June 14, 2022 — TORRANCE, Calif.
- Next-gen Integra racer pays homage to Acura’s motorsports heritage with throwback livery inspired by the brand’s first-ever race car
- Acura to enter five race cars in the historic hill climb event, each driven and crewed by the company’s R&D engineers
- Two Acura TLX Type S sport sedans and two NSX Type S supercars to challenge previous records
- Adventure racer Renée Brinkerhoff to pilot NSX Type S pace car in “Race to the Clouds”
Perfectly timed to its arrival this month at Acura dealers nationwide, the 2023 Acura Integra will make its motorsports debut June 26 at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo. The next-gen Integra will compete in the 100th running of the “Race to the Clouds” alongside four production-based race cars from Acura, including two NSX Type S supercars, all prepped, driven and crewed by a team of volunteer engineers out of the company’s R&D facilities in Ohio.
Driven by Pikes Peak rookie Paul Hubers, the race-prepped Integra’s red, gray and white livery pays homage to Acura’s first-ever race car. This iconic graphic scheme was first seen on the first-generation Integra that went on to win back-to-back IMSA Championships (1987, 1988) with driver Parker Johnstone.
This is the performance brand’s 12th consecutive year competing in the iconic hill climb, with the Acura team amassing an impressive 25 podiums, 12 first place finishes and multiple course records. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado is one of America’s longest running motorsports competitions. Since 1916, drivers from all over the world, in a wide variety of vehicles from multiple motorsports disciplines, race against the clock as they take on the 156-turn, 12.42-mile mountain course, starting at 9,390 feet and climbing to the 14,115-foot summit.
Featuring a factory stock turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and 6-speed manual transmission, the next-gen Acura Integra has been prepped for its first motorsports competition with upgraded brakes, suspension and differential sourced from the Honda Performance Development (HPD) parts catalog. Modifications also include lightweight 18×9-inch HRE wheels that reduce unsprung weight, while 245-series Pirelli racing slicks increase the contact patch and cornering grip.
Also debuting at this year’s event will be two race-ready versions of the limited production 2022 NSX Type S, the most powerful, best performing Acura ever. Outfitted with a host of performance upgrades, these mid-engine supercars will be driven by brothers James and Nick Robinson as they seek to beat previous records, including the current hybrid fuel class record set by James Robinson in 2020 (10:01.913).
An additional NSX Type S will serve as the official pace car for the hill climb’s centennial event, driven by adventure racer, Renée Brinkerhoff. Founder of Valkyrie Racing, Brinkerhoff has competed in racing events on all seven continents, including Antarctica. An accomplished driver, she is the only woman in history to place in the iconic La Carrera Panamericana Mexican Rally three times, including a class win in her first outing (2013).
Acura 2022 Pikes Peak Entries:
|
Vehicle |
Driver |
Division |
| 2022 Acura NSX Type S |
Renee Brinkerhoff |
Official Pace Car |
| 2023 Acura Integra |
Paul Hubers |
Exhibition |
| 2022 Acura NSX Type S |
James Robinson |
Time Attack 1 |
| 2022 Acura NSX Type S |
Nick Robinson |
Exhibition |
| 2023 Acura TLX Type S |
Jordan Guitar |
Exhibition |
| 2023 Acura TLX Type S |
Justin Lumbard |
Time Attack 1 |
Motorsports are a key proof point of Acura’s commitment to Precision Crafted Performance, and its Pikes Peak efforts are a pure expression of this ethos. For the 12th year in a row the Acura race team consists of R&D engineers who compete in the world-famous hill climb to grow their skills and test future performance technologies for Acura production vehicles. The all-volunteer team is responsible for every aspect of the brand’s involvement, including the development of the race vehicles, race prep, crew support and driving duties.
About Acura Motorsports
Acura Motorsports programs have been integral to the Acura brand since its 1986 launch. Acura sports car racing’s rich legacy includes the 1991, 1992, and 1993 IMSA Camel Lights manufacturer/driver championships, and the 2009 American Le Mans manufacturer, driver, and team championships in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Acura currently campaigns the ARX-05 DPi with new partners, Meyer Shank Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, where Acura powered the team, manufacturer, and driver championships in 2019 and 2020. The NSX GT3 Evo22, available through Honda Performance Development, Inc., for North American customers, won multiple championships in 2019 and 2020 in both the IMSA and SRO GT World Challenge America series.
About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance – a commitment to expressive styling, high-performance and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability. The Acura lineup currently features five distinctive models – the next-gen Integra sport compact, TLX sport sedan, the RDX and MDX sport-utility vehicles, and the electrified NSX supercar, along with high-performance Type S variants. All Acura vehicles sold in America are made in the U.S., using domestic and globally sourced parts.
[Source: Acura]