The idea behind the HPD Academy formed after Honda and Acura racing personnel noted that many open wheel drivers competing in their first major sports car race, such as the Rolex 24, lacked critical knowledge specific to endurance sports car racing. Their first time participating was extremely challenging, with their performance hampering the team’s success, despite the driver’s achievements and experience in other series.

 

For example, in karting and the open wheel ranks, drivers are exclusively racing similar- if not identical- cars, posting similar lap times; in sports car racing with multiple classes and packed fields, lap times can vary by 10 seconds or more, creating a huge challenge just to not damage the car through contact with cars in other classes. Maintaining competitive lap times while safely navigating traffic is crucial to a good race result, but the atmosphere in which to learn that ability does not exist in other forms of racing. This is just one example of a specific skill needed to succeed in endurance sports car racing. There are many more!

 

Recognizing the opportunity to teach talented drivers the essential skills necessary to become successful in sports car racing provided the motivation to create the inaugural HPD Academy in 2019.