• Honda Performance Development, Honda Motor, JAS Motorsport and LA Honda World Racing combine to celebrate and showcase the global championship-winning TCR

•World Touring Car Cup driver Tiago Monteiro joins LA Honda World's Mat Pombo for IMSA Mid-Ohio event

Honda Performance Development (HPD) has joined forces with the Motorsports Division of Honda Motor Co., LTD., and JAS Motorsport to add a special entry to this weekend's IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The Honda Civic Type R TCR entry, running under the LA Honda World banner, will feature IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race winner Mat Pombo and WTCR driver Tiago Monteiro, competing in Honda's 'hometown' race at Mid-Ohio.

The special lineup will join Ryan Eversley and Mike LaMarra to complete the two-car team for LA Honda World Racing. LAHW will be joined by entries from the popular HART team and the Sebring race winning VGRT squad. The event at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course is a home track for Honda and HPD, with multiple facilities for research, development, and manufacturing all located in central Ohio.

'HPD is proud of the successful Civic racing programs, and all that has been achieved with the 10th generation Civic in North America and globally. We have come up with some ways to commemorate this special year for the Civic and are happy to partner with our Honda global family to celebrate the Civic in a fun and unique way,' said John Whiteman, HPD Commercial Manager.

'It's fantastic to mark the success of the Honda Civic Type R TCR with this fascinating crossover as WTCR- FIA World Touring Car Cup race winner Tiago Monteiro joins forces with HPD and LA Honda World Racing. To do it at Mid-Ohio, so close to some of Honda's largest facilities in North America, makes it even more appropriate. Tiago was the lead development driver on the first Honda Civic WTCC and gave the car its debut and its first podium, way back in 2012. He's been a Honda driver ever since and so is the perfect driver to mark this occasion,' said Mads Fischer, JAS Motorsport TCR Project Leader.

'The team and I are honored to add WTCR Champion Tiago Monteiro to our racing team and be an additional historical moment in the Honda Civic TCR legacy on our home turf in Ohio. Having a global star from Europe race with Pombo, Eversley and LaMarra is a significant testament to our team's ability and the never-ending commitment of Honda being both global and national leaders in racing. The LA Honda World Racing Team is ready to make this moment successful,' said Mario Biundo, President, LA Honda World Racing.

About Honda Performance Development:

Honda Performance Development, Inc., (HPD) has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since 1993. From pinnacle racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMSA Sports Cars to commercial racing programs, HPD powers the dreams of professional and amateur racers from age 4 to 40+. HPD is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and leads all of Honda and Acura's high-performance racing programs in North America. HPD specializes in the design and development of race engines, chassis, and performance parts, as well as technical/race support. HPD offers parts and race support to Honda and Acura amateur and professional motorsports racers and is continually expanding its palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and Quarter Midgets to the highest levels of pro racing.

About JAS Motorsport:

About JAS Motorsport: Founded in 1995, JAS Motorsport is one of the world's leading touring car teams and constructors. Initially fielding Alfa Romeos in the ITC, JAS became a technical partner of Honda in 1998 and has been at the forefront of its activities with touring cars, rallying and, more recently, GT racing. In 2012, JAS was chosen to develop, in partnership with Honda R&D, the Civic WTCC with which it claimed the Manufacturers' world title a year later. JAS designed and built the Civic Type R TCR, which has claimed 38 major titles so far (23 with the current model) and is also responsible for the build of the NSX GT3 Evo race car; itself a winner of 15 championship crowns.

About L.A. Honda World Racing:

As a leading Honda dealer near Los Angeles, Honda World Downey (L. A. Honda World) also has a wide variety of pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs for you to choose from. L.A. Honda World believes that performance, precision, and exceptional service are the qualities it takes to run a successful car dealership as well as successful race team. For that reason, we've chosen to do both. We are the first factory-authorized Honda dealership to participate in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. We are running three Honda Civic Type R TCR race cars in the TCR class of the 2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge. We Sell, We Service, We Race!'

Photo credit: Honda
posted on conceptcarz.com

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