For Nick Yelloly, the departure of David Salters is deeply personal.
When the Briton decided to step away from BMW at the end of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, he didn’t rely on agents or intermediaries. He called Salters directly. That direct line of communication laid the groundwork for Yelloly’s move to Acura and forged a relationship built on trust—making Salters’ recent executive shift at Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC USA) hit close to home.
Salters officially stepped down as HRC USA President on September 12 to pursue an opportunity with a technology startup outside motorsports. Kelvin Fu was promoted from Vice President to lead the organization through the final two rounds of the season and beyond.
For the 35-year-old, the leadership handoff represents a seamless transition between figures he knows intimately.
“David is a fellow Brit, so we connected instantly,” Yelloly said. “I reached out to him directly when I decided to leave BMW, and our conversations were straightforward and productive. Everything he promised, he delivered. It’s been a pleasure working with him.”
“Kelvin is someone I already know well. He attends many IMSA races and operates more in the background than David, but we’re close. He’s exceptionally intelligent and skilled at managing the team. Like David, Kelvin will ensure smooth continuity for both IMSA and IndyCar sides. The transition will be seamless—it won’t change much, just the face. We’ll miss David, but Kelvin is a worthy successor.”
Nick Yelloly (left) with David Salters (right) at Detroit
Photo by: HRC
Salters leaves a monumental decade-long legacy at HRC USA, joining then-Honda Performance Development (HPD) in 2015 as chief engineer before advancing to technical director in 2019 and president in 2020. A seasoned motorsports veteran with experience leading internal combustion engine development for Ferrari’s Formula 1 program, heading F1 engine development at Mercedes-Benz High-Performance Engines, and engineering CART Indy cars at Cosworth, Salters spearheaded an era of remarkable success.
Under his leadership, HRC USA captured three IndyCar manufacturers’ titles, five drivers’ championships, and a sweep of the 2022 IMSA team, driver, and manufacturer titles. He also pioneered the electrification of HRC US’s portfolio—the Acura ARX-06 LMDh in 2023 and the hybrid IndyCar engine in 2024—while establishing new business divisions for apparel, performance parts, and vintage race car preservation.
Fu brings his own formidable track record to the presidency. Joining HPD in 2015, he managed chassis design, aerodynamics, and performance engineering, rising to director of programs in 2020 and vice president in 2021. He helped guide the organization to four of its 17 total Indianapolis 500 victories.
The executive stability arrives at a critical moment in the championship battle. Yelloly and co-driver Renger van der Zande currently sit third in the overall GTP standings in the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06, trailing leader Jack Aitken by 185 points (2400–2215). Two of Yelloly’s three career top-flight GTP victories have come in the ARX-06, including a win at the 2024 Grand Prix of Long Beach. With Acura pausing its IMSA program at the end of the 2026 season, Yelloly—alongside teammate Tom Blomqvist—has secured his next major step, signing to drive in Ford Racing’s Hypercar program in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year.
(From left to right) David Salters, Ranger van der Zande, Mike Shank, Nick Yelloly, Jim Meyer on podium at Detroit
Photo by: HRC
Yet as Yelloly reflects on what Salters brought to the program, the stats, future moves, and silverware only tell part of the story. Beyond the hybrid engines and championship banners, Salters’ true legacy is human—defined by his willingness to bet on young talent, take structural risks, and live every detail alongside his team.
“The most standout aspect is how he took our rookie engineering crew on the #93 car,” Yelloly said. “My engineer was brand new to race engineering, and our performance team had little track experience. They were all fresh faces—tire engineers, strategy engineers—who had never before been part of such a team.”
“From our first test in November 2024 to now challenging consistently this year? That’s a testament to how he assembled the team and the dedication he showed. He called me almost daily when we started, asking for feedback and adjustments. He attended every test, every time. He lives and breathes this job. Credit to him for empowering everyone at HRC and the engineers who seized the opportunity.”