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The Integra has just enough ground clearance. More than just enough would be a waste. This is at Toronto Motorsports Park. Pic by Brent Runciman.
The Integra will be running Carbotech XP20 brake pads front and Carbotech XP10 pads rear for the rest of the season.That is when the Type R came to life and jumped to the top of the leader board setting a time within a fraction of last year's record. An all-wheel drive car took the fastest time shortly after, but as they were in the Unlimited All-Wheel drive it was not an issue – it was a different class. Timed competition started at about 4 p.m. and worked through the classes and times – with the slowest drivers (not that you could call any of them slow!) going first and working through to the fastest Unlimited Class cars. CSCS gives you three laps to set your time. If you blow that, you have lost. There is no opportunity to make that up. Jimmy took the Type R out and ran a solid time of 1:14.267, finishing the event by breaking his own Unlimited Front Wheel Drive record by a tenth of a second and with the second fastest time of the day, coming in behind Michael McInnes in the Innovative Tuning Subaru Impreza and ahead of Keta Chen in his Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4. R-Division had a great day as a team with Joshua Bannon and Tom Glogowski placing third and fourth in UFWD. Eric Lavigne was in a challenging competion in SuperStreet FWD and placed fourth – just one second off of first place. All in all, it was a great day for R-Division and another track record for Jimmy and his Type R.
Any build takes time and can come out of the off season and win. The consistent win factor that James Houghton has developed is because of a lot of hard work and support from his team and sponsors. This photo was taken at Grand Bend Motorsport Park. Pic by Jeff Beech.I honestly do not know how long I have known Jimmy. Back in the day I know that I have had Vern oil spray my Ford Aerostar (note, I did say back in the day. For those of you too young to know what this space age – at the time – vehicle is, there's Wikipedia). I read Jimmy’s posts on a local automotive forum where he did not hesitate to share his driving and automotive know how – which he has undoubtedly lived up to. As we chatted at a picnic table during a break from his work, we figured out that we first met in person at Dunnville Autodrome – a southern Ontario track that is now closed – in about 2007. It was an evening open track event and I was out with my buddy Dave – giving him some seat time for all of his help with my Nissan. We were harassing a Corvette that simply could not understand how a tiny Nissan could be faster. (Hmmm, can I write an article without mentioning my track experiences?) We were in the paddock and Jimmy and his dad were discussing the art of racing, how to pick a line on a wet track, and even why that white Nissan was passing the ‘Vette. I recognized Vern – I cannot remember if it was from doing business at his shop, if their vehicle had a shop logo on it, or both – and as they were local to us, Dave and I went over and chatted with Vern and Jimmy. I remember thinking that Jimmy was so much calmer in person than he was online! With time, this has changed and his online demeanor has relaxed considerably. LOL!
I also recall his intensity and focus at improving his driving. That has not changed. Over the years he has built a strong network of friends and racing acquaintances who have assisted him as he has progressed in his racing. From the Civic Si he moved to a Subaru STi and then in 2009 he picked up the Acura Integra Type R. In 2011 he won 10 out of 11 time attack events that he entered. He set a CSCS Street Class record that has not been broken yet. He competed with CSCS, Sigma Time Attack, and Ontario Time Attack (CASC-OR) and won in all series. He was hungry for seat time in competition. This hunger for competition is what took him to California for Global Time Attack and will likely see him heading south of the border again this season.
Working with his Uncle and his dad, Jimmy has been driving the #11A Outlaw Modified car on circle tracks. Oval courses are the racing heritage that Vern comes from. This beast is completely different in how it handles compared the the Acura Integra Type R. Jimmy's Honda S2000 also sees time on the local AutoSlalom courses. Pic by James Houghton.
