In an epic battle, Honda-powered Takuma Sato fought tooth-and-nail with fellow Honda driver Josef Newgarden and Chevy’s James Hinchcliffe, with only a last-lap, last-turn pass by Hinchcliffe preventing Sato from winning his second consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series race Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Starting 12th, Sato took advantage of continued excellent pit work from his A.J. Foyt Racing team, jumping from 10th to fourth among the “in sequence” group that pitted on Lap 21. That became an actual fourth on the race track when the out-of-sequence runners pitted just 10 laps later.  Passes of local favorite Tony Kanaan and defending series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay put Sato in the lead, as the Japanese driver sought to follow up his Long Beach victory two weeks ago with a second consecutive win. 

Electing to pit out of the lead on Lap 36, Sato then committed to running the remaining 39 laps on a single set of soft compound “red” tires, making just a quick final pit stop under caution on Lap 51 to top off his fuel supply.  Resuming in fourth place on the Lap 54 restart, Sato quickly passed both Marco Andretti and Hinchcliffe, then took over at the front when leader JR Hildebrand pitted.

Starting last in the 25-car field after mechanical problems in practice on Saturday, Newgarden took his Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda through the field, going “out of sequence” and pitting on Lap 6 during an early caution, and making the strategy pay off as he emerged in second place behind Sato when the green flag waved for the final time on Lap 59. 

Matching Sato move for move while searching for his first IndyCar win, Newgarden repeatedly challenged the leader around the 2.54-mile Sao Paulo street circuit while Simon Pagenaud, running third for Honda in his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports machine, faded to a ninth-place finish with handling issues.

As Pagenaud dropped back, both Hinchcliffe and Andretti closed on the leaders, with the first four cars taking the white flag side-by-side and nose-to-tail.  As the quartet headed into the final hairpin corner, Hinchcliffe moved to the outside of Sato, then ducked inside in a classic “over/under” pass to claim the victory by just over three-tenths of a second.  At the same time, Newgarden was unintentionally caught out in the last-turn shuffle, and dropped to an unrepresentative fifth at the checkers, still the best career finish for the second-year IndyCar racer.

After four road and street-circuit races to start the 2013 season, the IZOD IndyCar Series now returns to the U.S. for the season’s signature event:  the Indianapolis 500, where Honda will be seeking its 10thconsecutive victory.  Practice gets underway at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Opening Day on Saturday, May 11. The 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 26.

James Hinchcliffe Wins on Streets of São Paulo to Claim Second IZOD IndyCar Series Career Victory
 
Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Drivers Score Three Top-Five and Five Top-10 Finishes in Fourth Race of 2013 Season
 
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – (May 5, 2013) – In a very dramatic and exciting finish, Andretti Autosport driver James Hinchcliffe, behind the wheel of his No. 27 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet powered entry, won the 2013 Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 on the Streets of SãoPaulo, Brazil with a thrilling last lap, final turn pass.
 
During the final laps around the 11-turn, 2.536-mile temporary circuit, the young Canadian driver closed the gap to move from third to second in the running order; and then pursued the leader, Takuma Sato. Still second as the pair took the while flag, Hinchcliffe waited for the perfect opportunity to make the pass, and score the win.
 
“There’s no cooler way to win a race than the last corner of the last lap,” said Hinchcliffe from Victory Lane. “Great job that Takuma (Sato) did to be up there, and man, he was making his car really wide. We both had one push-to-pass left coming to that last corner. He’d been defending the inside pretty well – almost too well a couple of times. He just out-broke himself a little bit. I know he was going to go deep, and we did the high-low and got the win. Awesome job for GoDaddy, Andretti (Autosport) and everybody.”
 
It was Hinchcliffe’s second win the 2013 IndyCar season, and second of his IndyCar career. His first win came at the season opener at St. Petersburg. The win moved him to fourth in the standings as the series heads to Indianapolis for the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500.
 
Hinchcliffe was joined on the podium by his teammate Marco Andretti who brought the No. 25 RC Cola Chevrolet to a strong third place finish. Andretti moved to second in the standings, just 13 points shy of the lead. Sato finished second, and assumed the points lead.
 
“What a spectacular pass on the final corner for the win today for James Hinchcliffe at São Paulo!” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing IZOD IndyCar Series Program Manager. “James and his Chevrolet-powered Go-Daddy Andretti Autosport team did a stellar job managing the tires, fuel and overtake to enable that last lap surge and skilled over-under pass on the final turn to take the checker.  Congratulations also to Marco Andretti on his third place podium finish showing great consistency and a new focus this season.  This result will provide great momentum for Team Chevy and our technical partners as we head into the Indy 500 phase of the season and focus on winning that most precious crown.”
 
Oriol Servia was a strong contender during the second half of the 75-lap, 190.2-mile race to bring home a fourth place finish behind the wheel of the No. 22 Valspar Panther Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Chevrolet to give Team Chevy three of the top-five finishers. Josef Newgarden was the fifth-place finisher.
 
In total, Chevrolet drivers claimed half of the top-10 finishing positions. E.J. Viso, No. 5 Team Venezuela Andretti Autosport HVM Chevrolet was sixth at the checkered flag, and Simona de Silvestro, No. 78 Nuclear Entergy Areva KvVRacing Technology Chevrolet, finished in eighth place.
 
Defending IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 1 DHL Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, led twice for a total of 16 laps, but a late-race flat tire relegated him to the 11th finishing position.
 
São Paulo native Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, who held the lead in the point standings coming into today’s race, rallied from on-track altercations and multiple trips down pit lane to finish 13th.  Castroneves now sits third in the standings, 20 points down from leader Sato.
 
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 7 McAfee Dragon Racing Chevrolet, finished 14th, and JR Hildebrand brought the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing Chevrolet scored the 15th place finish.
 
Local favorite, Brazilian Tony Kanaan, No.11 Itaipava KV Racing Technology SH Racing Chevrolet, thrilled the crowd by leading twice for a total of 12 laps racing with an injured hand from an accident at Long Beach.  A late-race multi-car tangle relegated Kanaan to the 21st finishing position.
 
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, winner of the three previous São Paulo races, who started 22nd after a disappointing qualifying effort, was working his way through the field to knock on the door of the top-10, when a mechanical issue sidelined him on the 18th lap of the race.  He was scored with the 24th finishing position.
 
Next up for the Chevrolet in the IZOD IndyCar Series is the Indianapolis 500, May 26, at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The race will be broadcast live on ABC beginning at 11:00 a.m. (ET) as well as broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211 and

Ryan Hunter-Reay Puts Chevrolet on the Pole in Brazil
Defending IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Sets New Track Record
 
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – (May 4, 2013) – Defending IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay proved to be the master of the 11-turn, 2.536-mile temporary circuit on the Streets of São Paulo at the conclusion of today’s Firestone Fast Six qualifying session. Behind the wheel of the No. 1 DHL Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, Hunter-Reay set a new track record with a lap of one minute 20. 4312 seconds at 113.508 m.p.h. to become the fastest qualifier for Sunday’s Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle. It is the second consecutive year that a driver powered by a Chevrolet V6 twin turbocharged engine will lead the IZOD IndyCar Series field to green flag in Brazil.
 
It is the second pole of the season for Hunter-Reay and his third 2013 front row starting position in four races. It is his first pole at São Paulo, but his third front-row starting position for the 75-lap, 190.2-mile race.
 
“I gave it everything I had and it’s great to get the DHL Chevrolet up front again and on pole,” said Hunter-Reay.  “That’s three of the four races this year that we’ve been on the front row and twice on pole. I’m so happy for the guys and everything they’ve done for me.”
 
Making it an all-Andretti Autosport front row will be E.J. Viso, No. 5 Team Venezuela PDVSA CITGO Andretti Autosport Chevrolet. The second quickest run is Viso’s best effort in three trips to the Streets of São Paulo.
 
“Congratulations to Ryan Hunter-Reay and Andretti Autosport on securing the pole for the Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300, and setting a new track record in the process”, said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing IZOD IndyCar Series Program Manager.  “Ryan continues to earn the right to carry the number 1 on his car and demonstrates the “Never Give Up” attitude that resonates with Chevrolet.  Having seven Team Chevy drivers qualify in the top-10 for tomorrow’s race is a clear demonstration of the ongoing commitment to top performance by our teams and technical partners, but it will require focus and solid execution to win in the highly competitive IZOD IndyCar Series. The very enthusiastic Brazilian fans are going to be treated to a tremendous race on Sunday.”
 
Other Chevrolet Qualifiers are: Tony Kanaan, No. 11 Itaipava KV Racing Technology SH Racing Chevrolet – 4th; James Hinchcliffe, No. 27 GoDaddy.com Andretti Autosport Chevrolet – 5th; Sebastien Bourdais, No. 7 McAfee Dragon Racing Chevrolet – 7th; Simona de Silvestro, No. 78  Nuclear Entergy Areva KV Racing Technology Chevrolet – 8th; Marco Andretti, No. 25 RC Cola Andretti Autosport Chevrolet – 10th’; JR Hildebrand, No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing Chevrolet – 11th; Oriol Servia, No. 22 Valspar Panther Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Chevrolet – 13th; Ed Carpenter, No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet – 14th; Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet – 18th; Sebastian Saavedra, No. 5 TrueCar Dragon Racing Chevrolet – 20th and Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet – 22nd.
 
Dario Franchitti (Honda) and Scott Dixon (Honda) were third and sixth respectively in the Firestone Fast Six.
 
As is always the case, the final starting grid will not be made official by the IZOD IndyCar Series until after the race day morning warm-up set for 7:00 a.m. ET on Sunday.
 
The  Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle for the IZOD IndyCar Series will be held on Sunday, May 5 on the streets of São Paulo, Brazil. The race will be televised live at 11 a.m. (ET) by the NBC Sports Network (Verizon FiOS 90/590, DirecTV 220, DISH 159 and AT&T UVerse 640) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211 and

Honda Performance Development-equipped teams swept Saturday’s Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series race at Long Beach, with the Muscle Milk Pickett Racing duo of Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr claiming the overall and LMP1 victory in commanding fashion in their HPD ARX-03c Honda.  Making just its second start in the prototype ranks, Extreme Speed Motorsports bested fellow HPD team Level 5 Motorsports to finish 1-2 in LMP2 with a pair of HPD ARX-03b Hondas.

Starting third, Luhr quickly passed the Mazda-powered Lola of Chris Dyson, then took advantage of an early full-course caution to make a pit stop and sole driver change, with Luhr handing off driving duties to Graf.  When racing resumed, Graf continued to close on the race-leading Toyota Lola of Rebellion Racing until the next round of pit stops at the one-hour mark.  Entering the pits together, the Muscle Milk team took the lead with a quick, fuel-only stop, while Rebellion performed a full service and driver change.

Once in front, it was clear sailing for Graf, as he continued to extend his advantage for the remainder of the race, eventually pulling out a lead of more than 36 seconds at the checkers.

The victory was the third consecutive Long Beach “home” victory for California-based Muscle Milk Pickett Racing, and the fourth consecutive American Le Mans Series win for HPD, which is based in nearby Santa Clarita, California.

In LMP2, it was Guy Cosmo and Scott Sharp taking the victory in their HPD ARX-03b, as they were quick to take advantage of problems that struck both entries from defending class winners Level 5 Motorsports.  Cosmo moved in front of pole-starting Scott Tucker’s HPD at the 15-minute mark, and continued in the lead until the 40-minute mark, when he handed off to owner/driver Sharp.

A brief delay in re-starting left Sharp second, behind teammate Johannes van Overbeek in the #02 Extreme Speed HPD. But differing fuel strategies soon had Sharp back in the class lead and the series veteran went on to a comfortable, one-lap victory over teammates van Overbeek and Ed Brown.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti’s final lap Saturday in IZOD IndyCar Series qualifying proved to be just enough, as the Honda-powered driver edged defending series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay by just under six hundredths of a second to claim the pole for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach.  The run was Franchitti’s first IndyCar pole since the 2012 Honda Indy Toronto, as the four-time series champion, and winner here in 2009, prepares for his 250th IndyCar race start in tomorrow’s race.Takuma Sato continued his run of strong early-season performances, as he once again made the “Fast Six” final round of knockout qualifying and will start fourth on Sunday for A.J. Foyt Racing.  Making his first IndyCar start of the season, 2011 Long Beach winner Mike Conway will start fifth for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, while Charlie Kimball produced his second consecutive top-10 qualifying performance and will start ninth for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing.Sunday’s 80-lap race, the third round in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series, starts at 4 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.Dario Franchitti (#10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Dallara) pole qualifier, his first pole of 2013 and 30th career IndyCar pole:  “This [pole] means a lot.  We had a very fast car at Barber [for the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama], but we made a mess of qualifying.  Today, it was nice to go out with a great car and really get everything out of it.  That last lap [we] just threw caution to the wind in a couple of places and I just got [the pole].  So it feels good, especially with the field as tight as it is.  It was nice for Honda to get a pole here, too, on their home ground.”

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (April 20, 2013) –Gil de Ferran, a two-time IndyCar Series champion and winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500, will join Honda Performance Development, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. as a technical consultant and advisor, de Ferran and HPD officials announced Saturday at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Associated with HPD and the Honda Racing program since 1996, de Ferran won his first Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) Indycar race for Honda at the 1996 Cleveland Grand Prix.  He went on to score another six wins and 16 poles with Honda power, and claimed the 2000 and 2001 CART Indycar World Series championships.

In qualifying for the 2000 CART season finale at California Speedway, de Ferran set a world closed-course speed record of 241.426 mph, a record that still stands as the fastest ever recorded at an official race meeting.

De Ferran won the 2003 Indianapolis 500, then retired from open-wheel competition at the end of that season.  But he returned to racing, with HPD, in 2008 as owner/driver of an Acura ARX-01b sports car in American Le Mans Series competition, More race victories followed, along with the ALMS championship in 2009 driving the new LMP1 category Acura ARX-02a.

In addition to his success as a driver and team owner, de Ferran also served as Sporting Director for the Honda Formula One team from 2005-07.

“We’re thrilled to have Gil rejoin the HPD family as a technical consultant and advisor,” said Art St. Cyr, HPD president.  “It feels like a homecoming for us, as Gil has played such an important role for the Honda Racing effort in both open-wheel and sports-car racing for such a long time.  His skills and expertise are almost impossible to duplicate, and we look forward to his continuing contributions to HPD’s racing programs.”

“I have always had the utmost respect and admiration for Honda and its role in motorsports,” said de Ferran.  “Honda has been a common thread in my racing career since we first worked todevelop their Indycar engines in 1996, which led to winning races and championships, followed by my time in Formula One and the amazing Acura ARX-02a.  Throughout our long and storied history, whatever role I played, we have developed a great, successful, enjoyable and effective working relationship.  I look forward to contributing to Honda’s efforts once again.”

Making his first appearance of the season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Mike Conway led the Honda effort Friday in IZOD IndyCar Series practice for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach.  Thequickest car for most of both practice sessions, the veteran British driver was edged out of the top spot in the final moments of the quicker afternoon session by a last-lap effort from defending series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Conway was second-quickest in each of the two practice sessions and on the day, while IndyCar rookie Tristan Vautier continued to impress, fourth quickest for Honda and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.  James Jakes, Alext Tagliani and Dario Franchitti finished sixth through eighth, respectively, while Takuma Sato made it six Honda-powered cars in the top 10. 

Action at the Grand Prix of Long Beach continues Saturday with a final practice, followed by “Fast Six” knockout qualifying.  Sunday’s 80-lap race, the third round in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series, starts at 4p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Mike Conway(#17 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda Dallara) second-fastest in practice Friday for the Grand Prix of Long Beach:  “The car was great.  From the outset, we had a good balance and we ended up top-two in both sessions, so that was nice and encouraging for the rest of the weekend.  It was a good start – a good job from all the guys.  I am looking forward to [qualifying] tomorrow. We have a few areas to work on to be quicker.  If we can improve those areas, we’ll be good.”

In an exciting finish that left many in the near sellout-crowd standing throughout the final 15 laps, Honda-powered Scott Dixon battled defending series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay throughout the closing stages of Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of Alabama, coming up just six-tenths of a second short of the victory at the checkers.

After starting on the outside of the second row, fourth, Dixon lost two positions at the start while avoiding contact with Will Power, who had gone wide and briefly off-track at the first turn.  He remained near the front of the field throughout the first two-thirds of the 90-lap contest moving from sixth to second and back to fourth as several other competitors – including Power, Helio Castroneves and fellow Honda driver Simon Pagenaud – committed to “off-sequence” pit strategies in a bid to move to the front. 

After the final round of pit stops on Lap 70, Castroneves led, followed by Hunter-Reay, Dixon, Power and an impressive Charlie Kimball, having his best run since finishing second at the Honda Grand Prix of Toronto in 2012.  Hunter-Reay, and then Dixon, passed Castroneves by Lap 76, and for the remainder of the race, Dixon closed in on Hunter-Reay, but was unable to get by. 

It was Dixon’s fourth consecutive second-place finish in the four-year history of the race which, coupled with a fifth-place result at the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, puts Dixon second in the drivers’ championship, just nine points behind early-season leader Castroneves

 Rookie Tristan Vautier, a last-minute addition to the “Fast Six” qualifying Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park, led the Honda-powered field in the final round of knockout qualifying and will start third in Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of Alabama.

Driving for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Vautier led his group in the first round of qualifying, but finished seventh in the second round, just missing advancing to the final group of six.  However, fellow Honda driver Takuma Sato, originally listed as sixth fastest in the second round, had his best lap removed as a penalty for blocking another competitor, dropping Sato’s A.J. Foyt Racing Honda to 12th on the starting grid and moving Vautier into the final round in his place. 

Vautier’s best lap of 1:07.3616 edged the Honda-powered Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Scott Dixon for third, on a record-setting day when every driver in the 26-car field bettered the existing track record.  Charlie Kimball joined Vautier and Dixon in the “Fast Six” and will start a career-best fifth in his Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.  Sunday’s 90-lap Honda Grand Prix of Alabama starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Tristan Vautier (Driver, #55 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda Dallara) will start third in Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of Alabama:  “It was cool.  I was very upset with myself after [finishing seventh in] the second round of qualifying.  I was upset and looking at the time board.  Right before the ‘Fast Six’ started, I was looking at it and it changed!  I said, ‘guys, I see my car is in the top six, maybe we should bring it back to pit lane!’  I have to give it to the guys.  They brought the car back at the last minute and got it ready after the session started.  I just tried to push very hard, so it was a lot of fun, honestly.  It was so cool because the cars have so much grip.  You can really push hard and give it all.”

Veteran Alex Tagliani and rookie Tristan Vautier led a strong Honda-powered field in opening IZOD IndyCar Series practice Friday at Barber Motorsports Park, in preparation for Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of Alabama, the second round of the 19-race 2013 championship.

Tagliani took his Barracuda Racing/Bryan Herta Autosport Honda Dallara to a best lap of 1:08.6288 around the scenic 2.3-mile road course located just outside of Birmingham, heading the time sheets in the second of two IZOD IndyCar Series practice sessions, until he was edged out of the top spot by Helio Castroneves. 

Driving for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Vautier led the morning session and finished third overall, just ahead of his teammate, Simon Pagenaud, as Honda-powered drivers claimed four of the top six positions on the speed chart.

Action at Barber Motorsports Park continues Saturday with a final practice, followed by “Fast Six” knockout qualifying.  Sunday’s 90-lap Honda Grand Prix of Alabama starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Alex Tagliani (Driver, #98 Barracuda Racing/Bryan Herta Autosport Honda Dallara) second-fastest in practice Friday for the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama:  “I’m pretty proud of what the team has accomplished here so far this weekend.  We struggled with the new [compound for 2013] tires at the Open Test here last month and at the [season-opening] St. Petersburg [race].  But now, we’re back where we belong.  Honda has done a fantastic job as well; there are a lot of Honda-powered teams at the front today.  Once we switched to Honda last year, we became a regular top-six qualifier, and that’s our goal for tomorrow:  qualify and start the race up front.”

After a troubled qualifying that left him starting from an uncharacteristic 20th on the grid, Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon charged through the field to run as high as fourth on Sunday at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, then held on to finish fifth despite a broken exhaust wastegate in the closing laps, passing Simona de Silvestro in the run from the final corner to the checkers.

Dixon gained 10 positions in the first segment of the season-opening IZOD IndyCar Series event, and broke into the top five on Lap 75 of 110.  Five laps later, he passed Marco Andretti for fourth. On Lap 85, Dixon began to feel the effects of the failed wastegate, and fell back behind Andretti and Tony Kanaan.  But on the final lap, Dixon caught a slowing de Silvestro to claim fifth in a side-by-side finish.

Takuma Sato started on the outside of the front row, second, and ran just behind early leader Will Power in the opening laps.  But his A.J. Foyt Racing Honda Dallara received minor front wing damage that slowed his pace as Sato fell to 13th mid-race.  A late-race change to a new nose and front-wing assembly restored the handling, and Sato recovered to finish eighth.

A promising debut from IndyCar rookie Tristan Vautier came to a halt on Lap 69 after he had run as high as fifth, when a broken exhaust ended his race.  A similar problem also eliminated his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammate, Simon Pagenaud, earlier in the contest.

Jen French, winner of the Silver Medal in sailing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and U.S. Sailing’s Yachtswoman of the Year, led the field prior to the race start in the two-seat Honda IndyCar driven by racing legend Mario Andretti.  For more information on how you can receive the ride of a lifetime in the  Honda Fastest Seat in Sports sweepstakes, go to www.shophonda.com.

Sato Leads Honda Field in Practice at St. PetersburgThe 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series officially opened Friday on the downtown harborfront streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with a pair of practice sessions in advance of Sunday’s Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

A.J. Foyt Racing’s Takuma Sato led the dozen Honda-powered competitors on Friday, with a best lap of 1:01.7703 around the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit, just 33 hundredths of a second off the day’s quickest time, set by Will Power of Team Penske.

Activities continue on Saturday with a final practice session, followed by “knockout” qualifying that will set the 25-car field for Sunday’s 110-lap race.  Ten laps longer than in previous years, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will start at 12:30 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Takuma Sato(Driver, #14 A.J. Foyt Racing Honda Dallara) fifth-quickest in Friday’s practice sessions at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg:  “It was a very productive day for us.  In the first session this morning, the car was a little bit outside of the balance that we wanted, but we made a good improvement over the lunch break and the car felt much better in the afternoon.  The Honda engine felt quite good.  We worked a lot on the mapping in the winter tests, and I can feel the engine is more powerful compared to last year.  We tested a couple of things and got some good information, so hopefully we can make another step forward tomorrow.”

Seven teams and a dozen full-time entries will lead the Honda effort as the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series opens Sunday with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The manufacturer and its Honda Performance Development racing arm are seekingtheir seventh competitive manufacturers’ championship and 10th consecutive Indianapolis 500 victory.

Honda’s expanded 2013 IndyCar lineup has combined for four Indianapolis 500 victories, six IndyCar drivers’ championships and 68 – over one third – of Honda’s 196 IndyCar race victories, as the manufacturer closes in on its milestone 200th win since entering open-wheel competition in 1994.

The Chip Ganassi Racing organization serves as Honda’s anchor team, and is led by four-time series and defending Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti, Honda’s most successful driver in IndyCar competition with 31 race wins.  All of Franchitti’s IndyCar successes have come with Honda power, making him the manufacturer’s most decorated driver in North Americanopen-wheel racing.

Franchitti is partnered at Target Chip Ganassi by two-time series champion Scott Dixon, who also includes an Indianapolis 500 victory (2008) among in his 29 race wins, all but five of them scored with Honda power.  Dixon’s series championships came in 2003 and ’08. He and Franchitti are the only active drivers with multiple IndyCar titles to their names.

The three-car Ganassi lineup is rounded out by the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Charlie Kimball, who returns for his third season with the team and Honda power after a career-high second-place finish at the Honda Indy Toronto in 2012.

Simon Pagenaud, the 2012 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, returns to lead an expanded two-car effort from Sam Schmidt Motorsports.  Pagenaud will be partnered by fellow French driver Tristan Vautier, who graduates to IndyCar competition after claiming the Indy Lights championship last year with the Schmidt organization.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing also expands to field a full-time two-car effort led by 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.  James Jakes will undertake his third year of IndyCar competition driving the second RLLR entry.  Mike Conway, the 2011 Grand Prix of Long Beach winner, will join the team in a third entry at Long Beach and selected other events. 

With seven career IndyCar victories to his name – including the 2012 race at Texas Motor Speedway – veteran Justin Wilson returns to Dale Coyne Racing. The second Coyne entry will be shared by both Brazilian veteran Ana Beatriz, who will start the season at St. Petersburg, and by Justin’s younger brother, Indy Lights graduate Stefan Wilson, who will launch his IndyCar rookie season at select road-course and street-circuit events. 

Takuma Sato, who battled Franchitti in a thrilling finish to the 2012 Indianapolis 500, continues with Honda for a fifth season of IndyCar racing, but moves to the A.J. Foyt team, as the two-time pole winner seeks his first IndyCar race win.

After an impressive rookie season in 2012, promising young American racer Josef Newgarden returns with Honda power to Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing.  Returning to Barracuda Racing/Bryan Herta Autosport with Honda power is Canadian veteran and previous race winner Alex Tagliani.

All will utilize the all-new Honda Indy V6 engine, which is designed, manufactured, developed and maintained by HPD.  Designated the HI13RT, the turbocharged, direct-injected engine is adevelopment of the power plant that made its racing debut in 2012. 

“We’ve been encouraged by the performance of the new Honda Indy V-6 and the improvements we’ve made during the off-season,” said Roger Griffiths, HPD Technical Director. “We believe we have a great lineup of teams and drivers, including a good balance of both proven champions, race winners, and promising new stars.  We’re looking forward to the start of the 2013 season on the streets of St. Petersburg, and taking on the challenge presented byChevrolet in the battle for the Manufacturers’ Championship.”

An extensive fleet of Honda pace cars, safety cars and support vehicles are used in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series, led by a new 2013 Honda Accord Coupe, which will lead the field to the green flag at St. Petersburg and throughout the season, driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Johnny Rutherford.  The 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter Honda Accord Coupe was transformed by HPD into an official IZOD IndyCar Series Safety Car to join and complement the existing IndyCar series fleet.

Modifications to the already high-performance standard 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 an IZOD IndyCar Series Safety Car.

“The high-performance new Honda Accord Coupe is the perfect match for the IndyCar Safety Car fleet,” said Mike Accavitti, Senior Vice President of Auto Operations for American Honda.  “With its larger and more powerful 3.5-liter engine, featuring enhancements provided by HPD, it is perfectly suited to lead the IZOD IndyCar Series field.”

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the IZOD 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 IZOD 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 196 race victories in open-wheel racing, 65 in Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) competition and 131 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 Mansin 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.

Honda Performance Development and its partner teams began their defense of multiple American Le Mans Series championships Saturday at the 12 Hours of Sebring, scoring a commanding 1-2 finish in the LMP2 class for Level 5 Motorsports, a fight-from-behind effort from Muscle Milk Pickett Racing in LMP1 and a promising debut in LMP2 from Extreme Speed Motorsports.

The Level 5 trio of Ryan Briscoe, Marino Franchitti and Scott Tucker brought their HPD ARX-03b Honda home first in LMP2, and sixth overall, after besting challenges from their own teammates, in an HPD ARX-03b co-driven by IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, Simon Pagenaud and Tucker (who drove both Level 5 entries); the Zytek Nissan of Greaves Motorsport; and an HPD ARX-03b, fielded by class newcomer Extreme Speed Motorsports.

After 12 hours of racing around the historic Sebring airport circuit, the Briscoe/Franchitti/Tucker HPD took the checkers one lap ahead of teammates Hunter-Reay/Pagenaud/Tucker, with the Greaves entry of Tom Kimber-Smith, Eric Lux and Christian Zugel another three laps further back, in third. 

In LMP1, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing drivers Klaus Graf, Lucas Luhr and Romain Dumas had to fight back after a series of setbacks, including a lost front wheel after an early-race pit stop, and two penalties for “avoidable contact”,to finish fourth overall. 

Although the factory-entered Audi coupes were alone at the front of the field, the Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03c battled the Lola Toyotas of expected season-long rivals Rebellion Racing throughout the 12 hours, catching and passing one of the Rebellion entries for the final time as the race entered its ninth hour, and ending up less than one lap short of catching the lead Rebellion car for the final step on the podium.

Extreme Speed Motorsports has made the switch from the GT category to LMP2 for 2013, and briefly led the class in the HPD ARX-03b of David Brabham, Guy Cosmo and Scott Sharp.  However, a broken input shaft just after the six-hour mark sent the ESM car behind the wall for nearly two hours for repairs.  The trio returned for the final four and a half hours to finishe fifth in LMP2, behind fourth-place LMP2 teammates Ed Brown/Anthony Lazzaro/Johannes van Overbeek is the second ESM entry.

Today’s 61st running of the 12 Hours of Sebring opened the 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron season.  Honda Performance Development and its partner teams will return to defend their 2012 LMP1 and LMP2 titles at the April 20 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Marino Franchitti(driver, #551 Level 5 Motorsports HPD ARX-03b) 1st in LMP2 with co-driversRyan Briscoe and Scott Tucker:  “This has been a huge week for us.  My darling wife Holly presented us with baby Luca last weekend, and now my first Sebring victory.  Both cars were fantastic, and hats off to Scott [Tucker], the entire Level 5 team, HPD and Honda for the incredible effort it took today.  I’ve finished second here three times, and to finally get a win is delightful!”

Art St. Cyr(President, Honda Performance Development) on Saturday’s season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring:  “It was a successful start to the defense of our 2012 LMP1 and LMP2 chassis and engine manufacturers’ championships.  It is great to see the improvements that have been made to our engines and chassis during the off-season come to life on the race track.  Congratulations to Scott Tucker and the entire Level 5 organization for a very impressive 1-2 finish here tonight as they seek a repeat of the team and drivers’ titles.  Greg Pickett and his Muscle Milk team have a never-say-die attitude, which is what won the LMP1 championship for them last year.  There is more competition in LMP1 this season with Rebellion Racing, but the Muscle Milk Pickett team is up to the challenge.  Finally, it was a most impressive debut for Scott Sharp and his Extreme Speed Motorsports team, leading the 12 Hours of Sebring in their first attempt in LMP2.  We expect to see more good things from them as the season continues

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 13, 2013) – Honda Performance Development and Magneti Marelli S.p.A. have announced a technical partnership to develop powertrain components for use in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

The partnership between HPD and Magneti Marelli will see the two companies utilize their extensive research and development resources to assist the HPD effort in the IZOD IndyCar Series.  Plans call for the two companies to extend the program to include other pinnacle racing series, such as the World Endurance Championship and North American road racing that will combine the American Le Mans Series with the Grand-Am Championship starting in 2014. 

“We believe the partnership between HPD and Magneti Marelli will be rewarding for both organizations,” said Steve Eriksen, vice president of HPD.  “Magneti Marelli has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in motorsports R&D, and its capabilities are well matched with our own R&D efforts.  We believe the combination will quickly provide improvements to our IndyCar Series program, and grow with HPD’s other pinnacle racing efforts.”

In the IZOD IndyCar Series, HPD produces, prepares and develops the Honda HI13RT turbocharged V6 engine for competition in the world’s fastest closed-course racing championship.  Seven teams and 12 drivers will utilize Honda power in the 2013 series, as the manufacturer seeks its seventh Manufacturers’ Championship (with competition), tenth consecutive Indianapolis 500 win and 200^th IndyCar race victory. Features of the HI13RT V6 engine include direct fuel injection, a single Borg-Warner turbocharger and “Drive-by-Wire” throttle technology.

“We are proud to supply our best motorsport technology to HPD, who can exploit it at the maximum level on Honda engines,” said Roberto Dalla, Head of Magneti Marelli Motorsport. “We are fully committed to the development of high-technology solutions for the new engines and new powertrain configurations that will characterize future races and top motorsport championships. The partnership with HPD will be the ideal environment to convey our deep R&D activity and apply our high-end solutions”.

About HPD: Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines and operates at race circuits around the world from its headquarters in Santa Clarita, California.

HPD spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2012 American Le Mans Series, 2010-11 European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010 and 2012. HPD developed and supplied the ARX-03b whjch Starworks Motorsport raced to the LMP2 title in the inaugural World Endurance Championship in 2012, the first FIA World Championship for an American-based organization since 19

Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the IZOD 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 IZOD IndyCar Series in 2006.  The 2012 season marked the return of manufacturer competition to IndyCar racing, and Honda again won the Indianapolis 500, powering Dario Franchitti’s third triumph at the American racing classic, which marked HPD’s ninth consecutive “500” victory.

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

For more information about American Honda’s motorsports activities and Honda Performance Development, contact:

 T.E. McHale, Motorsports Manager, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

1.310.783.3169

Thomas_mchale@ahm.honda.com

Dan Layton, Honda Racing/HPD Public Relations

1.314.614.9763

danlayton47@earthlink.net

About Magneti Marelli:

ounded in Italy in 1919 and headquartered near Milan, Magneti Marelli is a leader in component manufacturing electronics and the production of other technologically advanced automotive products.  With an established presence in the U.S. since 1976, the company operates more than 80 locations in 19 countries, with 36,900 employees worldwide. Its business areas include: Electronic Systems, Lighting; Powertrain, Suspension Systems and Shock Absorbers, Exhaust Systems, Aftermarket Parts and Services, Plastic Components and Modules and Motorsport. Magneti Marelli is part of Fiat S.p.A..

Innovation and quality are at the core of Magneti Marelli.  The company invests heavily in research, development and engineering.  The company has a long list of accomplishments in both motorsports and the passenger car industry, and supplies all the leading carmakers in the world.

Magneti Marelli USA coordinates the activities of all Magneti Marelli divisions in the NAFTA region from its North American headquarters, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Magneti Marelli can rely on a longstanding presence in North America with Powertrain, Lighting, Electronic Systems, Suspension Systems (Shock Absorbers) and Motorsport businesses.

In the Auburn Hills Headquarters, Magneti Marelli houses all the engineering development, application engineering, testing labs and administrative support functions and sales for all the North American business lines, including Magneti Marelli After Market North America. The Magneti Marelli Motorsports NA team is also located in the A
uburn Hills offices.

Magneti Marelli has industrial operations in Sanford, North Carolina (Powertrain); Pulaski, Tennessee (Suspensions Systems, Exhaust Systems, Lighting); El Paso, Texas: (logistics and warehouse); Juarez, Mexico (Automotive Lighting) and Tepotzoplan, Mexico (Electronic Systems and Automotive Lighting).

For more information about Magneti Marelli please contact:                                                              

Marc W. Harlow

Rohatynski-Harlow PR

810-599-2558 (mobile)

Marc@harlowpr.com

Maurizio Scrignari

+39 02 972 27262

maurizio.scrignari@magnetimarelli.com

Defending American Le Mans Series LMP2 class champions Level 5 Motorsports picked up where they left off in 2012, with Ryan Briscoe and Ryan Hunter-Reay qualifying their HPD ARX-03bs first and second, respectively Friday at Sebring International Raceway in preparation for Saturday’s 61st 12 Hours of Sebring.

In LMP1, defending class champion Muscle Milk/Pickett Racing will start fourth, after a tight qualifying battle with the Rebellion Racing Lolas of Nick Heidfeld and Andea Belicchi.

After fending off a challenge from the Greaves Motorsports Zytek-Nissan of Tom Kimber-Smith in the first half of the single qualifying session, the LMP2 battle came down to a duel between teammates, with Briscoe edging the second Level 5 HPD ARX-03b by 12-hundredths of a second in the final five minutes

Ryan Briscoe(driver, #551 Level 5 Racing HPD ARX-03b) qualified on LMP2 class pole, 7th overall:  “This feels great, it’s awesome to be back here at Sebring.  All the guys at HPD, Honda and Level 5 have been working extremely hard since we got here, and we have a great car for the race.  Qualifying was really close with Ryan [Hunter-Reay].  We always ran really close in IndyCars, and it’s carried over to here.  I love these cars and this track, and I’m really happy for the team for us to be starting 1-2.”

Honda Engineering Team Honored by Race Tech
International for Le Mans Prototype Engine

TORRANCE, Calif. (January 11, 2013) – Honda Performance Development’s Roger Griffiths
and Allen Miller, leaders of the Honda engineering team that developed the multiple championship winning HPD HR28TT V6 engine for endurance racing competition, were
honored Monday night with the “Race Engine Designer of the Year” award, presented by Race Tech International at the organization’s World Motorsport Symposium in Birmingham, England.

Introduced in 2011 as part of the new, cost-capped regulation package for endurance racing’s
LMP2 category, the HR28TT features the stock block and cylinder heads as well as many other components from Honda’s ubiquitous V6 engine offered in many popular Honda production vehicles. The HR28TT engine’s winning streak continued in 2012 as it powered championship winningefforts in both the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship and the American Le Mans Series.

The production-based HR28TT was developed for worldwide endurance racing by a team of
engineers and technicians from both HPD in California and Ohio-based Honda R&D Americas, where the original production engine was developed. The endurance engine project activity is led by Large Project Leader Miller, and Griffiths, HPD Technical Director with responsibility for HPD’s pinnacle racing programs.
“This award is well-earned recognition for the collaborative efforts of everyone at both HPD and HRA in Ohio, to adapt an already great passenger car engine for the rigors of endurance
racing,” said Griffiths, who accepted the award on behalf of Miller and the rest of the
development team. “We take enormous pride in producing a powerful and reliable engine that
still meets the cost cap and other requirements set forth by the FIA and ACO for international
endurance racing.”

The HPD 2.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine powered the Starworks HPD ARX-03b to the LMP2 championship in the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship with three race wins – including the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and four pole positions.
In the 2012 American Le Mans Series, Level 5 Motorsports campaigned a pair of HPD ARX-03b chassis, winning eight of ten races in the LMP2 category, including the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans, as HPD and Level 5 combined to sweep the LMP2 engine, chassis, teams’ and drivers’ championships.

Founded in 1993, Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. HPD is the technical operations center for high-performance Honda racing cars and engines and operates at race circuits around the world from its headquarters in Santa Clarita, California.

HPD spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2012 American Le Mans Series,
2010-11 European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010 and 2012.
Honda has been a fixture in North American open-wheel racing since 1994, and has played an active role in the growth of the IZOD 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 IZOD IndyCar Series in 2006. The 2012 season marked the return of manufacturer competition to IndyCar racing, and Honda again won the Indianapolis 500, powering Dario Franchitti’s third triumph at the American racing classic, which marked HPD’s ninth consecutive “500” victory. HPD offers a line of race engines for track applications from prototype sports cars to karting; and showcases “fun-to-drive” products for professional, amateur and entry-level efforts.

All-new ILX Developed, Prepped and Raced by Team of Honda Associates
TORRANCE, Calif. (December 11, 2012) – Developed and prepared by Team Honda
Research-West, the competition version of the new 2013 Acura ILX proved its speed at last
weekend’s 10th annual 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race, leading qualifying in the
competitive E1 class and setting fastest race lap in the class en route to a fifth-place finish.
Two Acura ILX sedans were entered by THR-W for the traditional 25-hour endurance race that annually concludes the NASA season at the challenging three-mile Thunderhill road course north of Sacramento, California. THR-W is primarily made up of Torrance, California-based associates from Honda R&D Americas, Inc., who work after hours to showcase Honda and Acura products on the track.

The blue-and-silver Acura ILXs immediately demonstrated their speed, as drivers Scott Nicol
and Edward Sandstrom qualified first and second in E1, with Nicol’s final qualifying lap claiming the class pole in a time of 2:00.851 in the #25 Acura ILX. “Qualifying went well. Better than I expected. We had a good set of tires and I made my way through traffic, putting in a good time right at the end of the session,” said Nicol, an associate with Honda of Canada Manufacturing. Sandstrom, a guest driver with the team from the multimedia auto enthusiast “Speedhunters” group and a regular in FIA GT3 competition, led qualifying for much of the session in the #27 ILX before slipping to second behind his teammate.

A series of issues delayed both cars during the course of the 25-hour run, but the #27 ILX still set fastest race lap, a sub-two minute time of 1:59.926 set by Sandstrom in the early morning hours of the race. The first delay for the Acura effort took place at the three-hour mark, when the #25 ILX slipped off course and became stuck in soft ground and mud, resulting in a 20-minute delay. An exhaust problem delayed the #27 car early, but the team fought back from that issue to claim fast-lap honors and regain the class lead at the 10-hour mark. Later, a transmission problem delayed the #27 a second time, resulting in a fourth-place finish in E1, 24th overall in the 70-car starting field. The team’s #25 car lost more time with a broken exhaust and finished ninth in the E1 class, and 46th overall.

“As expected, the K24 powerplant in the Acura ILX proved to be a great endurance engine. It
had excellent torque off the corners and ran without a hiccup,” said Lee Niffenegger, senior
engineer for Honda Performance Development (HPD). “At different times in the race, both cars suffered a similar exhaust issue, but we learned how to deal with it for the future,” Niffenegger added. “Unfortunately, the lead car was sidelined by a transmission problem that we need to investigate, but the gearbox in the second car was flawless. That’s really the point of these events for us: to push the new models before our customers do, so we can make them even better race vehicles and more reliable passenger cars.”

Founded in 1996, THR-W has a long record of success racing Honda products in both Sports
Car Club of America (SCCA) and NASA competition, with more than 50 race victories in a
variety of classes. THR-W first raced at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill in 2004 with an Acura
Integra, and just a year later joined its sister THR team from Ohio in taking a pair of Honda Civic Si’s to the E1 class 1-2 sweep, including a fourth-place finish overall. In 2006, THR-W took another podium finish in a Honda Civic Si and in 2010 debuted a Honda Fit in the new B-Spec category with a fantastic fourth-place E3 class finish.

Honda Performance Development (HPD), responsible for Honda racing programs ranging from entry-level categories to the IZOD IndyCar Series and World Endurance Championship,
contributed several racing-specific components to the ILX project. These included an HPD lightened flywheel and racing clutch package, limited-slip differential, motor mounts, anti-roll bars and rear upper suspension control arms. All of these parts are available to racers through the HPD Honda Racing Line program.