Honda IndyCar Fontana Race Report - Are You Following The Leaders

Dixon Survives Race of Attrition To Claim Indy Crown



On a night where crashes and mechanical failures claimed more than half of the 25-car starting field, Scott Dixon did exactly what was needed to claim his third career IZOD IndyCar Series Drivers’ Championship, as the Honda-powered driver finished fifth in Saturday night’s MAVTV American Real 500 to claim the title over rival Helio Castroneves.


Scott Dixon (#9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Dallara) started 2nd, finished 5th, wins the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series Drivers’ Championship: “It was a crazy race. We started well back and had to work on the car a fair bit in the early stages of the race to make it better. Just a huge credit to the team, the changes we made all worked and the car was quite quick, until we had an issue with some overheating towards the end. I still can’t believe we won the championship. Mid-year, I did not think we had a chance of doing this, but it all turned around at Pocono [where Dixon scored Honda’s 200th Indy car victory]. We dug deep and Honda stepped up, and together we made it happen.”


Dixon came to the 19th and final race of the 2013 season with a 25-point lead over Castroneves, including a series-leading four wins this year. A finish of fifth or better would have secured the title for Dixon, but he worked his Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda to the front of the field, and battled for the lead for much of the night, until backing off in the final laps due to rising engine temperatures as Will Power went on to claim the victory.



Overheating issues affected several cars, as sand and debris affected both Honda and Chevrolet-powered entries and resulted in several retirements during the course of the 500-mile contest. A multi-car crash on Lap 110 eliminated five more cars, including four Hondas, and resulted in Dale Coyne Racing driver Justin Wilson being transported to a local hospital for further examination of a possible hip injury.



Despite the attrition, the race was fiercely contested, with 11 different drivers leading one or more laps, including Mid-Ohio race winner Charlie Kimball, who led three times for a total of 22 laps, and appeared to be in contention for the victory until a late-race mechanical problem sent him to the pits. Kimball still was scored 10th, despite dropping out of the contest with 12 laps remaining.



Stepping in for the injured Dario Franchitti, veteran Honda driver Alex Tagliani also ran near the front of the field for much of the night, and led five laps before spinning and making light contact with the wall to end his race on lap 209.



Driving for Bryan Herta Autosport, JR Hildebrand appeared headed for at least a second-place finish in the closing laps, as he ran in lock-step behind fellow Honda driver Kimball until he, too, was felled by debris-related overheating issues with just 13 laps remaining.



Tonight’s race concludes the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series with Chevrolet winning the Manufacturers’ Championship and Honda-powered Scott Dixon claiming his third drivers’ title. Dixon’s other titles came in 2003 and 2008. Honda-powered Tristan Vautier also claimed series Rookie of the Year honors.

Honda Contributing to our economy - How and How Much?

Honda has deep roots in America and a long history of contributing to the U.S. economy through U.S. manufacturing, sales, R&D and finance, with cumulative capital investment of more than $21 billion, since the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., as Honda's first overseas subsidiary in 1959. The company also makes positive contributions to society and quality of life through its pioneering efforts to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance vehicle and pedestrian safety, while providing a consistently high level of product quality and value to its customers.

2014 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe Offers Sleek Exterior Design, Feature Rich Interior and Outstanding Fuel Efficiency

Sport hybrid offers fun to drive performance with 39 mpg highway EPA fuel-economy rating (CVT)1

Available with a sporty manual transmission or engaging CVT

The 2014 CR-Z combining sleek styling, numerous standard features and sporty handling while maintaining terrific fuel efficiency. The CR-Z was thoroughly updated for the 2013 model year with a more powerful battery pack, increased power and styling improvements, while also earning a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For 2014, the CR-Z remains the only hybrid vehicle offered with a sporty manual transmission.

Using Honda 's highly efficient, compact Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system, the CR-Z has an EPA rating of 31/38/34 mpg2 city/highway/combined (MT) and 36/39/37 mpg2 city/highway/combined (CVT), and is rated as an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) in states that adhere to California Air Resource Board (CARB) ZEV standards (EPA Tier 2, Bin 2 in all states).

Two models are available, the standard CR-Z with a starting MSRP of $19,9952, and the feature-rich EX with a starting MSRP of $21,8402. Both models come equipped with a standard 6-speed manual transmission or an available CVT. Additional standard features on every new 2014 CR-Z include Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, Bluetooth® Audio, rearview camera, an Expanded View Driver's Mirror, AM/FM/CD/USB audio system with six speakers, automatic climate control, power windows and door locks, remote entry and cruise control. View, build and price a 2014 Honda CR-Z at http://automobiles.honda.com/cr-z.

Honda Accord Hybrid - It's Back!

Well-equipped Accord Hybrid offered in three grades

Loaded with premium standard features including LaneWatch™, rearview camera, and LED DRL lighting

Highest EPA-rated city mpg of any 4-door sedan in America

Fuel prices can be scary, but the EPA-rated 50 mpg1 city 2014 Accord Hybrid will take some of the fright out of going to the gas pump when it debuts at U.S. dealers nationwide on Halloween (October 31). With a host of standard equipment, the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) ranges from $29,155 for the well-equipped Accord Hybrid to $34,905 for the luxurious Accord Hybrid Touring model, plus a destination and handling charge2 of $790.

"With advanced technologies standard on every Accord Hybrid we've given customers an incredible combination of fuel efficiency, technology and value," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales at American Honda. "The addition of the Accord Hybrid to the lineup will further advance Accord's position as America's most popular passenger car with individual buyers."

Every new 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is equipped with numerous standard features including Honda's exclusive LaneWatch™ blind spot display system, a premium feature not even available on any competitive hybrid models. Additional standard features include a rearview camera, LED daytime running lights (DRL), an Expanded View Driver's Mirror, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, USB/iPod® integration, Pandora® compatibility, SMS text message function, dual-zone automatic climate control, alloy wheels, a driver's seat with 10-way power adjustment, and a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system.



The Accord Hybrid EX-L is equipped with advanced safety technologies such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) along with leather-trimmed and heated front seats and the HondaLink™ cloud-based media and connectivity system featuring Aha® compatibility. Power driver's seat memory, front passenger seat with 4-way power adjustment and one-touch moonroof are also standard on the EX-L trim.

The top-of-the-line Accord Hybrid Touring adds the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and FM traffic data, LED headlights with blue tinted chrome bezels, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and hard disk drive (HDD) audio memory.

With EPA fuel-economy ratings1 of 50 mpg city / 45 mpg highway / 47 mpg combined, the 2014 Accord Hybrid is the top rated 4-door sedan in America in the EPA city cycle. Highlighting both form and function, it blends the sophisticated exterior styling and spacious interior packaging of the Accord Sedan with a highly efficient two-motor hybrid system from Honda's Earth Dreams™ Technology advanced powertrain series.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is the first Honda hybrid vehicle produced in Ohio, at the company's Marysville Auto Plant, and joins the Greensburg, Indiana-built Civic Hybrid as the second Honda hybrid model built in the U.S., using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda invested $18.8 million in a 94,000-square-foot expansion of the Marysville Auto Plant, along with the addition of 50 new full-time jobs to handle the special processes specific to the production of this advanced hybrid model.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile Limited Vehicle Warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, and a 5-year/unlimited-mile Corrosion Limited Warranty. The hybrid battery pack is covered by a 8-year/100,000-mile or 10-year/150,000 mile limited warranty, depending on the state of purchase/registration.