Originally Posted by KIWI

It's kind of satisfying to me to see the New Zealnand Honda Cup series doing so astoundingly well!
It was only BACK IN 2004 that myself and a brave handfull of racers started HondaCup as an alternative to the current Honda Challenge which as some of us saw then and is proving even now to be on a downward slide. Some of us were banned for a couple of years for our opinion of the rules and the rulemakers.

The series was entusiastically sanctioned by So Cal SCCA. Unfortunately it failed in 2007 mainly because most Honda racers at the time were told if they ran with us they would never be welcome at a Nasa event again. Rather a childish and unfortunate attitude to take but that is all water under the bridge now.

I take great pride that in 2006 I invited Big Al to come and run one of my racecars at a couple of Honda Cup events at Phoenix. Al was so impressed with our easy to follow rule set he took the whole idea back to New Zealand and with a few minor tweaks has created the most successful one make race series in a country of under 4 million people. With full fields and reserve drivers at every event, using a 5 page rule set. A series that allows drivers to think outside the box and show a little innovation.

While here in California with a population of 38 million we have what? 10 or 15 mediocre cars running on a regular basis? with a rule book that a lawyer could not understand.
The theory of keeping everything cheap aint working either! Ask some of the front runners how many of their stock motors have blown up in a season?
I have always been a fairly generous sponsor of many Honda Challenge competitors but I have to say that recently it's become painfully obvious that my sponsorship dollars are better spent overseas,. For example Every car in the New Zealand series is equipped with GEAR-X Equipment. We have a 2.0 liter series in PERU that specifies our GEAR-X K Series Close ratio gear set as the spec for the series! Here in the USA they would rather squeeze an extra 50 hp out of a B16A than use a Close ratio gear set that could be good for a couple of seconds per lap?
Anyway... Good luck with everything down under Al, It's nice to see that somebody is doing something right!
Perhaps I should retire and come home and run the Honda Cup in the South Island?

We hope to see some of you back this December for the 25 Hrs at Thunderhill and I hope you can get the FD2 rebuilt in time.
Phase II, my New Civic Si is underway at this end, we already have a couple of big name international drivers interested.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Originally Posted by dirty19

BTW Jeff I appreciate everything you do for me!
A friend, mentor etc!

Originally Posted by KIWI

Thanks guys,
You know it's interesting hearing these comments, but even in the very early Stages when Al was forming Honda Cup in New Zealand, one of my highest hopes was that if we could get the series running well here in the USA It would not be long before it went international. Those who know me well, know that thinking big has never been a problem for me. I can gaurantee that if the Honda cup had taken off here in the USA back in '05
'06 & '07, as it should have. By now I would be arranging for the top ten USA Cars and Drivers being shipped to run some feature events in New Zealand and in their off season the Top 10 Kiwi cars and drivers being shipped out here to do the same.
If i can arrange for international drivers to pay money to come here and run in the 25hour race. I can sure as Hell find away to make the Honda Cup an international series.

I'm getting a bit old to be sticking my neck out again just yet... However, I see my good friend Benny has just been appointed director of the So Cal Honda Challenge series. A man who has experienced the feeling first hand of throwing good money after bad attempting to win a class year after year under the current rules. So It will be interesting to see what he does to make the series thrive and grow or give us more of the same and continued decline?...

Kiwi

Originally Posted by BigAl

In car from race 3
handicap -slowest at the front
Rookie driver - eg with b16b std engine close to your H2 spec - matching it with Dc5r [RSX] and FD2r [Civic si]
Car that passes him near the end is a Dc2 Integra with sleeved b series @1970cc built by Rworks and running a Gearx 5 speed dog box . this car started at the back of the grid .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpPwD...layer_embedded

Originally Posted by vtecjj

That's so F'n cool!!! What are the chances at least half of you guys can ship your cars and come to california to have a NZ Honda Cup Cars vs. HFF Challenge? (I'd say NZ Honda Cup vs. Honda Challenge, but the ruleset doesn't quite match up :p)

I'd be willing to race against you guys instead of travelling to Ohio for the national championships!

Originally Posted by h46it

Great Vid! BigAl what is in that integra that passes you later in the video? That Integra took off like a rocket!

Originally Posted by KIWI

That was Big Al's Integra that pases in the end driven by a rental driver 1970cc B18C ITB's with GEAR-X Dog Box etc. He started from the back of the grid. Very impressive!
I don't think Al got to race that weekend? But he did a helluva job organizing the event and the series.

Kiwi

Originally Posted by h46it

Wow! Sounds like a fun car! Can't believe that Al doesn't even get to race his own event, but I guess that what happens! Congrats to him to putting on a event like this!

Originally Posted by vtecjj

That's so F'n cool!!! What are the chances at least half of you guys can ship your cars and come to california to have a NZ Honda Cup Cars vs. HFF Challenge? (I'd say NZ Honda Cup vs. Honda Challenge, but the ruleset doesn't quite match up :p)

I'd be willing to race against you guys instead of travelling to Ohio for the national championships!

Originally Posted by BigAl

The dc2 actually has heaps of history . Genuine Honda factory touring car - first dc2 to race in the world .

Over the last few years is been basically a development car with many of the parts you guys see being sold in Asia and maybe use in USA being developed and tested on this car .

All the gear x kits have been tested down here plus a few gear x parts that are not sold in USA like road race driveshafts , lsd's clutches , flywheels, headers and suspension components

Its got some major aero work done underneath with full front composite air damp and undertray with venturis, flat floor from seat riser back and stealth rear diffuser .

It works - just ask the guys who get passed when the car gets up around 100mph !!

Still the fastest na honda circuit car in NZ but wont be long before one of the k series cars gets sorted and will overhaul it for sure

This event was a major - The main 2 classes are the top sedan classes in the county with pro drivers from NZ and Australia . Bit like Honda Chall USA being a support class at the Long beach GP !!! Crowd over 2 days was around 38,000 so we could not afford to stuff anything up . Takes a bit of work getting 30 plus drivers organised and under control plus I do the live TV comentary as well .

Running at these big events does heaps for our Honda Cup profile and makses finding sponsors that much easier .

I just worked out that I have been racing for 38 years now so a missed race here and there nothing to worry about .

Just have to get out now and again and give the rookies a good beating .

Originally Posted by r_wannabe

Any pics of the integra? in car videos?

Originally Posted by BigAl

Actually we did look at it back when Honda Cup USA was a goer .

If we could find a sponsor to cover the freight 10 cars would be no problem
5 40 ft containers -

trying to talk a couple more cars to come up for the 25hr as well