STEVEN LAPORTE SETS THE PACE IN THE HONDA / MICHELIN SERIES' FRIDAY PRACTICE

Results of the first day of practice at Mosport

Bowmanville, Ontario (August 6, 2004) - Steven Laporte, from St.
Sauveur (QC) was the quickest of 15 drivers who competed in the Honda
/ Michelin Challenge Series free practice session held Friday morning
at the Toronto Grand Prix of Mosport. With a lap time of 1 minute
46.176 seconds, the Team Lombardi Honda driver edged Montrealer Nick
Wittmer by only 0.158 seconds. Wittmer drove his Ste. Rose Honda
around the 3.957-kilometre track in 1:46.334 for an average speed of
133.967 km/h. Frédérick Lelièvre of Mont-Joli, Quebec posted the
third fastest time of the 30-minute session with a lap of 1:46.351.

Fourth quickest was Kuno Wittmer, the eldest of the two brothers, who
ran the track in 1:46.724. He was followed by rookie Alex Penfold of
Georgetown, Ontario who set his fastest time in 1:47.013. Like most
of his fellow competitors, the Pfaff Leasing driver posted his
quickest lap at the end of the session. Denis Baillargeon of Montreal
finished sixth, followed by rookie Jamie Holtom of Ottawa and Ryan
Kelly of London (ON). Rookie Travis Walker of Mississauga and Russ
Bond of Uxbridge (ON) round out the Top-10.

Honda / Michelin Series drivers return to the track on Saturday
morning at 10:15 a.m. for the qualifying session that will set the
grid for Sunday's race. The green flag for Round 7 of 10 will be
given at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Series
The Honda / Michelin Series is a 10-race series held over nine
weekends. Six races are contested in Ontario (Mosport & Shannonville)
and four in Québec (Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Saint-Eustache &
Mont-Tremblant).

The stock Honda Civic DX Coupes are equipped with Michelin Pilot
Sport Cup tires, and provide a truly low cost form of motor racing.
The series was re-introduced to encourage young drivers to enter the
sport, but it did not deter some veterans from returning to the
series. The single-make Championship Series gives drivers the
opportunity the showcase their talent in identical cars. The Honda /
Michelin Challenge Series reinforces the fun-to-drive aspects of the
Civic and will be further supported by its reputation for quality,
reliability and durability. The Honda Civic has been the top-selling
passenger car in Canada for the past six years.

The road racing series was originally launched in 1976 with the Honda
Civic Hatchback.  During its 17-year run, the series has attracted
more than 400 racers.  Among the Canadian race drivers who have
competed in this series are Richard Spénard, Tony Morris, Frank
Allers, Marc Dancose and Jacques Villeneuve, brother of the late
Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve.

The series is sanctioned by ASN Canada FIA and sponsored by Honda
Canada Inc. The series is co-sponsored by Michelin North America
(Canada) Inc., Alpine, Bosal, CSC, Goodridge and NGK.