- Kyle Loh snags TCX class victory for LA Honda World Racing in debut weekend for HPD Honda Civic Type R TCX at Sonoma Raceway
- Spencer Bucknum takes two TCA class podiums in the LA Honda World Racing HPD Honda Civic Si FE1
- Michael Hurczyn finishes on the TC class podium in the VGRT Racing HPD Honda Civic Type R Sunday
- Daijiro Yoshihara nabs pole position in Honda Civic Type R TCX in his first SRO Touring Car America race
- Honda represented in all three SRO Touring Car America classes for 2023
HPD Hondas started the Touring Car America season strong this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, with a TCX class victory for the new Honda Civic Type R TCX, and podium finishes in TC and TCA for the HPD Honda Civic Type R and HPD Honda Civic Si FE1.
TCX Honda Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R TCX scored its first class victory this weekend Sunday’s opening Touring Car America series, with Kyle Loh of LA Honda World starting on pole and maintaining his lead throughout the race. Loh is a recent graduate of HPD Academy and made his debut in the TC America series this weekend.
Saturday’s race started with two Honda Civic Type R TCXs at the front of the pack: Daijiro Yoshihara, with VGRT Racing on pole, and Loh in second. Loh fell to fourth shortly after the green flag, then finished the race in third. Yoshihara set the quickest lap of the first session and held a substantial lead, but a mechanical problem after 15 minutes of racing ended his weekend prematurely.
TC Honda Civic Type R
On Sunday, Michael Hurczyn started third in his VGRT Racing Honda Civic Type R and defended his position for the duration of the race, securing a TC class podium on Sunday.
TCA Honda Civic Si
Spencer Bucknum scored two TCA class podium finishes this weekend in his LA Honda World Racing HPD Honda Civic Si FE1. On Saturday, Bucknum started race one in second, falling to third in the first few minutes of racing. After taking second back with less than 20 minutes remaining, Bucknum gradually reeled in the TCA leader, but finished in second at the checkers.
Bucknum again found himself in close competition for the TCA lead Sunday, climbing to first within the first two minutes. After close battle through much of the session, trading places multiple times, Bucknum ultimately finished second.
This is the first year that VGRT Racing and LA Honda World Racing are running the HPD Honda Civic Si FE1, which was first introduced in 2022 with the Skip Barber Racing School team and won the 2022 Manufacturers’ championship.
Quote
Kyle Loh (#73 LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX), TCX race winner Sunday: “A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this race. I can’t thank the LA Honda World Racing team enough for this amazing car. We worked so hard on the setup, and so much development over the past year. Shoutout to the HPD Academy for getting me ready for this sort of event. I got a little bit of time in the [Honda Civic Type R] TCR at VIR last year, but this was my first time driving a front-wheel-drive car in a race, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Next
The Honda Civic Type R and Civic Si Touring Car teams will head to NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana, for Rounds 3 & 4 on April 28 – 30.
TCX America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Saturday Race Results
3rd TCX – #73 Kyle Loh, LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX
7th TCX – #93 Christopher Defreitas, Ian Lacy Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX
NC TCX – #99 Daijiro Yoshihara, VGRT Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX
TC America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Saturday Race Results
4th TC – #8 Michael Hurczyn, VGRT Racing Honda Civic Type R
6th TC – #11 Kris Valdez, DRS Honda Civic Type R
7th TC – #7 Celso Neto, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Type R
TCA America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Saturday Race Results
2nd TCA – #5 Spencer Bucknum, LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Si FE1
5th TCA – #77 William Lambros, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Si FE1
6th TCA – #7 Mario Biundo, LA Honda World Racing 10th-gen Honda Civic Si
7th TCA – #88 Ruben Iglesias Jr., VGRT Racing Honda Civic Si FE1
8th TCA – #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Si FE1
TCX America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Sunday Race Results
1st TCX – #73 Kyle Loh, LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX
7th TCX – #93 Christopher Defreitas, Ian Lacy Racing Honda Civic Type R TCX
TC America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Sunday Race Results
3rd TC – #8 Michael Hurczyn, VGRT Racing Honda Civic Type R
4th TC – #7 Celso Neto, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Type R
6th TC – #11 Kris Valdez, DRS Honda Civic Type R
TCA America presented by Skip Barber Racing School Sonoma Sunday Race Results
2nd TCA – #5 Spencer Bucknum, LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Si FE1
5th TCA – #7 Mario Biundo, LA Honda World Racing 10th-gen Honda Civic Si
6th TCA – #77 William Lambros, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Si FE1
7th TCA – #88 Ruben Iglesias Jr., VGRT Racing Honda Civic Si FE1
8th TCA – #19 Cooper Broll, Skip Barber Racing School Honda Civic Si FE1