A team of Acura engineers will compete in the iconic 2023 Tire Rack One Lap of America presented by Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, taking “one-and-a-half” NSX Type S supercars on the demanding eight-day, 3,200-mile road rally, May 6 – 13. The 600 hp Acura NSX Type S will make its One Lap of America debut towing the rear half of another NSX, custom fabricated into the world’s hottest race trailer, ready to haul spare tires, tools and fluids to each track event. An Acura TLX Type S sport sedan also is set to compete – with the Honda of America Racing Team (HART) serving as both the drivers and tech support for both vehicles.
Driving a Thermal Orange Pearl Acura NSX Type S will be Justyn Bobinski and Chad Gilsinger, both vehicle dynamics and brake system engineers at Honda’s North American Auto Development Center (ADC) in Ohio. Competing in the Sports and Grand Touring, Small Bore, Stock GT class over $50,000, the electrified supercar is largely unmodified with Red Line Synthetic Oil, lightweight HRE wheels wrapped in Falken high-performance tires and the same wrap as Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach pace cars.
The one-of-a-kind NSX trailer was constructed by a talented ADC fabrication team. An early second-generation NSX test mule was rescued from destruction, cut in half, and fitted with custom barn doors to ease access to supplies. Riding on H&R springs, the NSX trailer rolls on lightweight HRE wheels and Falken high-performance tires. A reverse camera connects to the supercar’s infotainment system. To safely pull the trailer, the NSX Type S tow rig is equipped with a rear crash bar fabricated by ADC to accommodate the hitch receiver.
“When we saw the opportunity to build a trailer out of an Acura NSX supercar we thought, ‘Why not?’” said Justyn Bobinski. “There was no hesitation from the passionate associates at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC), ADC fabrication or the rest of our Honda of America Racing Team (HART) in supporting this unconventional idea.”
The NSX Type S tow vehicle and support trailer is the second special motorsports project vehicle built by ADC fabrication in 2023, following the Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer. Nicknamed “The HPD Beast,” the 800 hp SUV combines a Honda Performance Development (HPD) INDYCAR drivetrain, racing suspension and Honda CR-V hybrid bodywork.
The TLX Type S returns for 2023’s One Lap of America after a strong second-place finish in both the Luxury Class overall and Stock Luxury class in 2022. This year, the sport sedan returns with lightweight bronze HRE wheels sourced from HART’s Pikes Peak TLX Type S racecar, Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach pace car wrap and Red Line Synthetic Oil. It also showcases an array of Acura Genuine Accessories, including a carbon fiber rear spoiler and rear diffuser. Product verification test engineer Dan Klein and vehicle dynamics, durability and brake engineer Nick Amato will drive the TLX Type S.
The Acura team is part of the Honda of America Racing Team (HART), which consists of Honda associates across North America. The HART program embodies the Honda “Racing Spirit” by providing associates with invaluable experience through motorsport, while transferring vehicle performance learnings into the development and manufacturing of next-generation Honda and Acura products. The HART One Lap of America team is supporting the Victory Center, an Ohio-based organization that provides programs and services to cancer patients, survivors and their families.
One of the most challenging grassroots motorsports events in the world, the 38th running of One Lap of America starts and ends at the Tire Rack headquarters in South Bend, Indiana, and sends competitors through 15 states. The competition includes timed track events at many of America’s greatest motorsports facilities, including Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, and Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee.
