Honda Racing Re-Creates DA Integra Race Car to Celebrate 40 Years of Acura

At the same time Acura was gaining a foothold as a luxury player in America in the late 1980s, it also sought to establish its performance bona fides. Thus, the lavishness of the Legend was complemented by the agility of the Integra, setting in motion four decades of the brand serving Americans the best Honda has to offer.

To mark 40 years of Acura, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) U.S. decided to honor the very first race version of the Integra in time for the 51st running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. But it didn’t take the easy route and use the modern DE5 Integra Type S to make this homage; instead, it sourced a first-generation, DA-chassis Integra coupe and performed a full-on race conversion just as Comptech USA did to the original in 1987.

This included a rebuilt original D16A1 engine and its five-speed manual transmission, albeit with upgrades as well as performance improvements. For example, the ECU was swapped for a Monsoon unit that allowed the HRC team to convert the car from distributor ignition to coil-on-plug. The car also received a custom 4-2-1 long-tube header, a Borla exhaust, and a Torsen-type limited-slip differential.

Chassis Gear Made For Track Work

The DA’s chassis has a new set of Tein coilovers. In addition to those adjustable dampers, the solid rear panhard bar was switched out to an adjustable version so the centering of the rear axle remained consistent to the height of the Integra during track outings. The steering and brakes were converted, too, removing the power-assist from both systems to maximize driver feedback and ensure precise control.

The brakes were then upgraded with Carbotech performance brake pads and stainless steel lines. There was no big brake kit installed, as HRC elected to use a set of original Mugen 14-inch lightweight wheels, but they are wrapped in a set of Yokohama Advan A050 semi-slick tires. This should give this tribute Integra racer huge grip while also replicating the classic look of the late-1980s Comptech-built competition car.

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Factory Stock Looks Outside, Race Car Business Inside

The cabin of the stock Integra was stripped and fitted with a custom-built half-cage from Blackbird Fabworx. Once that fabrication work was performed, HRC sent the Integra to be sprayed in Rio Red Metallic on its exterior panels and Quartz Silver in the engine bay and interior. Other than the paint and replica race decals, the body is largely original to this U.S.-spec Integra as it was sold. This includes the rear window wiper, pop-up front headlights, and spoiler on the hatch. There is an extended chin spoiler on the front bumper, but there’s no other fancy aero trickery and even the black body molding remains in place.

The interior mixes custom and original elements. The half cage allowed the retention of the original dashboard, and the original DA Integra steering wheel remains. There is no radio, of course, and where would the sound come out, anyway? The original door cards that held the speakers have been replaced by flat sheets of ABS material cutouts only for the door handles and manual window cranks. Once inside, closing the doors is done using a red strap as befits a proper race car. HRC replaced the original front seats with a pair of OMP racing RT FIA seats mounted to Pro Car Industries fixed mounts and the seatbelts were swapped for OMP Endurance six-point harnesses.

The Significance of the DA Integra, Motorsports, and Comptech USA for Acura

This tribute marks more than an anniversary of a particular; it also marks the championship it won. Just a year after Honda launched the Acura brand, Comptech USA rolled a brand-new 1986 Integra onto the grid of the IMSA Sedan Series. This was the first racer to hit the track with Acura branding, and Parker Johnstone not only captured the 1987 drivers’ championship but the team also earned the manufacturers’ title that same year. Success out of the box is no easy task, but Comptech, Johnstone, and Acura were able capture additional championships the next three years before the team moved on to competing with an NSX-powered prototype in the early 1990s.

While Comptech would eventually part ways with Acura, Honda’s luxury performance brand would continue racing and winning in the U.S. with the Integra in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Touring Car class. After the arrival of DC5 RSX in 2001, Acura moved to the SCCA World Challenge, where it competed through 2006.

The Modern Integra Returns to Motorsport

The return of the Integra nameplate 17 years later allowed Acura to place the historic badge in motorsports competition once again in the TCX class of the TC America series. A year later, the Integra Type S returned to victory lane at Virginia International Raceway with Celso Neto behind the wheel. The 2026 TC America season will see two Acura teams competing with three Integra Type S race cars in the consolidated TC class.

Acura also continues racing in IMSA in the GT Prototype (GTP) class with a pair of ARX-06s campaigned by the Meyer Shank Racing team. This prototype racer is the sole focus of Acura’s IMSA efforts after it ended NSX GT3 support in 2024. There’s no Integra running in IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR; instead HRC’s presence includes factory-supported Honda Civic Type R TCRs.

OPEN GALLERY

While the modern Integra race car won’t be at the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach—TC America is not a part of the nearly full week of racing—fans will be able to see both the modern ARX-06 in action and, from April 17 to 19, the 40th anniversary tribute DA Integra on display. We’re already asking for some time in this modern classic, so stay tuned.