Highcroft Racing news 2010-12-07

All American BRABHAM AND PAGENAUD RECEIVE ALL-AMERICAN TEAM HONORS

David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud's American Le Mans Series championship-winning efforts for Patrón Highcroft Racing have been recognized by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) with the pair joining an illustrious list of champions on the "All-American" team.

First awarded in 1970, the All-American team is selected by AARWBA members to highlight the most impressive on-track performances in 2010.

Brabham and Pagenaud join a line-up of some of the hottest racing talent from this season including Dario Franchitti, Jimmie Johnson, John Force and ALMS GT champs Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long.

Past members of the All American team read like a history book of American racing - Mario Andretti, Richard Petty, Al Unser, Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones, AJ Foyt, Don Prudhomme, Rick Mears, Steve Kinser, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon are Tony Stewart have all received multiple selections.

"It is a great honor to be on that list with a lot of fantastic drivers and to be chosen again is very humbling," Brabham said.

"However, I can't go out there and do it on my own. At Highcroft I have a great group of people around me and of course my teammate Simon did a fantastic job. Without everyone's help this award wouldn't be possible.

"The entire team really shares in this award."

2010 is Brabham's fifth overall All American selection and his third in a row. Pagenaud was selected this season for the first time.

"It is great to be recognized by the media and after seeing everyone's name on the list I am really honored to be selected with David," Pagenaud said.

"When chosen amongst that level of top performers it just makes you want to work even harder and try and do even better next year.

"A big thank you must go to Brabs and the whole team for helping make this possible."

HPD Engine MORE MILES THIS WEEK FOR NEW HPD LMP2 ENGINE

Simon Pagenaud will be back behind the wheel of the championship-winning Highcroft ARX-01c this week as testing continues for Honda Performance Development's new V6 turbo LMP2 engine.

Pagenaud and the Highcroft squad will return to Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, SC for two days of testing with the new-for-2011 engine.

"It is a really interesting program to be a part of with the new V6 from HPD," Pagenaud said.

"The engine showed a lot of potential at the first test and I am looking forward to getting back in the car as the HPD guys are very happy with some of the improvements that have been made.

"I love racing, but playing a part in the development process for a program like this is certainly very interesting and I think it helps you become a more complete driver by being a part of technical development."

CRZ SIMON A BUSY MAN AT THUNDERHILL 25 HOUR FOR HPD

Simon Pagenaud is in the middle of a very busy week, hard at work for Honda Performance Development - climbing back aboard HPD ARX-01c after racing two Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrids and a Honda Fit at last weekend's Thunderhill 25 Hour.

Pagenaud was part of the driving squad in a weekend of firsts for Honda Racing and HPD.

The Thunderhill 25 Hour marked the first time the racing arm of American Honda has fielded its own race team; the first appearance of racing cars completely developed and adapted in-house at HPD; and the first appearance of North American racing cars developed from existing production-model gas-electric hybrids: the Honda CR-Z.

Not only was Pagenaud one of the drivers, Highcroft's usual HPD engineer Christian Imhof was part of the pit crew for the weekend.

Pagenaud lead his class early in the race and set the fastest lap. Unfortunately, co-driver Sage Marie lost control and rolled the #93 car after four hours.

The HPD crew worked hard to get the car back on track, but Pagenaud was also pressed into service to drive the #19 CR-Z and also a Honda Fit prepared by Honda R&D.

For the #19 car, the team put up a valiant, come-from-behind effort but came up just short as they recovered from a near 10-lap deficit to finish second in the Endurance 3 class in the 2010 edition of the National Auto Sport Association's (NASA) season-ending event.

"The entire weekend was great fun and very different to what I am used to," Pagenaud said.

"There were a lot of cars out there and track conditions varied greatly which was tricky on tire selection.

"I had a chance to drive all three cars which made for a busy day. It was great for Honda to have its first Sport Hybrid on track and to finish the race on the lead lap - it really shows the amazing potential of the CR-Z."

-source: phr