i have to post this as the discussions in the racing forums vary significantly

premise: there is a TL in the midwest honda challenge...there are comments by users about the ugly wheels and the big wing and the hood scoops...even discussions about the stickers

http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14035

 

It's an interesting project car that has Matt's (i.e., Hondata's) hands on it.

They've allowed it into H1; however, I do not think it will be competitive for quite some time. It's basically huge compared to the winning H1 cars, and there are also multitudinous stress problems with parts put to uses for which they were not designed.

The TL was designed to completely different standards, and parts break that wouldn't break on other Hondas. I am sure they'll work it out so that it lasts, but it's still huge and I really don't think it's going to be winning races anytime soon.

Like the other high horsepower cars in H1, the Acura TL can only be modified with H2 specs, not the usual H1 specs, so they are stuck with stock cams, stock pistons, etc. The Honda Challenge rules also say that if something's not specifically mentioned as a possible modification, it's not allowed. They're even stuck with the stock Acura brake rotors and calipers.

If they went beyond H2 rules with their modifications, Honda Challenge might still allow the car to race, but not for trophies or points, and the driver would have to be someone they trusted to be out there with their huge fast car in the middle of the little 70 HP CRX H5 cars.

As a developmental vehicle for Hondata and the other sponsors, all I can say is that it's good to see a car like that out there and being developed even though there's not much chance it'll be winning races.

 

Sheesh you'd think they would realize that form is different than function. I guess some people are that nieve.

I personally think it's cool that someone is going to try a different car than the Civic/Prelude/Integra in Honda Challenge. You never know, right? Like who would have known the 1989 Civic Si would be the top dog in STS.

 

what if the test mule was the HPT model that had the brembo brakes up front...that means stock front brakes would not be a problem especially after they have gutted the car and removed several hundred pounds

 

What ignorance during the first half of that thread. I'm glad to see some corrections in there. If I remember the results right, they placed perhaps 5th overall?

 

I don't know if Brembo brakes were allowed, or not. I know that as the NSX and S2000 currently compete in H1, upgraded calipers are not allowed.

 

the nsx and s2000 did not come with stock brembos but a stock version of the TL came with brembos from the factory so they should be legal

 

The spirit of the game comes first, and the rules are designed so that no marque will have a clear advantage.

Stock or not, if the Brembo kit gives the TL an advantage in its class, it should not be allowed unless we allow the other H1 cars an advantage in another ruleset to give them an offsetting advantage.

I think we're a long way off from the threat of a big heavy TL winning an H1 championship, though.

 

i agree if it gives them an unfair advantage then the series needs to balance out those with either allowing the rest of the field to have those same advantages or as they do in this case disallowing that stock modification

 

Any other specs on the car? I agree with GK, the TL seems a little unsuited for H1.