The Mid-Ohio round of the American Le Mans Series has pulled off a major coup by securing title sponsorship from the American Honda Motor Co. Inc. as the championship doubles up with the Indy Racing League next season for a motor racing extravaganza.
The three-year agreement opens with the Acura Sportscar Challenge, the seventh round of the 2007 American Le Mans Series, on Saturday, 21 July, while the Honda 200 IndyCar Series race follows on the Sunday as the 12th round of the open-wheel racing series marks the return of Indy-style competition to Mid-Ohio for the first time since 2003.
“There are many reasons why this monumental racing weekend is such a great fit for Honda and Acura,” said John Mendel, senior vice president of auto operations for American Honda. “There is our long-time presence in Ohio as a manufacturer and Honda's tradition in open-wheel racing, currently as single engine supplier to the IndyCar Series and now in the American Le Mans Series, where Acura will be powering multiple teams in its first year of competition.
“Add to that our decade-plus partnerships with both the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the Mid-Ohio School, which has brought us tremendous exposure as the official vehicle and official pace car. We're thrilled to play a significant role in this historic racing weekend, and we are extremely grateful to our partners at IndyCar, the American Le Mans Series and Mid-Ohio for helping to make it happen.”
Following three seasons of competition against General Motors and Toyota, Honda became the sole engine provider for the Indy Racing League in 2006, with 84 Honda HI6R Indy V-8 engines built, prepared and maintained over the course of the 14-race season and only three race-day failures throughout.
