Category Archives: HPD

HPD Displaying at IMIS Show

Honda Performance Development To Feature Oval-Track Products, Support at IMIS Debut

 SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (December 5, 2012) – Honda Performance Development, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will showcase its products and support programs for grassroots oval-track racers at the 2012 International Motor Sports Industry Show (IMIS), December 6-8 at the Indianapolis Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

This is HPD’s inaugural appearance at IMIS; however, Honda has a long history of grassroots oval-racing participation, having supported Quarter Midget racers in the Midwest for the past decade. Through HPD, Honda also provides a broad program of contingency awards for this entry-level category. 

“We are proud to be able to use IMIS to showcase our support for oval racing,” said Marc Sours, Commercial Division Senior Manager at HPD.  “We are happy to complement that support by reaching out directly to the racing community and featuring a sampling of oval classes in which competitors use Honda engines and components. The IMIS show provides an ideal platform for accomplishing this goal.”

Featured at the HPD display stand, IMIS booth #261, will be a HPD-branded Quarter Midget, powered by a Honda GX-series engine, along with several Honda generator models, which are found in pit lanes throughout the racing world.

A United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget car, powered by a Honda hybrid engine utilizing a K20 cylinder head with a K24 engine block, will also be on display at the HPD booth.

In addition, registration forms to join the Honda Racing Line will be available at the HPD IMIS booth.  Competitors may also register for the Honda Racing Line through the HPD website. To register, visit http://hpd.honda.com/racing-line/become-a-member/.

Launched in July 2009, the Honda Racing Line is a program targeted at licensed participants in sanctioned amateur and entry-level professional racing. The Honda Racing Line was formed to provide members with a direct connection to Honda Performance Development and its unparalleled record of success at the highest levels of motorsport.

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. 

As one of three engine suppliers to the IZOD IndyCar Series, Honda won this year’s Indianapolis 500 with driver Dario Franchitti; and competes in prototype sports-car racing under the HPD banner in the American Le Mans Series, sweeping all manufacturer, engine, team and driver awards in the 2012 ALMS LMP1 and LMP2 categories; and the FIA World Endurance Championship, winning the inaugural LMP2 championship during a year where it again took a P2 class win at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans

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.

Chevy Racing–“Podium Finish, Privateer Honors for Strakka in Bahrain

Podium Finish, Privateer Honors for Strakka in Bahrain

Posting their best run to date in World Endurance Championship, Strakka Racing and drivers Jonny Kane, Nick Leventis and Danny Watts dominated private team competition and finished third overall in their Honda Performance Development ARX-03a at Saturday’s Six Hours of Bahrain. The Honda-powered Strakka trio survived both high temperatures that at times exceeded 100 degrees F– and late-race contact with the works Toyota TS030 of Nicolas Lapierre – for it’s first overall podium finish and privateer victory of 2012.

“Today’s result at Bahrain International Circuit ensures that Strakka remains in contention for thePrivateers’ Championship, with two races remaining. Strakka trails the Swiss Rebellion Racing squad by 27 points as the series heads to Japan and China for the final two events of 2012. In P2, the American Starworks team of Thomas Kimber-Smith, Enzo Potolicchio and Stephane Sarrazin came out on top of a five-car battle for the class lead in the opening hours in their HPD ARX-03b, and appeared headed for its fourth class victory of the season. But with approximately 45 minutes remaining, during the team’s final scheduled pit stop, starter motor failure sent the car to the garage area for repairs. With repairs completed, Sarrazin returned to complete the race and closed significantly on the second-place Signatech entry of Franck Mailleux, but settled for a third-place finish.

Despite the disappointing finish, Starworks increased its lead in the P2 championship to 23 points over the class-winning Oreca Nissan of Pecom Racing, which had come to Bahrain ranked third in the standings. The ADR-Delta team, which came to Bahrain second in the standings to Starworks, suffered a suspension failure early in the race and as a result fell to third in the championship. Fielding a second privateer P1 category HPD ARX-03a, the British-based JRM team qualified sixth in P1 and had a strong start, but electronics issues resulted in a return to the garage area after just one hour, and a long stop for repairs. The team returned to competition with just over one hour remaining in the contest, but additional issues with the wiring loom resulted in the car’s retirement.

The World Endurance Championship now heads to Asia for the final two rounds of 2012: the Six Hours of Fuji in Japan on October 13; and the season-ending Six Hours of Shanghai, China, on October 27. Danny Watts (#21 Strakka HPD ARX-03a) started 5th, finished 3rd overall and 1st in the private P1 category: “It’s a fantastic achievement to finish third overall, but of course we weren’t really racing the works Audis and Toyota, we were very focused on trying to win the Privateers’ battle. We are a small team [compared to the manufacturer-run teams], and all the guys put in a huge amount of work to make sure the car is fast and reliable. The [very high heat] conditions this week have been extremely difficult, not just for the drivers, but for all the team members working on the car. They deserve all the credit for this race result, and it will give us the confidence to go to Japan knowing exactly what dedication and hard work can achieve.” Allen Miller (Principal Engineer and Large Project Leader, Honda Performance Development) on Saturday’s race at The Bahrain International Circuit: “What a fantastic effort by the entire Strakka Racing team! It was a faultless run, despite the extreme conditions, and a well-earned privateer victory and first WEC podium finish. Starworks also deserved a class victory today, as they steadily built a significant lead after the first three hours. Unfortunately, it appears the high ambient temperatures resulted in a problem with the starter motor during their final pit stop. Third place seems like poor reward for their outstanding performance today. Electrical problems also prevented JRM from achieving a good result today. We’ll look over the data from today’s race to prevent these problems in the future, and to help all our teams achieve the best possible results as they continue racing for WEC Championships at the remaining two events in Japan and China next month.”

Honda Racing–Pagenaud Runs Third in Practice at Sonoma

Pagenaud Runs Third in Practice at Sonoma

Simon Pagenaud led the Honda-powered field Friday in Sonoma, California, posting the third quickest time around the 2.31-mile road course in IZOD IndyCar Series practice in preparation for Sunday’s GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti closed to within a tenth of a second of Pagenaud in the final minutes of practice to end the day fourth fastest, with his Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal seventh and eighth, respectively.

The raceway at Sonoma is using a slightly revised layout in 2012, featuring changes to Turns 7, 9 and 11 to enhance passing. The circuit modifications were utilized and approved by series officials and drivers at a pre-race test at the Northern California road course. The changes altered the track length, so this year’s race will run for 85 laps, a 10-lap increase from previous IZOD IndyCar Series events at Sonoma.

Simon Pagenaud (#77 Schmidt Hamilton Racing Honda) third quickest in Friday practice: “It was a very good start for us. The car was better than at the test, and we learned a lot of good things today. The wind was very different today, it was a tail wind going into Turn 1 and that made our entry speed different and the line a bit different, too. I think we are very close now, there are just a few more things we need to do for qualifying.”

Franchitti Claims Third “500” Win in Honda 1-2 Finish

Franchitti Claims Third “500” Win in Honda 1-2 Finish

Dario Franchitti came from the rear of the field to win a dramatic Indianapolis 500 Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon to the checkered flag in a 1-2 finish for Honda in near-record heat and humidity. It is the third Indianapolis 500 victory for Franchitti, and the third for Honda with engine manufacturer competition.

After starting 16th, Franchitti was hit during his first pit stop by the car of E.J. Viso, spinning Franchitti around and dropping him to the rear of the field. But he fought back to the front, reaching the lead for the first time on Lap 151 and then entering into a multi-car battle for the victory over the final laps.

Once at the front of the field, Franchitti spent the late laps trading the lead with Dixon, part of a record 34 lead changes during the race; while the Honda Dallaras of Takuma Sato and Justin Wilson; as well as the cars of Tony Kanaan and Ed Carpenter all looked like potential race winners. Carpenter was the first to fall by the wayside, spinning without contact on Lap 180. On the Lap 184 restart, Kanaan jumped from fourth to the front on the run to Turn One, but the yellow came out again just three laps later as Marco Andretti spun and crashed without injury.

On Lap 194, the green flag waved for the final time and both Franchitti and Dixon passed Kanaan. Sato also was quickly past Kanaan and then Dixon. On Lap 199, Sato moved alongside Franchitti and attempted a last-lap pass for the lead as they entered Turn One. But Sato lost control mid-corner, made contact with Franchitti and then spun hard into the wall, crashing without injury.

Franchitti was momentarily sideways, but corrected for the slide and claimed his third Indianapolis 500 victory, and the 96th IndyCar win for Target Chip Ganassi Racing at the 96th running of the Memorial Dayweekend classic. Dixon finished second, with Honda drivers Justin Wilson seventh, Charlie Kimball in eighth and Townsend Bell, ninth.

The IZOD IndyCar Series now enters June with a run of four consecutive race weekends, starting with the June 3 Belle Isle Grand Prix temporary street circuit race in Detroit, Michigan, followed by oval races at Texas Motor Speedway, The Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway.

Dario Franchitti (#50 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) started 16th, finished 1st, his third Indianapolis 500 victory, 31st IndyCar victory (all with Honda power) and first win of 2012: “I moved over for Takuma [Sato]. I knew he was coming and I moved up the track. I felt it was a good move, but he got loose underneath me. It was the last lap of the Indianapolis 500 and I didn’t expect him to lift. I think he did everything right up until the point he lost the rear of the car. It kind of reminded me of Emerson [Fittipaldi] and Little Al [Unser], at the 1994 Indianapolis 500] at the end there. This means the world. This is Indianapolis.”  I also have to say ‘thank you’ to Honda. I have all of my [IndyCar] wins with them and today showed us all exactly why. They worked incredibly hard throughout the event, and never more so than in the week after qualifying. Honda showed us all today what they can accomplish.”

Scott Dixon (#9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) qualified 15th, finished 2nd, led 53 laps: “We had the car to win today. Between the efforts of the team and Honda we had the power, reliability and mileage we needed, but at the end it was Dario’s race. He did a hell of a job today, so I’m super happy for him, but super gutted for myself. Still, it couldn’t be a better day, a 1-2 finish for the Target Chip Ganassi team at the Indianapolis 500.”

Art St. Cyr (President, Honda Performance Development) on today’s Honda victory in the Indianapolis 500: “This is why we go racing. To be able to participate in such a competitive race is one of the most amazing things in my career with Honda. It was an exciting day, and a great race for the fans– but pretty stressful for the participants! Any of several Honda drivers would have been a deserving winner today, but somehow it seemed destined that this was Dario’s day. He drove a fantastic race, never giving up after getting hit during his first pit stop. It was an inspiring drive, and an incredible race, that had all of us riveted throughout. My congratulations to all our associates at Honda Performance Development, who worked so hard to make this victory a reality. What a great day.”

Honda Teams and Drivers Enter Indy With Depth and Experience

Honda Teams and Drivers Enter Indy With Depth and Experience

Torrance, CA (May 23, 2012) – As Honda-powered teams and drivers head into the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race, they do so with the depth and experience of teams and drivers who have conquered racing’s most prestigious and unpredictable event.

Four of Honda’s seven teams have won the prestigious Memorial Day classic. Target Chip Ganassi Racing owns three ‘500’ victories, in 2000, 2008 and 2010. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing brought Honda its first Indy 500 victory in 2004. A.J. Foyt has recorded three Indianapolis 500 victories as a team owner, in 1967, ’77, and ’99; while Bryan Herta Autosport
won the Centennial Indianapolis 500 in 2011 with the late Dan Wheldon.

Honda’s stable of drivers includes Indy 500 champions Dario Franchitti (2007 and 2010) and Scott Dixon (2008), who between them have won the last five IZOD IndyCar Series drivers’ championships. “Many times, victory at the Indy 500 depends on a bit of good luck,” says Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.

“However, the Indy 500 demands that teams and drivers have a certain level of experience and depth in order to contend for a victory. We are extremely confident in being able to call upon this level of strength in our garages.”

Founded in 1993, Honda Performance Development (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.

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 2010 Indianapolis 500, won by Dario Franchitti, marked Honda’s 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.

In addition to its efforts in Indy car racing, HPD spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 2010 24 Hours of LeMans.

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

Honda Teams and Drivers Enter Indy With Depth and Experience

Honda Teams and Drivers Enter Indy With Depth and Experience

Torrance, CA (May 23, 2012) – As Honda-powered teams and drivers head into the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race, they do so with the depth and experience of teams and drivers who have conquered racing’s most prestigious and unpredictable event.

Four of Honda’s seven teams have won the prestigious Memorial Day classic. Target Chip Ganassi Racing owns three ‘500’ victories, in 2000, 2008 and 2010. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing brought Honda its first Indy 500 victory in 2004. A.J. Foyt has recorded three Indianapolis 500 victories as a team owner, in 1967, ’77, and ’99; while Bryan Herta Autosport
won the Centennial Indianapolis 500 in 2011 with the late Dan Wheldon.

Honda’s stable of drivers includes Indy 500 champions Dario Franchitti (2007 and 2010) and Scott Dixon (2008), who between them have won the last five IZOD IndyCar Series drivers’ championships. “Many times, victory at the Indy 500 depends on a bit of good luck,” says Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Company, Inc.

“However, the Indy 500 demands that teams and drivers have a certain level of experience and depth in order to contend for a victory. We are extremely confident in being able to call upon this level of strength in our garages.”

Founded in 1993, Honda Performance Development (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.

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 2010 Indianapolis 500, won by Dario Franchitti, marked Honda’s 100th race win as a manufacturer and engine supplier in IZOD IndyCar Series competition.

In addition to its efforts in Indy car racing, HPD spearheaded championship-winning efforts in the 2009-2010 American Le Mans Series, 2010 Le Mans Series and the 2010 24 Hours of LeMans.

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

HPD Scores LMP2 Victory at Le Mans

HPD Scores LMP2 Victory at Le Mans
First and Third-Place Finishes in Inaugural Attempt at 24-Hour Classic
TORRANCE, Calif. (June 13, 2010) – In its first attempt at one of the toughest challenges in
motorsports, Honda Performance Development (HPD), the racing arm of American Honda
Motor Company, Inc., powered the first- and third-place finishers in the LMP2 category Sunday
at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
After starting from the LMP2 pole, British-based Strakka Racing’sHPD ARX-01c held off a
strong challenge from fellow HPD entrant Highcroft Racing through the first 18 hours, then
pulled away to a commanding class victory, finishing fifth overall and six laps ahead of its
nearest challenger as the two HPD teams led the LMP2 category from start to finish.
Strakka drivers Danny Watts, Jonny Kane and Nick Leventis and their Honda Performance
Development ARX-01c completed 367 laps of the eight-mile Circuit de la Sarthe, establishing a
new record for laps completed by an LMP2 competitor at Le Mans.  The fifth-place overall finish
also established a new LMP2 record, besting the previous mark set in 2006.
Meanwhile, the HPD-powered RML Lola B08/80 HPD of Thomas Erdos, Mike Newton and Andy
Wallace came home third, nine laps behind the winning Strakka machine and three laps behind
the second-place OAK Racing Pescarolo in a nearly equally trouble-free run. In all, 10 of the 12
LMP2 entries were running at the finish of today’s race, run in clear weather throughout.
American LeMans Series regulars Highcroft started off strong, running solidly in second
through the night, despite three debris-inflicted tire punctures. Marco Werner took the Malaria
No More-backed HPD ARX-01c into the lead at the six-hour mark.
Late in the race, water pressure problems delayed Werner and co-drivers David Brabham and
Marino Franchitti, eventually sending them to the pits for much of the final five hours. The car
did, however, venture back out to take the checkered flag and was classified 9th in LMP2 at the
finish of Highcroft’s debut appearance at Le Mans.
“This is an incredible result in our first attempt at this classic event,” said Erik Berkman, HPD
president. “We saw an absolutely flawless performance from the Strakka team from the start of
practice through to the checkered flags.  I also was highly impressed with the determination and
strong run from Duncan Dayton and his Highcroft Racing team.  To lead this event and
challenge for the class victory in their first attempt at Le Mans is an effort that should give them
enormous pride.  The RML team also put in a great effort and was rewarded with an excellent
podium finish.”
“This is my seventh Le Mans, and by far my best,” said Strakka driver Kane.  “Strakka and HPD
have put together an amazing effort, and a perfect engine/chassis package.  We had not one
single problem all race long.”
The three HPD entries also dominated qualifying, with Strakka’s Watts claiming the LMP2 pole
in the same ARX-01c chassis that won the 2009 American Le Mans Series LMP2 title for HPD
and Fernandez Racing.  The similar Highcroft ARX-01c, driven by 2009 overall Le Mans winner
Brabham, qualified second in class, as both HPD machines posted times more than three
seconds quicker than the 2009 LMP2 pole.  Brazilian Erdos rounded out the top three LMP2
qualifiers in his HPD-engined RML Lola.  
Last week, HPD announced it will offer a new LMP2 engine to customers participating in the
2011 American Le Mans Series, European Le Mans Series, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and
Intercontinental Cup competitions.  Based on Honda’s global V6 engine, the new engine is a
2.8-liter, twin-turbo variant utilizing HPD’s exclusive engine-control system, and is the product of
a joint effort between HPD and Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA).
Since 2007, HPD has provided engines to prototype-class teams in the American Le Mans
Series, and these engines have scored numerous victories, beginning with an LMP2 class win
in HPD’s inaugural ALMS race at Sebring in 2007. HPD was the first manufacturer to score
ALMS class wins in both LMP1 and LMP2 on the same weekend with its wins at St. Petersburg
in 2009.
HPD went on to win LMP1 and LMP2 Manufacturers’ Championships for Acura in 2009 –
becoming the first ALMS manufacturer to do so – and this year began providing engines and
support for sports-car competition in both America and Europe.
Located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for American Honda
high-performance racing cars and engines. In an open-wheel racing history that dates to 1994,
Honda has recorded 166 race victories, 12 drivers’ championships, 10 Manufacturers’
Championships and seven Indianapolis 500 victories.  In addition to its sports-car efforts and its
role as single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series, HPD is active in a growing number of
grassroots motorsports activities.