Take a look at the winningest cars in any arena of automotive competition, and you'll notice a pattern: all were built to do one thing. You won't catch F1 cars mixing tread with Indy. Unlimited-class time attack cars wouldn't lower their standards to beat up on Street-class competitors, and you'll never catch the fastest drag cars wrenching their turbos off to take a spin in All-Motor classes. Maybe that's why we like Hondata's RSX so much--as a major player in SCTA-sanctioned land-speed competitions throughout the Southwest, not only does it hold the world record as the fastest production FWD car, but also titles as the fastest naturally-aspirated 2.0L production car, fastest nitrous-enhanced 2.0L, and a few others. What's more, its 2.0L K20A engine remains virtually untouched between competitions in each class, and even when tuned to 765 whp or blasting 236mph runs, it's never even seen a turbocharger.
After years of closed-door fabrication, midnight tuning sessions and blocking the automotive paparazzi's best efforts at exposing the beast, Hondata front-man and driver of the RSX, Doug MacMillan, let 2NR cameras inside his company's Torrance, CA headquarters, to show the true makings of a car that's earned titles as "World's Fastest" in as many categories as it's entered.
Profile
Looking at a car's profile, you'll notice that it bears resemblance to an aircraft wing. As vehicle speeds increase, so does the propensity for lift. Nearly everything fitted to a top-speed car's exterior must accomplish two jobs: cutting drag, and decreasing lift.
Forward-moving vehicles generate downforce over their front wheels. "This," informs Doug, "gives FWD cars a bit of an advantage in the top-speed game." Next to the CRX and Insight, the RSX is one of Honda's most aerodynamic FWD platforms, and since its factory engine is the K20A--the one Doug was planning to use regardless--the RSX is legal for competition in more categories than a car with a swapped engine would be.
 In top-speed racing, reducing...  In top-speed racing, reducing every possible source of drag is vital. And that means the side mirrors had to go. Anticipating spending great lengths of time in full race gear, in a car with closed windows and no air conditioning in the hot Nevada desert sun, Doug decided to get crafty and fabricate these block-off plates that dually serve as vents. |  The aluminum rails running...  The aluminum rails running along the top of Doug's RSX are required for competition cars that exceed 200 mph. They act as foils that stabilize a car, preserving straight-forward motion at speed, but their real function lies in their ability to trip airflow over the top of a car, decreasing lift, should it happen to drift sideways. YouTube "Mazda RX-7 flips at 215mph" to see what happens when these little guys aren't used. Now, YouTube "Hondata RSX 227 mph spin" to see how they can help. |  At the RSX's corners lie factory...  At the RSX's corners lie factory Honda space-saver wheels--the same "donuts" that can be found in the trunk of nearly every road-going Honda, with stickers warning not to exceed 50 mph. "The wheels are two-piece, stamped steel units," explains Doug, "to meet regulations, we had to weld a seam along the inside to join them permanently, and add Atlas tabs to accept the wheel covers." Tires on each wheel are Goodyear Front Runners--the same ones you'd normally see at the front of RWD drag cars. Off-the-line traction isn't important in top-speed racing, where you're given up to five miles to make your speed, and skinnier tires reduce drag--very important at high speeds. |
Front
The front of a top-speed car must do many things: limit airflow under the car and to the wheels, streamline with the hood and fenders to improve aerodynamics, and present as smooth a surface as possible to reduce drag. Pictured here, the RSX's fiberglass front does all three, while allowing full access to the engine bay and radiator support.
 Even these Aerocatch hood...  Even these Aerocatch hood pins were chosen for their low drag profile. Sure, they look 100x cooler than the old-school pins, but their functionality outweighs their appearance in the eye of a top-speed racer. |  Sheet metal covering the entire...  Sheet metal covering the entire underneath of the RSX also accomplishes two tasks at once: reducing turbulence of air flow, and covering points of drag like the exhaust, steering rack and cross members. |  For classes where the K20A...  For classes where the K20A breathes through individual throttle bodies, the large, off-center oval cutout serves as their inlet, with fiberglass ducting connecting the two. For 720whp "blown"-class competition (forced induction/race gasses), the fiberglass bumper's two triangular cut-outs near the hood flow air to the radiator, and the two smaller holes at the bottom of the bumper feed air to twin Rotrex superchargers. As for the larger hole between them, "This is used when the radiator is lowered to fit under the ITBs, in classes where they're used," says Doug. Come race day, vinyl tape covers whatever cut-outs aren't used, along with the seams between the bumper and the hood, headlights and fenders, to further reduce drag. |