- Dave Comerford
- IMSA
IMSA team owner Wayne Taylor enters prestigious Hall of Fame in native Country this weekend
What do Nelson Mandela, Gary Player and Wayne Taylor have in common?
Fernando Alonso has praised the opportunities for fans to interact with the teams and drivers ahead of this weekend's Daytona 24 Hours.
The Spaniard will be competing in his first race since retiring from Formula 1 at the end of last season but it will be the second time he takes on IMSA's showpiece event.
Last year, he made his sportscar debut in a United Autosport entry but issues saw him finish a lowly 38th, this time, however, victory is the goal in a Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac.
While there is the serious business to attend to on the track, Alonso admits he enjoys the atmosphere that racing in America brings.
“There were a lot of good moments last year and already this year a couple of kids were even jumping in the car at one point,” the double F1 world champion commented. “They get really close to the teams, to the drivers, to the cars. They can even touch the car if they want.
“It’s just something unthinkable in Formula 1 or racing in Europe, so I think that’s the nice part of this atmosphere and this race."
It’s hard to get and can be even harder to keep. But when you’ve got it, momentum brings great things, like a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
The Honda of America Racing Team (HART) is revealing its much-anticipated plans for the 2019 season.
The factory-led powerhouse will compete in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR class with the Honda Civic Type R TCR race car. The team has considerable experience having raced the Civic product from 1999 to 2016 and is eager to compete again with the new Type R TCR.
The HART team is comprised of approximately 30 associates from throughout Honda’s Ohio operations including both manufacturing and Research and Development members.
HART will field a Honda Civic Type-R after competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the Acura NSX GT3 last season. The team had a strong showing with the NSX last year, nearly earning a podium finish at the rigorous 12 Hours of Sebring, until a late-race incident.
Returning to drive for the HART team will be veteran racer Ryan Eversley and long-time Honda associate driver, Chad Gilsinger. Eversley won the Pirelli World Challenge TCR championship in the Civic Type R TCR a year ago and the team looks to profit from his experience as the car makes its initial appearance in an IMSA series.
“I am honored to return to HART for 2019 and to be back full-time in the IMSA series,” said Eversley, who has made eight previous starts with HART, including a win in 2016. “This is an all-volunteer team and that creates such a competitive and special atmosphere. Chad [Gilsinger] and I work really well together and have similar driving styles, so we will be competitive in our Honda Civic Type R TCR.”
The Civic Type R engine is built at Honda’s Anna, Ohio engine plant, and the vehicle is manufactured by J.A.S.Motorsport in Italy and sold in North America through Honda Performance Development.
This year marks the 30th for the factory-led HART team, and to honor the year of its founding in 1989, the car will race as #89. The HART Civic Type R TCR will feature the team’s traditional red, white and black colors, with a custom livery designed and manufactured by Aero Paint Technologies.
“We are looking forward to running a full season in our new Honda Civic Type R TCR,” said Gilsinger. “HART has had great success in the past with the Civic platform and with Ryan coming off a PWC Championship in the exact same car, I think our outlook is very positive.”
“The competition in this series is strong and our team is excited for this new challenge.”
