All-New Acura Integra S Takes Multiple Podiums at SRO Race Launch Weekend

• HRC US has a successful first SRO weekend at Sonoma Raceway
• Two 3rd place finishes in the first weekend of racing for the Acura Integra Type S
• The Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 qualified 2nd overall, earning multiple class podiums

There’s plenty of excitement at the first race of the new 2024 SRO racing series, which kicked off this weekend at Sonoma Raceway north of San Francisco, CA. Throughout the weekend, the Honda and Acura teams were in position to fight for the podium in all four classes where they competed.

Among the eight total entries, Honda Racing United States (HRC US) helped field five new purpose-built racing versions of the Acura Integra Type S in TC America and the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 in Fanatec GT World Challenge America.

Touring Car America Driven by Skip Barber – TCX Acura Integra Type S DE5
In the first race of the new Acura Integra Type S DE5, Celso Neto had his Integra fighting for the lead in the opening laps before settling for 3rd place. The 19-year-old Neto was able to hold onto the podium ahead of the other two Integras . Neto had previously driven the Civic Type-R in the TC class, where he recorded nine podiums and one win.

Cooper Broll also stepped up to the plate in TC America competition, having raced a Honda Civic Si at last year’s TCA, where he collected a pair of top-five finishes. On Saturday he was able to squeeze his HRC Acura Integra Type S car past the 5th place car going into turn one with only 3 laps to go for a 3rd top five finish in his short career. When not racing, 19-year-old Broll studies computer science at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

In Sunday’s race, it was Mike LaMarra who was able to put his Acura on the podium, while also earning the Super Fuel Hard Charger award in the shortened yellow flag race.

TC Honda Civic Type R and TCA Honda Civic Si FE1
After qualifying 6th, Kris Valdez was able to drive his Honda Civic Type R to a 4th-place finish in the TC class at Sonoma. This earned him the Super Fuel Hard Charger award as well as a solid points weekend. Maddy Lemke continued her SRO career in just her second start, bringing home 2nd place in both races.

Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS
26 drivers and nine manufacturers entered the Sonoma Race for the opening race of 2024. The Acura NSX GT3 EVO22 powered by Racers Edge Motorsports has won three of the last five GT championships, finishing 2nd overall last season. Two new drivers, Zach Veach and Luca Mars, have joined the team to campaign in the GT3 Pro class as they look for another championship.

Veach, who previously competed for Honda in the NTT IndyCar series, has spent the past few years working on sims, while 18-year-old Luca Mars joins Racers Edge after graduating from the team’s HPD Driving Academy sponsored by the team in 2022.

Saturday’s race started well with the NSX qualifying in 2nd place. Unfortunately, while running in 3rd place overall, the team was issued a car-thru penalty for a pit speed violation moving the NSX off the overall podium.

Sunday’s race saw Mars in his first race weekend in a GT car putting down fast laps. He worked his way from 11th overall to 6th and was able to close an 18 second gap to 5th car position. He crossed the line just 0.3 seconds behind in 5th, needing one more lap to catch up.

Quote
Mario Biundo (#7 LA Honda World Racing Acura Integra Type S TCX) on the Integra Type S DE5: “Acura and Honda make some of the most beautiful cars. From the TCA it’s a great class, but jumping to the TCX to the Acura Integra has been an amazing experience for me. It’s a very refined car, maybe one of the best from HRC. It’s one that they can to be proud of.”

Celso Neto (#22 Skip Barber Acura Integra Type S TCX) P3 race one: “All the teams have got their cars recently, so to be on the podium in the first race, right away, I think it’s a testament to the engineering of the car and everything that went into developing it. So, thanks to Honda and Acura for all the support and Jumping Barber Racing so we can put it on the podium in the first race!”

Mike LaMarra (#73 LA Honda World Racing Acura Integra Type S TCX) P3 race two: “It’s really exciting. It’s great to be here at LA Honda World with HRC and Acura. The car is great and fun to drive. We’re excited to be here and it’s going to be fun to work on moving this car forward. We’ve learned a lot in the last few days of racing, and I think As we grow in our skills and the car will be a very strong competitor.”

Zach Veach (#93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 EVO22) on the NSX GT3 Evo22: “I love driving the Acura NSX. It’s a bit of an adjustment compared to my previous GT3 experience, but it’s great to drive and definitely has performance.”

Luca Mars (#93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 EVO22) on HPD College: “The HPD Academy did a great job preparing me for this, it gave me an understanding of the car and of this team and the ways in which I needed to improve my performance to be ready for the GT3 race. This weekend we were a little behind the eighth ball in the sense of being a new series of drivers and missing that practice before the race weekend. for that win.”

The next one
TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School and the Fanatec GT World Challenge American powered AWS field will return for Rounds 3 and 4 at Sebring International Raceway from May 3rd to 5th.

Saturday’s TCX Sonoma Race Results
Third TCX – #22 Celso Neta, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S
Fourth TCX – #73 Mike Lamarra, LA Honda World Racing, Acura Integra Type S
5th TCX – #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra

TC Results of Saturday’s Sonoma Race
4th TC – #11 Kris Valdez, DRS, Honda Civic Type R

Results of Saturday’s TCA Sonoma Race
2nd TCA – #9 Maddy Lemke, Climbing Racing, Honda Civic Si FE1

GT World Challenge America Sonoma Saturday Race Results
9 (3 in class) – #93 Luca Mars and Zach Veach, Racers Edge Motorsports, NSX GT3

Sunday’s TCX Sonoma Race Results
Third TCX – #73 Mike Lamarra, LA Honda World Racing, Acura Integra Type S
Fourth TCX – #22 Celso Neta, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S
6th TCX – #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing, Acura Integra Type S