.  Van Overbeek finished his run without any major issues to finish seventh, just behind teammate Dalziel.

Allen Miller (Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on today’s race:  “Unfortunately, we didn’t quite have the pace we needed this weekend [to contend for the victory].  We struggled for grip in the race, and that led to a decision to attempt to stretch the fuel mileage with the #1 Extreme Speed Motorsports entry.  But, without a yellow [caution flag], it then became necessary to lean out the mixture to ensure a finish, and Ryan [Dalziel] quickly went from gaining ground on the leaders, to losing positions in the final laps.”

Ryan Dalziel (#1 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-02b Honda) finished 6th:  “I think we got the most out of the cars, but it has been a difficult weekend.  The team did a great job of maximizing what we had.  Unfortunately, we were just a little bit behind the top three or four cars.  We gambled a little bit on fuel strategy.  We were hoping for a yellow right after we pitted as that would have put us in the lead [as the rest of the field would pit].  That’s what happened to us at [the 12 Hours of] Sebring [when the eventual race winner pitted just before a full-course caution], so we tried to use it to gain an advantage today.  But it wasn’t our day.  We threw the dice and it didn’t work out.”

Honda-powered drivers and teams dominated Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying Saturday at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, with the manufacturer posting its best street-circuit qualifying performance since the return of multi-manufacturer competition to Indy car racing at the start of the 2012 season.Honda-powered drivers and teams dominated Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying Saturday at t

A total of nine Honda drivers made it through the first round of knockout qualifying to advance to the second round, with six of seven Honda teams all advancing at least one driver to Q2.  The Honda-powered effort was equally strong in the second round, as Honda drivers claimed five of the final Q3 “Fast Six” positions.  Both were road/street circuit qualifying records for Honda since manufacturer competition returned to Indy car racing in 2012.

A total of nine Honda drivers made it through the first round of knockout qualifying to advance to the second round, with six of seven Honda teams all advancing at least one driver to Q2.  The Honda-powered effort was equally strong in the second round, as Honda drivers claimed five of the final Q3 “Fast Six” positions.  Both were road/street circuit qualifying records for Honda since manufacturer competition returned to Indy car racing in 2012.

With Honda-powered Takuma Sato – the defending winner at Long Beach – taking the pole two weeks ago at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the manufacturer is now two-for-two in pole qualifying in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series.

Ryan Hunter-Reay(#28 DHL Andretti Autosport Honda) pole qualifier, first pole of 2014, second Honda pole in 2014; Hunter-Reay’s sixth career Indy car pole:  “What a qualifying session!  We’ve qualified on the front row so many times here, but this is the first time to come out on top [the pole].  It just comes down to this team giving me what I needed, when I needed it, and then finding a gap in traffic to get the lap in.  It’s a good start for us, but tomorrow has its own challenges.  We have a standing start [the first at Long Beach for IndyCars since 2008] and a long day at ‘The Beach’

Honda-powered drivers led the way in Verizon IndyCar Series practice Friday for the 40th annual running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, with Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe pacing the opening, morning session and Simon Pagenaud claiming the honors for the second practice, and the day, in the afternoon session, aboard his Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Honda.

Honda drivers claimed four of the top six positions in each of the two hour-long sessions, with rookie Jack Hawksworth continuing to impress, ending the day third quickest for Bryan Herta Autosport.  Defending race winner Takuma Sato was fourth for A.J. Foyt Racing, with Josef Newgarden sixth for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing.

Activities continue Saturday in Long Beach with a final practice session, followed by Firestone Fast Six qualifying that will set the 23-car field for Sunday’s 80-lap race.  The second round ofthe 18-race 2014 season starts at 4 p.m. EDT Sunday, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (April 9, 2014) –Honda Performance Development will offer customer teams around the world the very latest in LMP2 closed-cockpit sportscar technology next year, with the unveiling of its new HPD ARX-04b LMP2 Coupe.

The new design is a result of the continuing teamworkbetween California-based HPD and England’s Wirth Research. This technical pairing has already proved to be a winning combination, with success in INDYCAR, the American Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship, including LMP2 and LMP1 Privateer class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The ARX-04b sportscar is fully compliant with the new ACO LMP2 regulations, and exceeds the latest safety standards of the new enclosed-cockpit configuration. The proven 2.8-litertwin-turbo, direct injection, production-basedHonda HR28TT V6 powerplant now includes a regulation compliant drive-by-wire throttle system and fresh air valve system,eliminating turbo lag and providing improved reliability and performance.

“We are very excited for our new HPD ARX-04b LMP2 Coupe to see the light of day, combining all of our successes in international sportscar racing with the very latest regulations for closed-cockpit prototypes,” said Steve Eriksen, HPD vice president and COO. “Our production-based Honda HR28TT engine has powered all of our LMP2 sportscarssince the ACO regulations set the new cost-capped direction in 2011, and since its introduction the2.8-litre twin-turbo V6 powerplant has achieved some truly great successes around the world – including multiple engine manufacturer championships, victory at the Sebring 12 Hours and the 24 Hour of Le Mans, as well as powering the first LMP2 FIA World Endurance Champion. We are confident that our latest iteration of the HR28TT engine and its associated systems will satisfy even the most discriminating drivers and power the new HPD ARX-04b LMP2 Coupe to even greater successes around the world.”Additional features of the ARX-04b LMP2 Coupe include:

Energy-efficient technology with low drag and high fuel efficiency.

A cost-capped chassis, fully compliant with ACO and IMSAregulations and designed to compete and winthe toughest endurance races in the world.

“Quick Change” front and rear body work.

Innovative Honda refueling safety interlock system designed to reduce the potential for pit fires resulting from leaving the pit box with fuel hoses inserted (applied to all IndyCars since 2011)

Engine installation includes a proven turbo mounting system and top exit exhaust, meeting all ACO and IMSA noise regulations.

Gearbox changes which can be made to cover the complete range of circuits.

A 75-litre total capacity fuel cell, and lightweight, durable bodywork.

The ARX-04b will continue the HR28TT powerplant, developed by HPD from the production Honda “J35” series of V6 engines currently found in the Acura MDX and RLX in North America, in addition to the upcoming 2015 Acura TLX.  The racing engine continues to use more than 400 production engine parts, including the engine block and heads, crankshaft, direct-injection fuel system, valve train components, drive-by-wire hardware and even the stock Honda oil filter.

As part of their after-sales support services, HPD and Wirth will provide teams with technical assistance and bulletins, as well as additional options available for purchase. Additional bespoke options include driver-in-the-loop simulator sessions, data-logging, race and performance engineering, and MuRiTyre and Apotheca software.

“Wirth Research is proud of its history of consistently creating championship-winning prototype sports cars with and on behalf of Honda Performance Development (HPD).  Using our pioneering CFD design techniques, we have created the all-new HPD ARX-04b LMP2 Coupe,” said Wirth Research President Nick Wirth. “Not only is it a stunning-looking race car, we are confident that our revolutionary all-digital design approach will ensure that HPD’s2015 LMP2 Coupe customers will benefit from fielding the most aero-efficient, balanced and competitive LMP2 car on the 2015 grid.”

Wirth Research has been at the forefront of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in high-level motorsports for almost a decade, and has played an indispensable role in the overwhelming success of ARX sports cars.

About Honda Performance Development HPD was founded in 1993 as the performance arm of American Honda Motor Company, to spearhead the company’s entry into IndyCar racing.  No other manufacturer has matched Honda’s success in IndyCars, which includes 205 race victories, 15 drivers’ championships, six manufacturers’ championships and nine consecutive Indianapolis 500 victories (2004-2012).  In 2013, Honda powered veteran Scott Dixon to four race wins and the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship; and Tristan Vautier to series Rookie of the Year honors.

HPD’s prototype racing efforts have resulted in more than 70 victories and multiple American Le Mans Series engine, chassis, team, and drivers’ championships.  The company’s sports-car racing debut in 2007 at the 12 Hours of Sebring marked the first win for HPD’s LM-V8 engine and the first for a Honda racing engine designed and developed outside of Japan.  HPD won the LMP2 title in the inaugural 2012 World Endurance Championship and since 2010 has twice won the LMP2 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2013, HPD and Honda again swept the LMP1 and LMP2 manufacturers’, engine, team and drivers’ championships in the American Le Mans Series; while HPD-equipped Strakka Racing claimed the LMP1 private team class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

HPD participates in competition on both two wheels and four.  The company offers a complete line of race engines for cars from grass roots to pinnacle; for professional, amateur and entry-level racers.  For more information about HPD and the company’s racing and Street Performance product lines, please visit hpd.honda.com. 

About Wirth Research
Wirth Research is a fast growing innovative engineering company specializing in research, development, design and manufacture for the motor racing industry and other high technology sectors.Founded in 2003, the business pioneers the use of advanced in-house virtual engineering technologies, which enable the use of a complete simulated vehicle design, development and testing process reducing the need for wasteful manufacture of development models and prototypes.These include flow simulation and Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) services and a driver-in-the-loop simulator. 

Wirth Research has a long-term partnership with HPD on the design, development and manufacture of the multiple championship-winning ARX sports car program. For more information about Wirth Research, please visit: www.wirthresearch.com 

• Strong debut for new Honda HI14RTT V6 engine
• Pole-starting Sato leads first 29 laps
• Strong runs from Hunter-Reay, Pagenaud, Newgarden and Wilson

Honda-powered pole qualifier Takuma Sato led the first 29 laps of Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and Ryan Hunter-Reay challenged for the victory in the closing laps of the initial race of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series, but took the checkers in second, less than two seconds behind winner Will Power. 

In a strong debut race for the new HI14RTT twin-turbocharged V6 engine, Honda-powered drivers claimed five of the top nine finishing positions, with Simon Pagenaud, Justin Wilson and Josef Newgarden all rebounding from troubled qualifying runs to join Hunter-Reay and Sato in the top 10 at the finish of 110 laps around the 1.8-mile coastal Florida street circuit.

Sato took command at the race start, eventually opening up a six-second lead over the 22-car field through the first segment of the race in his A.J. Foyt Racing Honda Dallara.  But the popular Japanese driver lost ground after the first round of pit stops to finish seventh. 

Meanwhile, Hunter-Reay’s performance improved throughout the race, as he battled Helio Castoneves for second place during the middle-third of the contest, then captured the position shortly after a Lap 84 restart.  For the last 20 laps, Hunter-Reay traded quick lap times withleader Power, but was unable to mount a successful challenge for the victory.

After “missing the setup” and starting a disappointing 14th, Pagenaud’s race also came alive in the final half, as he passed both Sato and Tony Kanaan, among others, to claim fifth at the finish.  Likewise, Wilson worked his way through the field to take the checkers eighth after starting 16th, while Newgarden made the biggest gains in the race, making up 13 positions to finish a strong ninth after starting 22nd.

Ryan Hunter-Reay(#28 DHL Andretti Autosport Honda) started 3rd, finished 2nd:  “It’s a good start to the season, the team gave 110% today.  After the last restart, Will [Power} and I were very evenly matched.  We were both running ‘qualifying laps’ and Will did a great job.  While I could match him, I just didn’t have enough to get by him.  We’re ready to go to Long Beach now.  I’m very proud of Honda, they gave us a great engine to start the season.  Every point that you make early is good.  You might need them later in the season!  It’s good to be on the podium here in St. Petersburg, a good start to the season and gives us great momentum going into Long Beach.”

Simon Pagenaud(#77Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Racing Honda Dallara) started 14th, finished 5th:  “We missed [the chassis setup] in qualifying, but we had a very fast car for the race.  That last restart was the key.  We made a good move and managed to move our way forward.  To finish fifth after starting 14th, that’s a pretty good result for us.  I’m pretty happy, and very happy with the performance from our Honda engine today. The fuel economy is really good and the power delivery is excellent.  We maximized our result today.”

Art St. Cyr(President, Honda Performance Development) on today’s race:  “We were very competitive today, with good performances from many of our teams and drivers, but events did not quite go our way.  Congratulations to Ryan Hunter-Reay for today’s second-place finish.  It’s great to have the Andretti Autosport organization back in the Honda family once more.  I have to admit to a touch of disappointment with the outcome, as I believe we had the engine to beat here in St. Petersburg, and several of our teams were in position to win for us at various points in the race.  We’re optimistic for Long Beach and the rest of what’s shaping up to be another exciting Verizon IndyCar Series season.”

Sato Supreme in St. Petersburg Qualifying
• Honda drivers claim five of top eight starting positions
• First race of 2014 season takes place on Sunday

A.J. Foyt Racing’s Takuma Sato claimed the first pole of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season, taking command of the final “Fast Six” knockout qualifying session and prevailing in a day filled with rapidly changing weather conditions after a series of mid-day showers soaked the 1.8-mile Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg temporary street circuit.Andretti

Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti qualified third and sixth, respectively, while yet another Andrettti driver, Carlos Munoz qualified seventh to lead the four rookie drivers in the 22-car starting field.  The opening round in the 18-race 2014 season, and the first featuring the new Honda HI14RTT twin-turbo V6 engine, starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, with live television coverage on ABC.

Takuma Sato (#14 ABC Building Supply A.J. Foyt Racing Honda) pole qualifier, his 4th career IndyCar pole and 1st in St. Petersburg:  “It’s a fantastic day for us, you could not ask for a better start to the season.  A.J. [Foyt, team owner] is very happy and you all know how difficult that is [to achieve]!  We completed an extensive winter test program, for the first time, and I think that is helping us better achieve our true potential.  I think tomorrow is going to be an exciting race, with many possible winners.  But if we do our job as good as possible, hopefully 

The 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series opened Friday on the downtown harborfront streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with a pair of practice sessions topped by Honda-powered drivers.

A.J. Foyt Racing’s Takuma Sato posted the fastest time of the afternoon, and overall for the day, with a best lap of 1:02.5615 [103.578 mph] around the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit, after running third-quickest in the morning session.Officially sporting National Guard colors for the first time, Graham Rahal ran second quickest in the afternoon and for the day, as Honda drivers claimed five of the top seven positions overall.

In the slightly slower morning session, Honda drivers ran 1-2-3, led by defending race winner James Hinchcliffe for Andretti Autosport, followed by Dale Coyne Racing’s Justin Wilson and Sato. 

Activities continue Saturday with a final practice session, followed by Firestone Fast Six qualifying that will set the 22-car field for Sunday’s 110-lap race.  The opening round in the 18-race 2014 season starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, with live television coverage on ABC.

Takuma Sato(#14 ABC Building Supply A.J. Foyt Racing Honda) quickest in Friday practice:  “I am very excited to be back in St. Petersburg and to be back on track after the long off-season.  The conditions [overcast and scattered light rain]were not very representative of the usual St. Petersburg weather, but still the car worked really well and we made good progress today.  Let’s hope this continues as we go into qualifying [on Saturday]”

 Seven teams and a dozen full-time entries will lead the Honda effort in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series, which opens Sunday with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

The manufacturer and its Honda Performance Development racing arm are seeking their seventh competitive manufacturers’ championshipand a repeat of the 2013 drivers’ championship with a powerful lineup that includes a mix of 2012 series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, eight proven race winners and a trio of rising talents.

All will utilize the all-new twin-turbocharged Honda Indy V6 engine, which is designed, manufactured, developed and maintained by HPD.  Designated the HI14RTT, the engine is new power plant designed to meet the Verizon IndyCar Series’ technical regulations for 2014 which now specify a pair of Borg Warner turbochargers, in place of the single-turbo unit used by Honda in 2012-13.

“We’ve been encouraged by the performance of the new Honda Indy V6 and the improvements we’ve made during the off-season,” said Mark Crawford, HPD Large Project Leader for the IndyCar program. “We believe we have a great lineup of teams and drivers, including a good balance of proven race winners and promising new stars.  We’re looking forward to the start of the 2014 season on the streets of St. Petersburg, and taking on the challenge presented by Chevrolet in the battle for the Manufacturers’ Championship.”

The powerful Andretti Autosport organization, which delivered a pair of Indianapolis 500 victories and three series championships with Honda between 2003-2007, returns to Honda power for 2014 and a strong, four-driver lineup

Led by 2012 series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, the depth chart at Andretti includes James Hinchcliffe, a three-race winner in 2013, popular third-generation racer Marco Andretti and newcomer Carloz Munoz, who starred in his rookie appearance at last year’s Indianapolis 500.

A two-race winner who finished third in the 2013 championship, Simon Pagenaud returns to lead the two-car effort from Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.  Pagenaud will be partnered by promising rookie, Mikhail Aleshin, who graduates to IndyCar competition after a successful career in European open-wheel racing.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing welcomes the National Guard as the primary sponsor for Graham Rahal, son of team principal Bobby Rahal and the youngest race winner in IndyCar history.  The younger Rahal was just 19 when he won his IndyCar series debut at the 2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  Veteran race winner Oriol Servia will drive the second RLLR entry at the Indianapolis 500 and select additional events.

With seven career IndyCar victories to his name, veteran Justin Wilson returns to Dale Coyne Racing.  Takuma Sato, who battled Dario Franchitti in a thrilling finish to the 2012 Indianapolis 500 and scored his first IndyCar victory at Long Beach in 2013,continues with Honda and A.J. Foyt Racing for a sixth season of IndyCar racing.

Promising young American racer Josef Newgarden returns with Honda power to Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing; and Bryan Herta Autosport rounds out the Honda-powered lineup with Indy Lights graduate Jack Hawksworth.

An extensive fleet of Honda pace cars, safety cars and support vehicles is used in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series, including the Honda Accord Coupe Safety Car, driven at select events by three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Johnny Rutherford.  The 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter Accord Coupe was transformed by HPD into an official Verizon IndyCar Series Safety Car to complement the existing Honda IndyCar series fleet.

Modifications to the standard high-performance Accord include Sparco seats and four-point racing harnesses; an HPD high-performance brake system, with four-piston calipers, competition rotors, racing pads, and stainless brake lines; a Honda Genuine Accessory aerodynamic body kit, consisting of front, side and rear under-spoilers; and Firestone Firehawk high-performance tires, mounted on Enkei alloy wheels.  An exclusive graphics theme completed the conversion from a showroom Accord Coupe to a Verizon IndyCar Series Safety Car.

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the Verizon IndyCar Series – as both a Manufacturers’ Championship competitor and single engine supplier – since joining the series in 2003.

The company scored its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2004 with Buddy Rice; Manufacturers’ Championships in 2004 and ’05; and became engine supplier to the entire IndyCar Series in 2006.  Honda supplied racing engines to the full, 33-car Indianapolis 500 field every year from 2006-2011, and for a record-six consecutive years — and the only six times in event history – the ‘500’ ran without a single engine failure.

The 2012 Indianapolis 500, won by Dario Franchitti, was Honda’s ninth consecutive “500” triumph – both against competition from other manufacturers and as sole engine supplier.  Honda has a total of 205 race victories in open-wheel racing, 65 in Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) competition and 140 in IndyCar.

Founded in 1993, HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines and competes at race circuits around the world from its headquarters in Santa Clarita, California. 

In addition to its efforts in Indy car racing, HPD spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2012 American Le Mans Series, and in the LMP2 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 2010 and 2012.  HPD offers a line of race engines for track applications from prototype sports cars to karting; for professional, amateur and entry-level efforts. 

The Honda-powered Extreme Speed Motorsports trio of David Brabham, Ryan Dalziel and Scott Sharp challenged for victory throughout the second half of Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.  But a late-race caution in the final hour gave a vital track position advantage to the rival Chip Ganassi Racing Team, which held on for the victory, just over four seconds ahead of #1 HPD ARX-03b Honda.

The second round in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, a new sports-car racing series resulting from the merger of the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM, featured a near-capacity field of 63 cars, including 17 prototypes.  The race also was notable for the large number of cautions, 12, almost all of which took place during the first half of the race, and a record 10 different race leaders.

As evening approached, however, the race became a much cleaner contest, and Brabham moved into the lead shortly after the nine-hour mark, first passing the #5 Action Express Corvette of Joao Barbosa and then prevailing in an intense battle with Memo Rojas in the #01 Ganassi Riley Ford, the eventual race winners. 

At the 11-hour mark, Dalziel had a 7.5-second lead over Bourdais, now in the #5 Action Express machine, with both needing just one more pit stop before the finish, while Marino Franchitti had takenover the #01 Ganassi car in its final stop.
A caution flag for a stalled car in the final hour was the break the Ganassi team needed, giving Franchitti the lead when Dalziel and Bourdais made their final pit stops under caution.  When the green flag waved with just 20 minutes remaining in the race, Franchitti had the advantage of several lapped cars between himself and his pursuers, and he drove a mistake-free final six laps to claim the victory.

Extreme Speed’s second LMP2-style prototype, the #2 HPD ARX-03b Honda co-driven by Ed Brown, Simon Pagenaud and Johannes van Overbeek, also led today’s contest and was a potential race winner, taking command of the field for the first time at the seven-hour mark.  But after leading for more than an hour, contact with a lapped GT car resulted in damage to the left side of the HPD, and an unscheduled pit stop to effect repairs. 

Returning to the track after losing a lap to the leaders, van Overbeek and Pagenaud combined to put on a strong charge in the final hours, regaining the lead lap and eventually finishing fifth, just 17 secondsbehind the victors. 

HPD, the two-time defending LMP2 manufacturer and engine champion in the former American Le Mans Series, introduced Honda’s first Daytona Prototype at Sebring, and development of the new chassis/engine package continued throughout the race weekend.  Pierre Kaffer qualified the Starworks Motorsport Riley Honda entry 13th, with fellow racing veteran Scott Mayer taking the wheel at the start of the 12-hour contest.  The Honda-powered Daytona Prototype was taken back to the garage area after 90 minutes of racing and retired with cooling issues.  Additional development for the Daytona Prototype package is planned for the next round, at Long Beach.

Both HPD-developed Honda engines used in the TUDOR championship are derived from the same Honda “J35” series of production V6 engines and include relevant twin-turbocharger technology, along with the efficiency provided by direct fuel injection. Key production-based components that are utilized include block and heads, crankshaft, direct injection fuel system, valve train components, drive-by-wire throttle, alternator, sensors, fasteners, etc. The engine even utilizes a stock Honda oil filter.

Video News Releases from this weekend’s action at Sebring International Raceway, featuring both theTUDOR United SportsCar Championship and supporting 2.5-hour Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race, are being posted on a new, specially created “Honda Racing/HPD Trackside” YouTube channel produced by the Carolina Productions Group.  Headed by longtime motorsports broadcaster Rick Benjamin, CPG will be providing video highlights packages following Honda Racing/HPD events during 2014.  The video packages can be found at: youtube.com/hondaracingtrackside.The inauguralTUDOR United SportsCar Championship resumes next month with the first temporary street circuit event of the 2014 season, the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday, April 12.

Allen Miller (Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on today’s race:  “Extreme Speed did an outstanding job today with both entries, and it is quite disappointing that contact from a much slower car damaged the #2 car, and the late-race caution prevented Honda from scoring our first overall win at Sebring with the #1 HPD.  Despite the late start with our Daytona Prototype program, we made significant gains this weekend and learned a lot, which will be applied to the future development of the car.” 

Scott Sharp (#1 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-02b Honda) finished 2nd in Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring:  “It was a great day for the Patron ESM Team.  To come out of Sebring with two top-five finishes and both of the cars in one piece is phenomenal.  Ryan [Dalziel] and David [Brabham, co-drivers] did such great jobs, and we came so close. I thought with 45 minutes left the race was ours, and then came that unfortunate yellow.  The Ganassi cars pitted fortuitously, and we both came out behind them, and that was the race.” 

Extreme Speed Motorsports led the way for Honda Performance Development in qualifying Friday for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, with Ryan Dalziel posting the fourth-fastest time in his HPD ARX-03b Honda, and teammate Johannes van Overbeek qualifying eighth in the second Extreme Speed HPD. 

The single, 15-minute qualifying session featured several changes to the overall order in the final minutes, as former LMP2 and Daytona Prototype machines, which were merged into a single “Prototype” category this season for the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, evenly split the top eight qualifying positions.

HPD, the two-time LMP2 defending manufacturer and engine champion in the former American Le Mans Series, is introducing Honda’s first Daytona Prototype this weekend at Sebring, and Pierre Kaffer qualified 13th in the Starworks Motorsports Honda Riley. 

Both HPD-developed Honda engines used in the TUDOR championship are derived from the same Honda “J35” series of production V6 engines and include relevant twin-turbocharger technology, along with the efficiency provided by direct fuel injection. Key production-based components that are utilized include block and heads, crankshaft, direct injection fuel system, valve train components, drive-by-wire throttle, alternator, sensors, fasteners, etc. The engine even utilizes a stock Honda oil filter.

A Video News Release from today’s action at Sebring International Raceway, including both TUDOR United SportsCar Championship qualifying and the 2.5-hour Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race, will shortly be posted on a specially-created “Honda Racing/HPD Trackside” YouTube channel produced the Carolina Productions Group. 

Headed by longtime motorsports broadcaster Rick Benjamin, CPG will be providing video highlights packages following tomorrow’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and at future Honda Racing/HPD events.

Allen Miller (Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on Sebring qualifying:  “It was a satisfying qualifying effort from both of our teams.  Both Extreme Speed Motorsports cars qualified solidly in the top eight, and are ready for the race.  We’re continuing to sort through the usual, small, new installation issues with the Daytona Prototype car, and have made steady progress through the weekend.  We’ll continue to work to improve it, and we’re looking forward to an exciting and highly competitive race.”

Honda has expanded its attack on the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, and will join the Daytona Prototype category for the first time later this month at the 62nd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Honda has a history of success at the Florida endurance racing classic, including LMP2 class victories in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and top-three overall race finishes in 2007 – the company’s debut in sports-car racing under the Acura Motorsports banner – and again in 2011. 

Honda Performance Development (HPD), Honda’s North American racing company, has developed a new, 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged Daytona Prototype version of the production J35 engine, the latest of several HPD racing applications for the V6 power plant found, in various forms,in a wide range of Honda and Acura passenger cars and light trucks.

“This is a great opportunity for HPD and our customer teams in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship,” said Steve Eriksen, HPD vice president and COO.  “Adding a Daytona Prototype effort alongside the proven HPD-Honda chassis and engine combination in LMP2 provides Honda with a strong and balanced attack in the inaugural TUDOR Championship.” 

Honda joins Chevrolet and Ford in the Daytona Prototype manufacturer ranks and becomes the only company to field efforts in both categories that make up the new Prototype class in the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.

In the companion LMP2 prototype category, HPD produces a complete chassis-engine package, including the ARX-03b chassis andHonda 2.8-liter HR28TT twin-turbo V6 engines, in competition with both Nissan and Mazda. This combination results in an impressive five-manufacturer lineup vying for Prototype honors in the 2014 TUDOR championship.

BothHPD-developed Honda engines used in the TUDOR championship arederived from the same Honda J35 series of production V6 engines and include relevant twin-turbocharger technology, along with the efficiency provided by direct fuel injection.Key production-based components that are utilized include block and heads, crankshaft, direct injection fuel system, valve train components, drive-by-wire throttle, alternator,sensors, fasteners, etc. The engine even utilizes a stock Honda oil filter.

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

The Daytona Prototype Honda Riley package will debut at Sebring fielded by Starworks Motorsport, while Extreme Speed Motorsports will continue to field a pair of HPD ARX-03b Hondas created to LMP2 specifications, continuing a partnership that began in 2013. 

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing 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 marked its 20thanniversary 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

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 LMP2class 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 2013American 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 TUDORChampionship.

“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 championshipare 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 20th 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. 

Extreme Speed Motorsports and drivers Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek, Anthony Lazzaro and Simon Pagenaud recovered from early-race adversity at Daytona International Speedway to pilot their HPD ARX-03b Honda to a seventh-place finish Sunday in the prototype division at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

This year’s 24-hour season-opening endurance race was the first race in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, a new sports-car racing series resulting from the merger of the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM.  Honda Performance Development, the two-time LMP2 defending manufacturer and engine champion in American Le Mans Series competition, was represented in the new championship by Extreme Speed Motorsports, fielding a pair of HPD ARX-03b chassis and production-based Honda V6 twin-turbocharged engines. 

The Extreme Speed HPDs were two of six LMP2 entries in the new “Prototype” [P] category, which at Daytona also included the unique Delta Wing design, and 11 Daytona Prototype cars from the former GRAND-AM series, comprising a competitive, 18-car field.

The race got off to a tough start for HPD, when the #2 Extreme Speed HPD, running third as the race entered its second hour, spun and made contact with the barriers at the “bus stop” chicane, resulting in suspension and body damage.  After a long pit stop to effect repairs, the team resumed 15 laps down to the leaders.

Shortly after the incident with the #2 car, Scott Sharp spun theteam’s #1 HPD at the same location, but made no contact and was able to continue without damage.  Less than an hour later, however, the Honda-powered machine lost drive, pitted and was taken to the garage area to replace the transmission.  The long stop cost the #1 car more than an hour in repair time before returning to the race, in 16th position and 43 laps down to the leaders.

From there, Extreme Speed and HPD mounted an impressive comeback.  Triple driving stintsfrom both IndyCar star Pagenaud and endurance veteran Lazzaro – and exceptional Continental tire wear from the HPD chassis–saw the #2 Honda rise steadily through the field. The ARX-03b was scored in 12th after six hours and ninth as the race reached the 12-hour mark. 

At the same time, the second Extreme Speed HPD was conducting its own comeback.  Sharp also completed a triple stint driving the #1 ARX-03b Honda during the nighttime hours, as he and co-drivers Ryan Dalziel and David Brabham made a comeback attempt, running just a couple of positions behind their teammates as both cars advanced through the night.

Unfortunately, the race for the #1 HPD ended just before 5 a.m., when mechanical problems led to retirement in the garage area.  The #2 car, however, continued to run well, moving into eighth place in Prototype as dawn broke over Daytona International Speedway just after 7 a.m.  Matching the pace of the other LMP2 entries, the #2 Extreme Speed HPD would advance as high as seventh in the Prototype class and 11th overall as the checkers flew just after 2:11 p.m. EDT.

The inaugural 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship resumes March 15 with another endurance racing classic, the 62nd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Allen Miller (Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona:  “It’s unfortunate that our early problems put us behind, but Extreme Speed did an excellent job of managing the recovery and both the HPD chassis and the Honda engine proved to be up to the task of taking on our first 24-hour race here on the high banks of Daytona.  While we didn’t quite have the pace of the Daytona Prototypes, we have confidence in IMSA’s ability to thoroughly analyze the data from this weekend’s race, and look forward to a post-race review of the current Balance of Performance regulations prior to Sebring.”

Simon Pagenaud (#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-02b Honda) finished 8th in prototype:  “My triple stint in the car was good.  The HPD was fast and quite enjoyable in the night running; I really had a good time with the car.  We were trying to play ‘catch-up’ and we could keep improving our positionand moving up in the standings.  Overall, it went pretty well.  I think the HPD held up very well with all the mayhem out on track.  There was a lot of contact, as well as passing.  It was good racing, but certainly, it was also mayhem at times.”

The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, a new sports-car endurance racing series resulting from the merger of the American Le Mans Series with GRAND-AM, opened Thursday at the famed Daytona International Speedway with practice and qualifying in preparation for Saturday’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

Honda Performance Development, the two-time LMP2 defending manufacturer and engine champion in American Le Mans Series competition, is represented in the new championship by Extreme Speed Motorsports, fielding a pair of HPD ARX-03b chassis and production-based Honda V6 twin-turbocharged engines.  The Extreme Speed HPDs are two of six LMP2 entries in the new “Prototype” [P] division, which at Daytona also includes the unique Delta Wing design, and 11 Daytona Prototype cars from the former GRAND-AM series.

Unfortunately, separate minor mechanical issues prevented both HPDs from achieving top speed during the brief, 15-minute qualifying session that set the starting field for the 24-hour contest, leaving qualifying drivers Johannes von Overbeek and David Brabham 14th and 15th, respectively, on the prototype grid. 

Both problems were resolved in time for the cars to take part in the 90-minute night practice that closedout activities Thursday at Daytona, with Simon Pagenaud posting the 6th fastest timein the #2 HPD and Brabham running 8th fastest in the #1 Extreme Speed entry.

The “twice around the clock” Rolex 24 at Daytona starts Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage of the opening two hours on the Fox Network, and additional coverage throughout the race on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2.

Allen Miller (Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on Daytona qualifying:  “Certainly it was extremely disappointing for two very minor issues to have affected our qualifying runs today.  Both Extreme Speed Motorsports cars suffered minor sensor issues that kept them from reaching top speed.  The problems were quickly rectified, but in the short, 15-minute qualifying session, it wasn’t possible to show the true potential of our cars today.  Almost anything can happen in a 24-hour race, but we’re confident we have a strong package for the weekend, and we’re looking forward to the start of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.”

Acura Motorsports today pulled the wraps off the new 2015 Acura TLX GT Race Car at the North American International Auto Show, announcing plans to move up to the GT category of the growing and highly competitive Pirelli World Challenge Championship.

To be campaigned by long time Acura Motorsports partner RealTime Racing, the new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition that includes the Audi R8 LMS, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.

“The 2015 Acura TLX is a true luxury sport sedan, so it is fitting that the car be raced against several of its natural competitors, and even some up-market brands, in the Pirelli World Challenge,” said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President-Product Planning and Logistics, American Honda.  “Acura and Peter Cunningham’s RealTime Racing organization have a long history of success together, and we look forward to adding to that tradition with the Acura TLX GT race car in 2014.

”Developed from the production 2015 Acura TLX by HPD, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the Acura TLX GT Race Car will feature HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition, and will be powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the normally aspirated, production TLX luxury sport sedan.  It will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura’s SH-AWD system.   

The Acura TLX GT Race Car will be campaigned by Wisconsin-based RealTime Racing, the most successful team in Pirelli World Challenge history.   Established in 1987 by owner/driver Peter Cunningham, RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products.  Since entering the Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in 1993, the team has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 Manufacturers’ Championships and 14 Drivers’ Championships.

About Honda Performance Development HPD was founded in 1993 as the performance arm of American Honda, to spearhead the company’s entry into Indy car racing.  No other manufacturer has matched Honda’s success in Indy cars, which includes 204 race victories, 15 drivers’ championships, six manufacturers’ championships and nine consecutive Indianapolis 500 victories.  In 2013, Honda powered veteran Scott Dixon to four race wins and the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship; and Tristan Vautier to series Rookie of the Year honors.

With more than 100 Honda Formula F engines sold to racers in the United States and Canada, Honda Performance Development has played a major role in the revitalization of North American Formula F competition over the last four years.

“The enthusiasm and support for the Honda Formula F program from the racing community has been very gratifying,” said Marc Sours, HPD Senior Manager and Chief Engineer. “We believein the class; and wanted to see it grow and return to its rightful place as both a ‘first step’ for the young aspiring driver and as a competitive, cost-effective, open-wheel platform for veteran club racers.”

The 1.5-liter HPD L15A7 became eligible for SCCA Formula F competition in 2010, introducing a modern racing engine to the category while strengthening Formula F’s historic position as the first step in American open-wheel racing.

Developed from the current Honda Fit passenger car, introduced in 2009, the L15A7 engine in FF form provided open-wheel racers with a modern, fuel-injected design offering superior reliability, service life, increased availability and lower operating costs compared to the category’s traditional engines. 

HPD will continue to supply complete engines, replacement parts and support for the Formula F Honda engine after a new generation of the Honda Fit is released in North America for the 2015 model year.  Although the new Fit model will have an updated engine with direct injection and other changes, HPD has a large supply of current engines and spares available, and American Honda will continue to supply OEM support for the current Fit Formula F engine until at least 2024. 

“We’re thrilled to have surpassed 100 Honda Formula F engines sold in just four years,” Sours said.  “We’re even more proud to have participated in therecent resurgence of the class–increased club-level participation and now four separate professional series in the U.S. and Canada – since the Honda engine became available.  We look forward to continuing this pattern of support and growth for many years to come.

”In addition, more than 318,000second generation (2009-2014) model year Honda Fit cars have been sold in North America to date, with these cars providing another significant source for replacement parts and engines well into the future.

Honda Performance Development completed an impressive season Saturday at the season- and series-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, as the Level 5 Motorsports trio of Ryan Briscoe, Marino Franchitti and Scott Tucker prevailed for the LMP2 race victory and season championship by less than 1.4 seconds over season-long rival Extreme Speed Motorsports.

In LMP1, season champion Muscle Milk Pickett Racing dominated the opening hours of the 1,000-mile endurance race – the second-longest of the American Le Mans Series season – but the driving trio of Romain Dumas, Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr encountered overheating issues aboard its HPD ARX-03c Honda as the race neared its midpoint, and was forced to retire.

It was the only “Did Not Finish” of the season for the Muscle Milk team, in a year that was highlighted by a series-record eight consecutive overall and LMP1 victories.  That streak ensured a second-consecutive American Le Mans Series constructors’ championship for HPD, engine championship for Honda, team championship for Muscle Milk Pickett Racing and drivers’ championship for team regulars Graf and Luhr.

After an early-lap battle with the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota of Nick Heidfeld, Neel Jani, and Nicholas Prost on a damp track, the Muscle Milk trio established a solid lead in the second hour of the race under constantly changing track conditions, and had opened up an advantage of nearly two laps when  overheating issues struck the HPD-Honda.  Rebellion then went on win overall and LMP1.  

In LMP2, the second Level 5 entry of Guy Cosmo, Peter Dumbreck and Jonny Kane battled the Extreme Speed Honda trio of David Brabham, Anthony Lazzaro and Scott Sharp in the opening hours, with both efforts taking turns at the front.  Meanwhile, the second Level 5 HPD ARX-03b Honda of Briscoe, Franchitti and Tucker ran a consistent third, remaining on the lead lap and then making a surge to the front in the final two hours.

As the Cosmo/Dumbreck/Kane HPD faded to third, teammates Briscoe, Franchitti and Tucker battled the Brabham/Lazzaro/Sharp trio for the class win, which also would help determine the drivers’ championship between Level 5 owner/driver Tucker and Extreme Speed team principal Sharp. 

With less than an hour remaining, Level 5 pulled out a narrow advantage in the final round of pit stops, taking fuel only, to hold off Extreme Speed by just 1.394 seconds at the checkers.  As a result, Tucker claimed his third consecutive LMP2 drivers’ title, with teammate Franchitti second and Sharp third.  It also marked the third consecutive American Le Mans Series LMP2 manufacturers’ championship for HPD, and engine championship for Honda.

The 2013 Petit Le Mans endurance race at Road Atlanta was the final American Le Mans Series event, as the series merges with Grand-Am in 2014 to form the Tudor United Sports Car Championship.  The new series debuts January 25 with the 24 Hours of Daytona, at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. 

Lucas Luhr(#6 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03c Honda) LMP1champion for second consecutive year with co-driver Klaus Graf; scored an ALMS series record eight consecutive winsfor Muscle Milk Pickett Racing and Honda in 2013:  “There were 10 races in this championship.  We won eight, and that is very outstanding for everybody involved with Muscle Milk Pickett Racing.  It’s a shame that our season ended like this.  But in racing, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.  Everyone can be very proud of what we have achieved these last few years, and I think we need to end the season with that thought.”

Scott Tucker(#551 Level 5 Motorsports HPD ARX-03b Honda) 1st in LMP2 and 2ndoverall with co-drivers Ryan Briscoe and Marino Franchitti; wins the LMP2 drivers’ championship for the third consecutive year with Honda power:  “All of the races this year have been hard.  Extreme Speed Motorsports gave us really tough competition throughout the season and it could have gone either way.  Today it came down to the last race, and we had to win.  Fortunately, it all worked out.”

Allen Miller(Honda Performance Development Large Project Leader, Sports Car Racing) on Saturday’s season-ending Petit Le Mans:  “Congratulations to Level 5 Motorsports for its third consecutive LMP2 championship, and to season-long rival Extreme Speed Motorsports for an outstanding effort in its first season of sports-prototype competition.  The battle between these two HPD-equipped teams made for an exciting LMP2 battle right from the opening around at Sebring.  In LMP1, it’s a shame that Muscle Milk Pickett racing ended its championship-winning season on a ‘down’ note, with their only retirement of the season, but the team can be extremely proud of scoring eight consecutive victories this year and itssecond championship in partnership with HPD.  All of the associates at HPD can be proud of their effortsand the results they produced in sports car racing in 2013; a combined total of 18 wins in LMP1 and LMP2 is a new record for Honda.  But we’re already looking forward to next season, with the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship providing increased prototype competition for Honda and HPD.

On a night where crashes and mechanical failures claimed more than half of the 25-car starting field, Scott Dixon did exactly what was needed to claim his third career IZOD IndyCar Series Drivers’ Championship, as the Honda-powered driver finished fifth in Saturday night’s MAVTV American Real 500 to claim the title over rival Helio Castroneves.

Dixon came to the 19th and final race of the 2013 season with a 25-point lead over Castroneves, including a series-leading four wins this year.  A finish of fifth or better would have secured the title for Dixon, but he worked his Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda to the front of the field, and battled for the leadfor much of the night, until backing off in the final laps due to rising engine temperatures as Will Power went on to claim the victory. 

Overheating issues affected several cars, as sand and debris affected both Honda and Chevrolet-powered entries and resulted in several retirements during the course of the 500-mile contest.  A multi-car crash on Lap 110 eliminated five more cars, including four Hondas, and resulted in Dale Coyne Racing driver Justin Wilson being transported to a local hospital for further examination of a possible hip injury.

Despite the attrition, the race was fiercely contested, with 11 different drivers leading one or more laps, including Mid-Ohio race winner Charlie Kimball, who led three times for a total of 22 laps, and appeared to be in contention for the victory until a late-race mechanical problem sent him to the pits.  Kimball still was scored 10th, despite dropping out of the contest with 12 laps remaining.

Stepping in for the injured Dario Franchitti, veteran Honda driver Alex Tagliani also ran near the front of the field for much of the night, and led five laps before spinning and making light contact with the wall to end his race on lap 209. 

Driving for Bryan Herta Autosport, JR Hildebrand appeared headed for at least a second-place finish in the closing laps, as he ran in lock-step behind fellow Honda driver Kimball until he, too, was felled by debris-related overheating issues with just 13 laps remaining.

FONTANA, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2013) – IndyCar champions Andretti Autosport® announced today that the team led by racing legend Michael Andretti will return to IndyCar Series competition in 2014 with Honda-powered machines as part of a multi-year agreement.    “

We look forward to working with Honda again; for us, it’s like being back home. I have no doubt that together we will see great success,” said Michael Andretti, the team’s Chairman, President and CEO. 

The Indianapolis-based team has competed as part of Team Chevy for the last two seasons, winning the championship in 2012 with Ryan Hunter-Reay. Prior to the return of the IndyCar manufacture competition in 2011, Andretti captured three series championships with Honda (2004, 2005, 2007), as well as two Indianapolis 500 victories (2005, 2007). Since its inception in 2003, Andretti Autosport has captured 48 IndyCar Series victories – 39 of those under Honda power.  “

We’re extremely happy to welcome Michael Andretti and his Andretti Autosport organization back into the Honda Racing family,” said Art St. Cyr, President, Honda Performance Development. “As many of you will remember, the Andretti organization played a major role in Honda’s success during the previous era of manufacturer competition in Indy car racing, and we’re looking forward to adding more victories and championships to an already impressive total.”

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994 and has played an active role in the growth of Indy car racing – as both a Manufacturers’ Championship competitor and single engine supplier – since joining the series in 2003.

The company scored its first of nine consecutive Indianapolis 500 victories in 2004. Honda won Manufacturers’ Championships in 2004 and 2005, and captured the drivers’ championships with Andretti drivers Tony Kanaan (2004) and Wheldon (2005).

Honda became engine supplier to the entire IZOD IndyCar Series in 2006, and supplied racing engines to the full, 33-car Indianapolis 500 field each year from 2006-2011. For a record six-consecutive years, the ‘500’ ran without a single engine failure, and the 2010 Indianapolis 500 marked Honda’s 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.