Historic Acura NSX race car

Historic Acura NSX race car

The Honda booth at the 2019  Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas featured this historic Acura NSX race car. Campaigned by Real Time Racing (RTR) from Saukville Wisconsin and driven by Peter Cunningham this car took part in 50 races and scored 26 podium appearances with 14 victories (28% win rate) is typically displayed in the Honda Museum in Torrance California.

Photo of Acura NSX street car courtesy American Honda Motor Company

The Acura  NSX designed by a team led by Masahito Nakano and Shigeru Uehara was the world's first all-aluminum body production car to feature, powered by an all-aluminum 3.0 L V-6 engine with Honda's VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system that generated 400 horsepower in race trim.  This particular car was a very early pre-production car serial number 0008.

This car debuted in the SCCA Pro Racing Speed TV World Challenge GT Championship in 1996 and it won the season’s final two races at the Reno Nevada street course and Sear Points Raceway. 1997 was a breakout year as the RTR Acura NSX won four races at St Petersburg, Mid-Ohio, Tros Riveries (Three Rivers) road course in Canada and Pike’s Peak International Raceway, and Peter Cunningham won the driver’s championship.  In his championship defense in 1998, Cunningham won two races at Lime Rock Park and the Grand Rapids Michigan street course, and finished third in points.

The Acura NSX engine was upgraded with a Vortech® supercharger which boosted the power to 500 horsepower, and in 2001 and 2002 it competed in the World Challenge GT category where it scored six wins and Cunningham finished second in the 2001 and 2002 drivers’ Championships. For the car’s final start on Nov. 27, 2002 at Virginia International Raceway the right rear fender was the only original bolt-on part left on it according to Peter Cunningham.  

All photos by the author except as noted