Honda Pocono IndyCar Message Points

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ABC Supply Co. Inc. 500
Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
3 p.m. EDT Sunday, August 21, 2016
NBC Sports Network
IMS Radio Network Live Stream and Broadcast

 

HONDA AT POCONO

  • Honda drivers have won two of the three Verizon IndyCar Series races run at Pocono Raceway since the championship returned to the 2.5-mile oval in 2013.
  • In 2013, Scott Dixon led a Honda 1-2-3 sweep to record Honda’s milestone 200th Indy car race victory. Dixon’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammates, Charlie Kimball and Dario Franchitti, finished second and third, respectively.
  • Last year, Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay scored his second victory of 2015 at Pocono, leading five times for a total of 29 laps in the 200-lap contest. However, the race was marred by the fatal injury suffered by Justin Wilson, Hunter-Reay’s teammate, who was struck by debris following another car’s crash on Lap 180.
  • As a result of Wilson’s crash, sanctioning body INDYCAR has introduced tethers to additional sections of bodywork, in an effort to prevent debris from becoming separated from a chassis in the event of a crash; and continues to research additional means of improving cockpit safety in the Indy Car Series.

COMPETITION

  • At the most recent IndyCar Series event held on a superspeedway, Honda claimed a 1-2 finish at the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May. Rookie Alexander Rossi drove his Honda to victory with a combination of speed – setting the fastest race lap – and economy – completing 36 laps on his final tank of fuel – for the combined Bryan Herta/Andretti Autosport operation.
  • Andretti Autosport’s Carlos Munoz completed a 1-2 Indy 500 result for Honda, while earlier in the month James Hinchcliffe claimed the coveted pole as Honda drivers took four of the top five, and eight of the top 12 positions in qualifying.
  • Rossi’s victory was Honda’s 11th triumph in 16 attempts at the Indianapolis 500. Honda has more wins at Indianapolis than any other major automobile manufacturer.