Honda Indy 500 Message Points

 

MESSAGE POINTS
AHM MOTORSPORTS PR

 

Indianapolis 500 – May 24, 2015
11 a.m. EDT ABC

HONDA HERITAGE AT INDIANAPOLIS

• Since competing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in 1994, Honda-powered drivers have finished the race in Victory Circle 10 times in 14 attempts, more than any other manufacturer in the same period. Included in this total is a stretch of victories in 10 of the last 11 Indianapolis 500s from 2004-2014.

• In years of multi-manufacturer competition, Honda drivers have won four out of eight “500’s”, including two of the last three years.

• Honda victories have come both in years with manufacturer competition (2004, 2005, 2012 and 2014) and as single engine supplier to IndyCar from 2006-2011.

• Honda’s most recent “500” victory was at last year’s event, as Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay prevailed after a thrilling battle in the final laps with Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves.

• Other Honda-powered Indianapolis race winners include three-time winner Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010, 2012); two-time winner Dan Wheldon (2005, 2011); Buddy Rice (2004), Sam Hornish, Jr. (2006), Scott Dixon (2008) and Helio Castroneves (2009).

• During the six years that Honda served as IndyCar engine supplier, the company provided engines to the full 33-car Indianapolis 500 starting field – and for the first six times in Indy 500 history (2006-2011), there were no engine failures recorded in the Memorial Day weekend classic.

• Honda’s first competitive appearance at Indianapolis took place in 1994, but the company first put a car on track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in November, 1968, when Honda conducted an evaluation test using a Formula One car with driver Ronnie Bucknum.

• The Honda lineup for this year’s Indianapolis 500 includes Andretti Autosport’s Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Carlos Munoz, Simona de Silvestro and Justin Wilson; A.J. Foyt Racing’s Takuma Sato, Jack Hawksworth and Alex Tagliani; Gabby Chaves at Bryan Herta Autosport; Dale Coyne Racing’s James Davison, Carlos Huertas and Pippa Mann; Graham Rahal and Oriol Servia at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing; and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ James Jakes, Conor Daly and Ryan Briscoe, substituting for the injured James Hinchcliffe.

MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS

• On Friday, May 22, HPD president Art St. Cyr will be the featured guest at a Media Availability at the Honda Hospitality Motorcoach on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The question-and-answer session will begin at 10 a.m. and is open to the media.

COMPETITION

• 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. HPD is engaged in programs ranging from pinnacle racing series including the Verizon IndyCar Series, FIA World Endurance Championship and TUDOR United SportsCar 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 racing activities at the Indianapolis 500 are being posted on the “Honda Racing/HPD” YouTube channel.

• Produced by the Carolinas Production Group, the video packages can be found in the 2015 HPD Trackside Video Playlist at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV