– Honda Civic Type R TCR makes North American debut with first global podiums

– Ryan Eversley claims third-place finishes in both races of doubleheader race weekend

– Tom O’Gorman starts TCA championship challenge with second and first-place results

AUSTIN, Texas, March 25, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — RealTime Racing and driver Ryan Eversley recorded the first podiums globally for the new Honda Civic Type R TCR, finishing third in both rounds of Pirelli World Challenge doubleheader race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas.

Meanwhile, in his first races with RealTime, Tom O’Gorman started his second season of TCA class competition in near perfect fashion, taking his Honda Civic Si to a second-place result on Saturday, and a commanding victory in Sunday’s race.

TCR
Two new Honda Civic Type R TCRs made their North American debuts this weekend, in the hands of veteran RealTime Racing drivers Eversley and Nick Esayian.  In Saturday’s opening race, Eversley had a straightforward run to third in the 40-minute, timed event.  Meanwhile, Esayian recovered from a first-lap spin that dropped him to the rear of the 28-car starting field, coming through the field to finish 12^th. 

In Sunday’s race, it was Eversley who had the dramatic day.  Contact while fighting for third place on the second lap resulted in a “drive-through” (pit lane) penalty, dropping Eversley to 13^th in the TCA field.  He recovered to claim 10^th just as a full-course caution for a damaged car on track bunched the field.  Taking the green with just under half the 40-minute race remaining, Eversley gained positions each lap to take the checkers in fourth – which then became third after rival Anthony Geraci was penalized for exceeding track limits on the final lap.  In the second RealTime Civic Type R, Esayian had a drama-free run to 11^th in Sunday’s closer.

TCA and TC
Starting second in his RealTime Racing Honda Civic Si in Saturday’s opening round, Tom O’Gorman briefly led the TCA class, powering around the Mazda MX-5 of pole qualifier Bryan Ortiz.  O’Gorman then went on to battle Eric Powell for the class victory, finishing just 17 hundredths of a second behind after 40 minutes of hard, but fair, racing.

On Sunday, O’Gorman was not to be denied, taking his Civic Si to the lead at the green flag and remaining at the point throughout the contest.  The victory was O’Gorman’s second career TCA win, and ties him for the championship lead with Powell heading into the next round, April 28-29 at Virginia International Raceway.

In Saturday’s opening race of the day, for the TC class, the Honda associate-led Team HMA entry of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama engineer Josh Foran persevered to a 14^th-place finish in a Civic Type R and followed that up with a run to 15^th on Sunday.  Unlike TCR Honda Civic Type R, where many racing components are utilized with the production engine and chassis, World Challenge TC technical regulations require the car to be very close to the production version, with only minor safety and suspension changes allowed.

Video recaps from this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge races at the Circuit of the Americas are being posted on the “Honda Racing/HPD” YouTube channel.  Produced by the Carolinas Production Group, the video packages can be found in the 2018 HPD Trackside Video Playlist at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.

Quotes

Steve Eriksen (Vice President & COO, Honda Performance Development) on this weekend’s Honda race results: “Two double podiums in two days of racing!  We had three types of Honda Civics racing in three different classes here.  It was an impressive debut for the Civic Type R TCR, with the first global podium results for that model.  It also was an impressive start for Tom O’Gorman with his Civic Si in the TCA class, with a second-place finish yesterday and today’s win.  Team HMA certainly learned a lot this weekend, racing its production model Civic Type R in the TC category, and we anticipate further improvement from them as their season plays out.  Congratulations to both RealTime Racing and Team HMA, and to all of our associates who worked hard to get us these results.”

Ryan Eversley (driver, #43 RealTime Racing Honda Civic Type R) 3^rd in TCR in both Saturday and Sunday races, first podium finish worldwide for the new Honda Civic Type R: “I feel bad about the contact with Martin [Jensen].  I thought I had a run on him on the outside, but when he transitioned back across the track, I locked up the brakes and just clouted him.  I knew I deserved a [pit lane drive-through] penalty for that, and served it right away.  Then, it was ‘let’s put my head down and go get a result out of this’.  We got lucky with a [full-course caution] yellow. That bunched everyone back up and, on the restart, I was just trying to get as many positions back as possible.  In the end, it worked out in our favor. I think we maximized our results with a pair of podium finishes for the Honda Civic Type R.”

Tom O’Gorman (driver, #94 RealTime Racing Honda Civic Si) 1^st in TCA Sunday, 2^nd on Saturday, on Sunday’s race win: “I knew I needed to lead, set the pace and break away from the draft.  Then, I could manage the race from the front, manage the tires, and the brakes.  The car was ‘on point’ all weekend.  The Honda Civic Si is so awesome. It’s the momentum and handling car in this class.  The car is just incredible, I can’t wait for [the next round at] Virginia International Raceway.”

Pirelli World Challenge Grand Prix of Texas
Circuit: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
Weather: Overcast, mild 76 degrees F Saturday; morning showers Sunday, 72 degrees F

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SOURCE Honda Racing

PLANO, Texas, March 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The 2019 Toyota Yaris sedan offers an exceptional blend of efficiency, fun, comfort and safety all at a reasonable price. Is this combination too much to ask of an entry subcompact vehicle? The new Yaris answers with a resounding, “No!”

The Yaris sedan, previously the Yaris iA, will be offered in three grades for 2019, including the sporty L, the well-equipped LE grade, and the new premium XLE grade. Premium, on a Yaris? That’s right. The XLE takes Yaris up a notch with sporty leatherette-trimmed front seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake, an HVAC system with Automatic Climate Control, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers and illuminated entry.

For 2019, all Yaris sedans will feature a new sport-inspired front grille with a honeycomb insert design. Exterior styling cues include upscale piano black accents and chrome trim. Fog lights come standard on the LE and XLE grades, and these grades also sport a new rear lip spoiler. Every grade is fitted with a roof-mounted, color-keyed shark fin antenna for available satellite radio. Power outside mirrors come standard on the L, while the LE and XLE are equipped with power outside heated mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators.

Safety is a priority on every Toyota, and that’s why all Yaris sedans comes standard with an Active Safety System and Low-Speed Pre-Collision System. The Yaris features a high-compression 1.5-liter engine that boasts up to 40 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway*.

The Yaris sedan will be offered in seven colors that include Frost, Chromium, Graphite, Stealth, Sapphire, Pulse and the all-new Icicle. The new Yaris will go on sale in the fall of 2018.

Efficiency is Key

There’s no question that fuel economy is high atop the list of must-haves for Yaris. When the direct-injection 1.5-liter engine is paired with the available 6-speed automatic transmission, the Yaris boasts an impressive 32 MPG in the city, 40 on the highway and 35 combined*. When paired with the six-speed manual gearbox offering, the Yaris provides 30 mpg in the city, 39 on the highway and 34 combined*.

The sporty Yaris sedan is a blast to drive, thanks in large part to the engine and transmission offerings. The 1.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine pumps out 106 horsepower and 103 lb.-ft. of torque for plenty of pep to power onto highway onramps and seamlessly navigate workday traffic. The standard manual transmission features a compact, lightweight design with a short-throw shift for smooth, quick gear changes. The available automatic transmission aids in smooth starts while offering quick, precise shifts at higher speeds.

Value Doesn’t Sacrifice Fun

Yaris’ sporty handling is engineered into the chassis with effective use of high-tensile steel in the body and frame. The rigid chassis design is complemented with a pairing of stiff springs and MacPherson struts on the front suspension and a durable torsion beam suspension in the rear.

The electronic power steering is designed for smooth, effortless operation. For more spirited driving, Sport Mode provides improved torque feel at the flip of a switch. Stopping duties are handled by ventilated discs up front and drum brakes in the rear. The braking system is tuned with a progressive experience when cornering, as the pedal offers a cushioned feel that gets progressively more rigid as G-force rises. The LE and XLE feature a unique 16-inch alloy wheel with new dark gunmetal finish.

It’s What’s Inside that Counts

Upping the ante on interior comfort and features, every Yaris features a 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with voice recognition, remote interface, steering wheel controls and Bluetooth connectivity. The touchscreen also displays the standard backup camera. Belting out tunes in the cabin is a six-speaker sound system, and each Yaris includes available satellite radio with a 3-month complimentary SiriusXM® All Access trial. An integrated AM/FM antenna, auxiliary audio jack and USB port with iPod® connectivity are standard.

Every Yaris comes equipped with a stylish instrumentation cluster that includes an analog speedometer, digital tachometer and incorporated trip meter. Cruise control also comes standard. Push button start is standard on all grades, and the L grade features a remote keyless entry system while both the LE and XLE are equipped with Smart Key System. Every Yaris is fitted with power windows with driver-side auto up/down and jam protection. A standard 60/40-split rear seat easily expands carrying capacity and versatility.

Standard Safety System

Every Yaris is equipped with an Active Safety System that includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) and a Brake Over-Ride System (BOS).

The Yaris is also fitted with a Low-Speed Pre-Collision System, which scans the road ahead for potential vehicle collisions. If the system detects a potential frontal collision, an audio/visual alert and braking assistance are designed to automatically activate. Should the driver not respond, this system may automatically apply the brakes.

A driver and front passenger airbag system and seat-mounted side airbags are standard, as are front and rear side curtain airbags. Other standard safety features include a Driver-side Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) and Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) on all passenger belts. Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) is also standard on outboard rear seats with tethers and anchors on all rear seats. A Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) also is equipped on all grades.

Limited Warranty

Toyota’s 36-month/36,000-mile basic new-vehicle warranty applies to all components other than normal wear and maintenance items. Additional 60-month warranties cover the powertrain for 60,000 miles and corrosion with no mileage limitation. Standard ToyotaCare covers complimentary normal factory-scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Two years of roadside assistance coverage is also provided with each new purchase. Valid only in the continental U.S. & Alaska.

*2019 Yaris preliminary 32/city, 40/hwy, 35/comb mpg (automatic transmission), 30/city, 39/hwy, 34/comb mpg (manual transmission) estimates determined by Toyota. EPA estimates not available at time of publishing. Actual mileage will vary.

Media Contacts

Josh Burns
+1 (469) 292-6449
[email protected]

Nate Martinez
+1 (469) 292-5753
[email protected]

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Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/439685/Toyota_Corp_Red_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America