Honda offers big GrandAm contingenct awards

The impressive number of auto manufacturers to partner with GRAND-AM Road Racing in 2010 continues to grow, as the sanctioning body added another blue-chip partner with the announcement today that American Honda through its racing arm, Honda Performance Development, has signed on as the newest "Official Promotional Partner of GRAND-AM."

Under its contingency program, Honda will offer a $10,000 prize to its Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner (ST) class race winners, as well as $5,000 for second place, $3,500 for third, $2,500 for fourth, $1,500 for fifth and $1,000 for a finish of sixth through 10th. As an Official Promotional Partner, Honda earns the right to use GRAND-AM marks, logos, images and video throughout the 2010 season, and will also be eligible for additional joint marketing efforts through the remainder of the season.

In the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Honda has been on the podium in six of seven races this season. Honda currently leads the manufacturers points standings, and drivers of the No. 74 Skunk2/Honda HPD Honda Civic Si – David Thilenius and Lawson Aschenbach – are third in ST driver standings.

"Honda is another of the world's great brands with a tremendous history in motorsports," said GRAND-AM Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kevin Hindson. "We are extremely pleased that Honda has joined us as an Official Promotional Partner and are thrilled that such a lucrative contingency program is in place for our teams. This is yet another feather in our cap."

The next event for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will be at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 17, in Millville, N.J. Tickets are available now at www.njmp.com.

The weekend will also feature the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The NJMP 250 presented by Crown Royal, Round 9 of the 12-race season, will air live on SPEED on Sunday, July 18 at 1 p.m. ET. MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will air live broadcasts beginning at 12:45 p.m. ET.