Notes: Quick trip reminds Hanna of brief career

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Jack Hanna's adventures have taken him around the world, while a particular one close to home brought back memories Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and TV personality, was the grand marshal of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. A longtime friend of the Rahal family, he's the godfather of IZOD IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal.

"I learned to race at Mid-Ohio in the 1980s," said Hanna, whose race day activities included a ride in an Indy Racing Experience two-seater with Mario Andretti behind the wheel. "I was in the Columbus 500 in the Firehawk Series. Jimmy Gurney, Dan’s son, was one of my partners. (During one race) the car caught on fire. My dad said, 'Jack, that’s it, buddy. You’re out of the will if you do this ever again' and he was dead serious. I never got back in a race car until just now."

The two-seater ride on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course was intense.

“Having worked with the animal world for 40 years and the shows all over the world, diving with great whites and tiger sharks, going to the Himalayas, all this stuff, and this is the epitome," Hanna said.  "How fast did I go around that track? Three-quarters (speed)? I can’t take anymore. It makes you appreciate what this is all about.

"I’ve known Bobby (Rahal) since he first started and you hear about it from them but getting in that car and doing this, you didn’t even have time to think. (And meeting Andretti), he’s the world’s greatest. It’s like when I met John Glenn. You’re meeting someone who is history. He’s a legend. He’s history."

The Graham Rahal Foundation and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course teamed up to offer special race tickets that included free zoo admission, an autographed Rahal hero card and an entry to win a VIP experience at the track and zoo.

Additionally, Rahal will auction some of his race-worn gear (including the helmet in photo above) to benefit the Graham Rahal Foundation and the track will donate a checkered flag signed by all IZOD IndyCar Series competitors for the zoo to auction.

New single-season victory record

Matthew Brabham swept the two races of the Allied Building Products Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio to break the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires single-season victory record.

The third-generation driver has nine wins to break the record set by last year’s series champion Jack Hawksworth, who is driving the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian car this season in Firestone Indy Lights.

Garrett Grist won his first Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda race.

Acura NSX prototype unveiled at track

An Acura NSX, which is being developed for 2015 at Honda R&D Americas in Ohio, made its public debut before the green flag for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

The prototype model (teaser video below) was driven by Honda engineer Jason Widmer. The 2013 Honda Accord Safety Car driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford was built at the facility in Marysville, Ohio.

In addition to the R&D facility, Honda operates multiple manufacturing plants, which employ more than 10,500 associates, in the state. Honda also is a major sponsor of the Mid-Ohio School, providing a fleet of Honda and Acura vehicles for the school's teen safe driving and high-performance driving programs.