Bet you didn't know that overseas, the Honda Fit hatchback is actually a racing star. Yes, the same car you purchase at Steve Hopkins Honda in Fairfield is winning countless rally car championships throughout Australia.
Called Honda Jazz in other countries, the rally team of Eli Evans and Glen Weston, along with teammates Mark Pedder and Claire Ryan, took first place at the recent leg of Rally Calder. They all battled intense weather and a wet, muddy course.
At one point, Pedder and Ryan suffered transmission issues, "We were just coming through a fairly tight second gear corner and heard a big bang. Initially I thought it was a drive shaft, then we lost a bit of drive and then it locked in third, so we puddled our way through the stage."1
Despite poor weather, the Jazz performed beautifully, and helped Evans and Weston cap off a fantastic event in first place.
"Our strategy was to keep the Jazz on the road. It sounds easy but it really wasn't. Your braking markers were different every time and I just wanted to make sure I was pushing the brake pedal early to see what kind of grip we had so I could slow the car down and get through and on to the next corner without going wide or cutting in too much."2
The team was grateful for Honda's enthusiastic participation, stating the Japanese auto maker and its vehicles didn't miss a beat.
Source: 1,2http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6554&Itemid=2
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