PLAY EYE SPY ON HONDA'S GIANT FERRIS WHEEL AT GOODWOOD
Honda's 40-metre high, 24-pod "Eye", now has its very own Twitter feed to keep fans and attendees up to date on all the Honda action throughout the Goodwood Festival of Speed (30 June to 3rd July 2011).
Twitter users can follow @hondaeyespy, tweet what they’ve spied on their trip on the Honda Eye and hear about all the on the ground and birds-eye action as well as seeing what other visitors have spied on the wheel.
In a first for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Honda Eye gives guests onboard the opportunity to experience fantastic birds-eye views of the beautiful Estate and surrounding areas of West Sussex. It will be open to all Goodwood attendees throughout the Festival of Speed, running in 10 minute rotations from 9am-6pm and enthusiasts can enjoy multiple rides on the attraction, free of charge. Fast-track passes are available for those wanting to avoid the queues and can be downloaded ahead of the festival fromwww.honda.co.uk/goodwood.
A quiz will be running over the weekend based on what can be seen from the Honda Eye. Participants will be in entered into the ‘Win A Lot Of Honda’ competition with a whole range of Honda products to be won including a car, motorcycle, lawnmower, ATV, generator and inflatable boat.
Other Honda attractions at the Goodwood Festival of Speed include the public debut of the storming CR-Z MUGEN. The CR-Z MUGEN will be showcased in the Cathedral Paddock on the Thursday and showing everyone its power as it’s driven up the hill on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A new CR-Z MUGEN RR concept car will also be on display throughout the event.
Motorsport fans also have the opportunity to see Honda Racing drivers Gordon “Flash” Shedden and Matt Neal running the 2011 BTCC Civic up the hill.
For two-wheel race enthusiasts, Honda TT legends John McGuinness and team-mate Keith Amor will be riding up the hill on the CBR1000RR Fireblade, the bike that powered McGuinness to achieve the fastest ever lap of the Isle of Man and many of his incredible 17 TT victories.
A range of Honda motorcycles from the ‘60s onwards will also be taking their place on the famous Goodwood hill climb, including 1962 RC162, 1966 RC181, 1979 RS1000, 1983 NS500, 1996 NSR250, 1998 RC45, and current day CBR1000RR Fireblades in various guises.
Honda will once again be taking part in the Moving Motor Show on the Thursday giving customers the unique opportunity to drive up the hill in the beautiful setting of Goodwood in a Civic Type R MUGEN, BTCC-inspired Civic Ti or CR-Z sports hybrid.
Honda Racing Team ace Matt Neal heads the charge for the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after two majestic wins at Croft in North Yorkshire.
It means the Civic driver is now nine points clear at the head of the drivers’ standings with the championship at its halfway point while the sister car of Flash Gordon Shedden is third in the standings only 20 points adrift. Honda also continues its leads of the manufacturer and team standings.
Neal conquered the tricky conditions in the opening race on Sunday to fend off a late charge from a rival and took the chequered flag just 0.055 seconds clear following a tense race. He was able to control the pace in the second race to add his fifth win of the campaign and was then seventh in the reversed grid race three. Three top six finishes for Scotsman Shedden have also helped him keep the pressure on in the fight for the prestigious crown.
“If you had have offered me two podium finishes coming in to this weekend, I would have taken them,” said Neal. “To get two wins and then more points in race three was better than we could have imagined. The Honda Racing Team car has been fantastic this weekend. We have worked hard on getting the most out of the handling of the Civic chassis which really is a benefit in the wet weather – the entire Honda Racing Team crew has been at the top of its game this weekend and that is what has helped us to get the results.”
Shedden said he was disappointed not to have scaled the podium but thinks that there are lessons that can be learned from a solid weekend at Croft.
“I was never really in the sweet spot with the handling of the car but we still walked away with three top six finishes,” said Flash. “I am frustrated that I couldn’t have been on the podium like Matt but I know the potential is there in the car and we just have to work on finding it.
“We have got a seven-week break in the championship now before the next rounds at Snetterton, so we have plenty of time to go back through the data that we get from this meeting to work out the areas that will push me even further forwards. This wasn’t a perfect weekend for me, but it wasn’t a disaster either. In this series, it is all about consistently scoring points.”
The next rounds of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place at Snetterton in Norfolk on August 6/7.
Honda Racing Team drivers Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden are feeling positive ahead of this weekend’s rounds of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft in North Yorkshire.
Former double champion, Matt Neal heads to the fifth meeting of the season on top of the drivers’ standings and Honda also leads the manufacturers’ and teams’ points tables too. Neal and team-mate Gordon Shedden are both hopeful that the demanding 2.25-mile track will help to deliver more success for the Honda Racing team.
“It has been a great track for us in the past and I think that we will be strong there again,” said Neal. “It’s a track that really rewards a car that has a strong chassis and that is something we have got with the Civic. It’s very strong in the fast sweeping corners and it’s also a good car when you have to be aggressive across the kerbing. I am going there confident of a strong weekend.”
Despite Neal’s optimism, he says that there will be one factor which could knock the team’s preparations ahead of the three races on Sunday – the good old British weather. “We saw at the last round at Oulton Park that difficult conditions can change everything,” said Neal. “I have looked at the forecast for the weekend and it looks unpredictable. I just hope we can have three dry races to get the most out of the car.”
Neal’s team-mate Shedden is just two points behind in the race for the drivers’ title and he says that Croft could be one of the turning points of the season. “I agree that our car is going to be strong around Croft and I took two wins there last season,” said Flash. “Our rivals don’t stand still though so we will have to push hard to stay on top.
“For each weekend, I need to take away 30 points to remain in the title hunt – that is the target. That means three solid top three finishes and if you can get any more than that, then it is a bonus. I think we can perform strongly because it is such a technical track and it has two distinct characters.
“It has some really fast corners around the back of the circuit which mean you need a great handling car but it also has the slow and technical stuff at the end of the lap so we need to make sure that the set-up is perfect. Getting all of those elements right is what makes it such a buzz when you hook it all up.”
The fifth meeting of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place on Saturday and Sunday and the entire race day is broadcast live on ITV4. The first race takes place on Sunday at 12.10pm. Fans can also follow Honda Racing on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc
Watch the prototype Honda CR-Z MUGEN, developed in conjunction with MUGEN Euro, make its first appearance on the road.
Performance figures already look promising for this supercharged Honda CR-Z, as early tests with a prototype car based on a standard CR-Z and a mid-tune engine giving 0-60mph times around that of the Civic Type R.
TAKE A RIDE ON THE HONDA EYE AND SEE GOODWOOD AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE
Honda presents the first giant wheel at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Honda is introducing two firsts at Goodwood Festival of Speed; the Honda Eye, a 40-metre high, 24-pod giant ferris wheel and the official debut of the CR-Z MUGEN.
The Honda Eye will enable visitors to experience widespread views of the Goodwood Estate and the beautiful surrounding areas of West Sussex. The Eye will be open throughout the Festival, running in 10 minute rotations from 9am-6pm. Car enthusiasts can enjoy multiple rides on the attraction, free of charge.
A fast-track pass for the ride and access to further information on the event can be found at www.honda.co.uk/goodwood
Other online activity includes Honda’s Twitter competition, where the lucky winners will take a ride in one of the VIP-themed pods, with a Honda racing driver or motorcycle rider. Among the racers are BTCC stars Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden and champion motorcycle riders Sam Lowes and Cameron Donald.
Once again, Honda will be showcasing a range of cars in the Moving Motor Show; amongst them the special edition Civic Ti and BTCC replica race car. Honda will also introduce a new concept car, the CR-Z MUGEN RR, from their longstanding tuning partner MUGEN.
The Goodwood Hillclimb will play host to the first public showing of the CR-Z MUGEN, a higher performance version of the sporty hybrid. Visitors will be given the opportunity to see this one-off prototype, before any other members of the public. Honda will also present potential car buyers with the chance to drive on the world famous Goodwood Hillclimb.
On the main Honda stand guests can enter the ‘Win a lot of Honda’ draw, where they will be in with a chance to win one of every Honda product. This includes a car, motorcycle, mower, generator, ATV, inflatable boat and outboard engine.
For race enthusiasts in the crowds, Honda TT legends John McGuinness and teammate Keith Amor will be attending with the CBR1000RR, the bike that helped McGuinness achieve the fastest ever lap of the Isle of Man.
Visitors will also be able to see Gordon Shedden’s British Touring Car Championship race car, along with the new Crossrunner motorcycle and CBR600RR.
WORLD-CLASS BRITISH ATHLETES TEAM UP WITH HONDA (UK)
Cyclist Ed Clancy, gymnast Beth Tweddle, javelin thrower Goldie Sayers and swimmer Jazmin Carlin have joined with Honda (UK) to form the Power of Dreams Team to inspire others to follow their ambitions.
As part of the tie-up, Honda will follow the journey of each athlete, to showcase their talents and how they have come to achieve their dreams of representing Great Britain.
Simon Gardiner, Marketing Communications Manager for Honda (UK) commented: “We want to get across how dreams can drive what we do and who we become, by telling a ‘behind the scenes’ story of the athletes.
“The Power of Dreams is something we live everyday at Honda and it’s great that the team have come on board to help illustrate this message. They are all fantastic ambassadors for their country, their sport and for Honda so we’re looking forward to seeing them take home the gold.”
Ed Clancy, record breaking cyclist, says: “My dream has always been to represent Great Britain and become world number one cyclist. Through working with Honda (UK) and with each of the other athletes we want to motivate others to achieve their goals. It’s taken a great deal of hard work and perseverance to get to where I am today, but I think the challenges we face are what makes us stronger.”
Honda (UK) is supporting the athletes by providing each with a car, to help with the travel to and from their competitions and to carry their sporting equipment. Between them they have the British-built Civic Ti, CR-V and Jazz and also a CR-Z.
Follow the team’s journey; see what motivates each athlete, what they have sacrificed and their intense training schedules by visiting www.honda.co.uk/powerofdreamsteam
A win and a podium position in the fourth meeting of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park on Sunday has hauled Gordon Shedden on to the boot lid of his Honda Racing Team Civic team-mate Matt Neal at the top of the chase for this season’s drivers’ title.
Shedden stormed to victory in the opening race of the weekend in Cheshire after an inspired tyre choice in tricky conditions. His blend of slick rubber and treaded racing Dunlops was the key to his win.
In race two, Shedden was fighting for another win when he and Neal collided at the last corner after what Neal described as a “horrible mistake” which ran them both off the road. In the final encounter they both bounced back with Shedden taking second place and Matt in fourth to consolidate the teams’ grip on the drivers’ standings, the team points and the manufacturers’ chase.
Looking back on the weekend, Shedden said that the pace the Civic had shown in the tricky conditions meant it was uncatchable for rivals. “It was raining on and off, and in those conditions you need a great chassis,” explains the Scot. “The fact we were able to run at the front in both races proves that we have been working on all the right areas when it comes to traction and grip.”
Former champion Neal apologised to Shedden after their race two contact and ‘Flash’ Gordon said the incident proved how hard the two drivers were pushing. “After winning race one we were determined to get the most out of race two that we could. It was unfortunate that we made contact but these things happen in racing,” said the Fife Flier. “The best way to respond was to get back on to the podium in the third race and that was what we did.”
The treacherous conditions prompted a difficult tyre choice for the entire field at the start of the opening race and Neal opted for wet weather tyres all round. However, as the track dried up he found that the grip went away in his treaded rubber and he could only manage eighth position. Then came the race two incident with Flash.
“I am annoyed with myself for letting it happen,” he said. “I am sorry for Flash that I crashed into him. I was looking down the inside and it was wetter on the track than I thought. I locked up the brakes and went into him. I am sorry for him and for the team because we would have had a one-two finish.”
Despite that hiccup, Neal charged from 19th on the grid to fourth in the final dry race of the day and that was enough to ensure he left Oulton Park still in the lead of the points standings. He is two points in front of Shedden.
“Every cloud has a silver lining,” says Neal. “It was hard to find a positive after race two but when the car was free of success ballast it was really hooked up in race three. We have been working so hard on the chassis and the engine and everything trying to make it faster and it showed it’s been worth it today. I hold my hands up and even though I did my best to drop the ball in race two we are still in the in the fight, which is great as we are getting to the halfway stage of the season.”
The next rounds of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Croft in North Yorkshire on June 18/19.
WOOL AND THE GANG - Meet Clarissa the alpaca in Honda's new Channel 4 campaign
An alpaca breeder from Oxfordshire and her herd of 100 friendly alpacas are the stars of a series of short films to be broadcast as part of Honda's sponsorship of Channel 4 documentaries.
Honda has created this series of films to explore and celebrate real-life people who use their Honda cars, ATVs, lawn mowers, generators, marine engines and motorbikes in unusual and extraordinary ways. The first Honda film, starring farmer Philippa Wills and her alpacas, premieres tonight, supporting a Cutting Edge documentary on plastic surgery on Channel 4 at 10pm.
Philippa relies on her Honda ATV to zip around her 36 acres of land to tend to her alpacas, feeding, herding them together and clipping their toe nails. Viewers will be introduced to Philippa and her lovable woolly animals in the bumpers which will sit between the documentary and the advert breaks, while a full 90 second version of the film will be available to view on a new website : http://www.honda.co.uk/stories
In addition to the full length film, visitors to the website will be able to find out more about the stars, including Clarissa (who was born in a thunderstorm and is ‘crazy about chopped carrots’) and Kendall, who is (‘mad about the girls and thinks he’s the big boss’). There will also be the opportunity to ask Philippa questions about her herd, plus the chance to name the next baby alpaca.
"I decided to take part in the Honda documentary because it sounded like fun,” commented Philippa Wills. “I use my Honda ATV every single day – it's a true workhorse and an essential part of my business. Above all, it's utterly reliable – which is crucial when you've got 100 hungry alpacas demanding food. It's extremely agile which is especially handy when you're trying to herd them all together. It is also a comfortable ride which ensures that I spend many happy hours working with the assistance of my Honda ATV.”
Viewers who keep their eyes peeled throughout the year will meet more Honda customers telling their own extraordinary stories through more Honda films.
This new campaign continues Honda’s successful sponsorship of Channel 4 documentaries which started in February 2010 celebrating the company’s UK manufacturing site in Swindon, Wiltshire.
Alpaca pub facts:
Alpacas are like small llamas or long necked camels with no humps
They originate from South America
Alpacas have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years
The gestation period is 11 months
They are gentle, friendly creatures and make excellent pets
Alpaca fleece produces fibre which is silk soft, supple, smooth to the touch and hypoallergenic. It’s also extremely durable
Clothes, rugs, scarves and hats can all be produced with luxurious alpaca fleece
Honda Racing Team star Matt Neal is aiming to consolidated his points lead in the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park this weekend as the series nears its halfway stage.
Neal currently sits on top of the points after nine races in his two-litre turbocharged Civic but he says running at very front will be a tough task because he has to carry an extra 45 kilogrammes for the first of three races in Cheshire because he is the pacesetter.
“The rules say that if you are leading the points, you have to have success ballast and that is going to be a real penalty around somewhere like Oulton Park,” says Neal. “It is a fast, flowing circuit with lots of undulations and plenty of points where you have to accelerate hard – which is where the success ballast is going to hold me back. Despite that, I love the track because it is a real challenge and you have to be very committed.”
Despite the weight handicap, Neal says the 2.26-mile track will also play to some of the Honda’s strengths. “One thing that we do have up our sleeve is that Oulton is about handling and we know that the Civic has a brilliant chassis,” adds Neal. “If we can exploit that and then maybe shed some of the success ballast later on then we will have a real shot at big points. I am looking to protect the advantage that I have in the standings and then reap the rewards in races two and three. I am expecting my main opposition to come from my team-mate ‘Flash’ Gordon Shedden and I will be trying to hang on to him.”
Flash comes into the fourth meeting of the year with only a small amount extra weight on his car and he will be able to exploit the hatchback to its maximum.
A win and a second place last time out at Thruxton has thrust the Fife Flier back into contention and he is in fifth place in the points table. His results this year have helped Honda to the top of the manufacturers’ standings and the Honda Racing Team is also leading the teams’ contest.
Like Neal, Flash rates his chances highly going into the meeting. “It will be wins that I am after,” said Shedden. “I am not that far away from second in the points behind Matt and the best way to achieve that is to win races at Oulton Park.
“I have traditionally gone well there and the Civic is a great car for getting around the sweeps and the dips at the track so I am going to the races in a very optimistic frame of mind. I only have nine kilogrammes of success ballast and that puts me in a good position to capitalise while the others are loaded up. There is lots of racing to be done and they have changes the rules again ahead of this meeting so I am expecting the competition to be strong but I am confident that we will be right in the mix as well.
The first race at Oulton Park takes place at 12.15pm, and all three of the races will be broadcast live on ITV4 and ITV4 HD.
