Honda IndyCar Texas Motor Speedway message points

Firestone 600
Texas Motor Speedway
8 p.m. EDT Saturday, June 6
NBC Sports Network

HONDA AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

  • The Verizon IndyCar Series returns to oval-track competition this weekend, with Saturday’s Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway.  Honda-powered drivers have won nine times in Texas, starting in 2004 with a 1-2 finish for Andretti Green Racing [now Andretti Autosport] teammates Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti.
  • Other Honda-powered winners at TMS include Helio Castroneves (2006, 2009), Sam Hornish, Jr. (2007), Scott Dixon (2008), Ryan Briscoe (2010), Dario Franchitti (2011, Race 1) and Will Power (2011, Race 2). Honda’s most recent Texas victory came in 2012, when Justin Wilson led the final 11 laps to win for Dale Coyne Racing, while Graham Rahal led 27 laps and finished second after brushing the wall in the closing laps.

COMPETITION

 

  • Honda comes to Texas after a successful race weekend on the Belle Isle Park temporary street circuit in Detroit.  Carlos Munoz led his Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti in a 1-2 result for Honda in Saturday’s opening race, marking Munoz’ first career victory in the Verizon IndyCar Series.  In Sunday’s second race of the doubleheader weekend, Takuma Sato finished second, and Rahal third, as Honda drivers claimed eight of the top 10 finishing positions.
  • Honda’s Rahal comes to Texas on a roll of strong finishes, including third in Sunday’s race in Detroit, and a pair of runner-up results at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis and Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.   The Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver finished fifth at the Indianapolis 500 and currently lies fourth in the 2015 drivers’ championship standings, best among Honda-powered drivers.
  • Drivers and teams using Honda engines have won 213 Indy car races (214? Didn’t we start the season with 212?) and 10 Indianapolis 500s, both during years of multi-manufacturer competition (1994-2005, 2012); and during Honda’s tenure as single engine supplier to the series (2006-11).

 

  • From 2006-2011, Honda supplied engines to every IndyCar Series competitor.  A total of 98 drivers raced with the Honda Indy V-8 during that period, with 15 drivers recording race victories.  Honda engines logged approximately 1.2 million miles of practice, qualifying and racing in the series; and nearly 500,000 actual race miles.
  • In 22 years, Honda Performance Development, the racing arm of the American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has grown from just a handful of staffers to approximately 150 associates; and from a simple engine-rebuilding facility to a complete motorsports Research & Development organization, engaged in programs ranging from pinnacle racing series including the Verizon IndyCar Series, Pirelli World Challenge, TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship to grassroots and entry-level categories including karting, Quarter Midgets and Formula F competition.

 

 

HONDA RACING/HPD VIDEOS

  • Video recaps from this weekend’s Honda Verizon IndyCar Series race in Texas are being posted on the “Honda Racing/HPD” YouTube channel.