INDYCAR: Franchitti claims third 500 win in Honda 1-2 finish

Dario Franchitti came from the rear of the field to win a dramatic Indianapolis 500 Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon to the checkered flag in a 1-2 finish for Honda in near-record heat and humidity. It is the third Indianapolis 500 victory for Franchitti, and the third for Honda with engine manufacturer competition.

After starting 16th, Franchitti was hit during his first pit stop by the car of E.J. Viso, spinning Franchitti around and dropping him to the rear of the field. But he fought back to the front, reaching the lead for the first time on Lap 151 and then entering into a multi-car battle for the victory over the final laps.

Once at the front of the field, Franchitti spent the late laps trading the lead with Dixon, part of a record 34 lead changes during the race; while the Honda Dallaras of Takuma Sato and Justin Wilson; as well as the cars of Tony Kanaan and Ed Carpenter all looked like potential race winners.

Carpenter was the first to fall by the wayside, spinning without contact on Lap 180. On the Lap 184 restart, Kanaan jumped from fourth to the front on the run to Turn One, but the yellow came out again just three laps later as Marco Andretti spun and crashed without injury.

On Lap 194, the green flag waved for the final time and both Franchitti and Dixon passed Kanaan. Sato also was quickly past Kanaan and then Dixon. On Lap 199, Sato moved alongside Franchitti and attempted a last-lap pass for the lead as they entered Turn One. But Sato lost control mid-corner, made contact with Franchitti and then spun hard into the wall, crashing without injury.

Franchitti was momentarily sideways, but corrected for the slide and claimed his third Indianapolis 500 victory, and the 96th IndyCar win for Target Chip Ganassi Racing at the 96th running of the Memorial Day weekend classic. Dixon finished second, with Honda drivers Justin Wilson seventh, Charlie Kimball in eighth and Townsend Bell, ninth.
The IZOD IndyCar Series now enters June with a run of four consecutive race weekends, starting with the June 3 Belle Isle Grand Prix temporary street circuit race in Detroit, Michigan, followed by oval races at Texas Motor Speedway, The Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway.

Dario Franchitti (#50 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) started 16th, finished 1st, his third Indianapolis 500 victory, 31st IndyCar victory (all with Honda power) and first win of 2012: “I moved over for Takuma [Sato]. I knew he was coming and I moved up the track. I felt it was a good move, but he got loose underneath me. It was the last lap of the Indianapolis 500 and I didn’t expect him to lift. I think he did everything right up until the point he lost the rear of the car. It kind of reminded me of Emerson [Fittipaldi] and Little Al [Unser, at the 1994 Indianapolis 500] at the end there. This means the world. This is Indianapolis.

I also have to say ‘thank you’ to Honda. I have all of my [IndyCar] wins with them and today showed us all exactly why. They worked incredibly hard throughout the event, and never more so than in the week after qualifying. Honda showed us all today what they can accomplish.”

Scott Dixon (#9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) qualified 15th, finished 2nd, led 53 laps: “We had the car to win today. Between the efforts of the team and Honda we had the power, reliability and mileage we needed, but at the end it was Dario’s race. He did a hell of a job today, so I’m super happy for him, but super gutted for myself. Still, it couldn’t be a better day, a 1-2 finish for the Target Chip Ganassi team at the Indianapolis 500.”

Art St. Cyr (President, Honda Performance Development) on today’s Honda victory in the Indianapolis 500: “This is why we go racing. To be able to participate in such a competitive race is one of the most amazing things in my career with Honda. It was an exciting day, and a great race for the fans – but pretty stressful for the participants! Any of several Honda drivers would have been a deserving winner today, but somehow it seemed destined that this was Dario’s day. He drove a fantastic race, never giving up after getting hit during his first pit stop. It was an inspiring drive, and an incredible race, that had all of us riveted throughout. My congratulations to all our associates at Honda Performance Development, who worked so hard to make this victory a reality. What a great day.”

Source;
http://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/franchitti-claims-third-500-win-in-honda-1-2-finish/

Honda EU3000i Handi Portable Generator Earns Most Innovative Product Award

02/22/2010 - ALPHARETTA, Ga. -
Rental Equipment Register (RER) magazine has named the Honda EU3000i Handi portable generator as a recipient of the prestigious 2009 Innovative Product Award. The EU3000i Handi tied for first place in the magazine's generators and welders category, selected by RER editors as displaying innovation in rental industry products.

The RER Innovative Product Award was established in 2003 to honor excellence in new product development in the equipment rental industry. This year, the awards were given to the magazine's selections for the most innovative rental products introduced between August 1, 2008 and July 31, 2009.

The new EU3000i Handi adds increased portability to the fuel efficiency and reliability of Honda's existing EU3000i generator. The lightweight and extremely user-friendly EU3000i Handi provides customers with dependable, portable power for use at home, work or play.

In an all-new design for Honda, the EU3000i Handi features built-in wheels, two fixed handles and a folding handle to allow for easy movement of the generator from place to place and from job to job. When one person uses the foldable handle to wheel the generator, its total towing weight is a slight 17.6 pounds – easily manageable by people of many statures. Two people can conveniently carry the EU3000i Handi with the unit's fixed handles, or one person can more easily load and unload the unit from a storage spot using both handles for optimal leverage.

"Being named an innovative product by the editors of RER Magazine is truly an honor, and we appreciate the recognition," said Honda Power Equipment vice president, Steve Bailey. "The EU3000i Handi is a dependable power package. Our newest generator provides consumers an innovative way to help easily move a portable power source to any location as well as offers durability, ease of operation and fuel efficiency."

Honda received the award at the American Rental Association Rental Show in Orlando, Florida, earlier this month.

Honda is the world's largest engine manufacturer, having sold over 23 million units in 2009 across all of its global product lines. Its generators are characterized by the same fuel-efficient technology that is behind the company's reputation for unparalleled durability, quality and reliability.

Editor's Note:
Honda Power Equipment, a division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., markets a complete range of outdoor power equipment, including outboard marine engines, general purpose engines, generators, lawnmowers, pumps, snowblowers, tillers and trimmers for commercial, rental and residential applications. Its comprehensive product line is powered exclusively by 4-stroke engines.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5382

Honda will focus on its engines, says its new president!

Although the Japanese carmaker Honda has a lot of green products under its belt due to its hybrid and alternative fuel programs, it was recently reported that their new president, Takanobu Ito, has made a statement saying that they will not totally abandon the internal combustion system.

In contrast to previous presidents who were all, without exception, engine men, the next president is a chassis engineer. So, although Honda is chasing fuel cell and hybrid technologies, Ito said that they cannot improve the hybrid system without working on engines. He believes that engines still have a long way to go. There is a ring of truth to what Ito has said, since there is still a lot of work to be done in improving the switch between gasoline and electric power.

Although this is more of a transmission and driveline issue, still the engine plays a vital part in all of these. The current hybrid system requires a sensitive balance between the gasoline engine and the electric power unit, batteries, power splitter and the remainder of the car. This is the reason why you cannot just purchase a hybrid system and install it in the car, the engine must still be refined.

Late in coming to Honda are diesel engines which are popular in Europe where the Japanese carmaker utilized Isuzu diesels for its Civic and Accord ranges. Honda has developed its own diesel powerplant and scheduled it for release this year, but the program was shelved due to insurmountable costs. For their larger models, like the Accord, CR-V and MDX, Honda initially intended to use clean-diesel powerplants. The diesel engine will act as a substitute for single-motor hybrid systems, although it is reported that Honda is also working on a two-motor system that can power both hybrid and large models.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-will-focus-on-its-engines-says-its-new-president/