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by Jeff Yip | 4/9/2008 | Blogs
Forget videogames. Tough out a weekend without web surfing. If you love cars and motorsports, you owe it to yourself to take in an American Le Mans Series sports car race. It's a multi-sensory rush, a chance to rediscover old friends (or make new ones) and, along pit row, get an up-close and personal look at some high-tech machines and high-powered racing impresarios like Roger Penske.
And if you're new to the
American Le Mans Series, know that you're not alone. 2007 was Acura's rookie year as a factory works campaign in this motorsports major league where the likes of Porsches, Audis, Ferraris, Aston Martin, Corvettes and others do battle.
This year, Andretti Green Racing, Lowe's Fernandez Racing and Highcroft Racing are back, battling in LMP2. (The chassis are Courage and Lola with extensive modifications by Acura.)
The now-seasoned
Acura ALMS contingent got off to an excellent start, taking the first, second and fourth in its class at the ALMS series opener, the 12 Hours of Sebring, last month. The Acura LM 3.4-liter normally aspirated V8 is the creation of Honda Performance Development in Santa Clarita, Calif.
And at the second ALMS face-off, the Acura Sports Car Challenge, in St. Petersburg, Fla. last weekend, Acura's new driving duo, David Brabham and Scott Sharp, piloted the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-01b to a second place in LMP2.
With its fourth at Sebring, the Patrón Highcroft Acura team is second in LMP2 point standings. The next race is April 19 at Long Beach. (ABC is televising the race the next day, Sunday, at 12:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.)
In talking with Adrian Fernandez and some of the Honda racing crew last season, it was obvious the team is fueled by passion and dedication. Honda's luxury division taking on the juggernaut of
Penske Porsches or the awesome
Audi R10 turbodiesels may smack of David vs. Goliath, but that just adds to the fun and suspense. (And let's not forget that 25 years ago, ‘little'
Honda was the first Asian auto company to build an assembly plant in the U.S. It hasn't exactly been a flop for Honda -- or the Marysville, Ohio area.)
Can Am, Trans Am, Riverside International Raceway, Porsche 917s, factory duels between Z/28s and Boss 302s are the stuff of legend, but thanks to ALMS' exciting, diversified action, we can all go and make new memories.
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