Acura Notches Landmark First GTP Win with Meyer Shank Rolex 24 Repeat

Acura Notches Landmark First GTP Win with Meyer Shank Rolex 24 Repeat

29.01.2023: The New Era of WeatherTech Championship Hybrid Prototype Competition Begins with a Most Memorable Race The debut of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s newest class not only lived up to expectations, but arguably outperformed it with one


The New Era of WeatherTech Championship Hybrid Prototype Competition Begins with a Most Memorable Race
 


The debut of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s newest class not only lived up to expectations, but arguably outperformed it with one of the most dramatic runs to the Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victory in recent memory. It all unfolded in front of a rapt international television audience and a record crowd at Daytona International Speedway.
 

Rolex 24 At Daytona Unofficial Results  HERE

 






Meyer Shank Racing’s Tom Blomqvist drove the pole-winning No. 60 Acura ARX-06 to a 4.190-second victory, to win the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win in the first race with hybrid-powered prototypes. It was the second consecutive and third overall Rolex 24 victory for the Meyer Shank team, which led a race-best 365 of the 783 laps, crossing the stripe 4.190 seconds ahead of Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 from Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport.
 


The Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh cars from Chip Ganassi Racing finished third (with driver Renger van der Zande in the No. 01) and fourth (Earl Bamber in the No. 02). The top four cars were separated by 11.176 seconds after 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course.
 


“I knew we had a fantastic car, unbelievable,’’ said an excited Blomqvist, who won the 2022 Rolex 24 in his first race with Meyer Shank and went on to collect the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class championship. “I just have to say, a massive ‘well done’ to everyone who’s been a part of this project.
 


“What a car we’ve built and I’m so grateful to be able to drive that and be trusted with the duty to take it to the finish. Amazing, I was a bit nervous because the (No.) 10 car was definitely the second fastest car when it came down to it. But yeah, we held it off and had to take it to another level to secure this victory.’’
 


Blomqvist shared the car in the race with Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud, the latter duo also part of last year’s Rolex 24 triumph. Today’s victory, in fact, is Castroneves’ third straight in the iconic race, tying late sports car legend Peter Gregg for most consecutive overall victories in sports car racing’s renowned season opener.
 


“This team is amazing. This is absolutely a dream come true,’’ Castroneves, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner said after once again convincing his teammates and team owners Mike Shank and Jim Meyer to climb the track fence in celebration.  “So happy to start the year like that and keep it going.’’
 


Pagenaud, Castroneves’ teammate on the Meyer Shank IndyCar team, was also all smiles, earning his second straight Rolex winner’s watch.
 


“I think I’m getting used to it,’’ he joked, adding, “I’ll tell you what, it was tough out there but it was fun. I’m going to savor this one.”
 


The MSR No. 60 Acura led the final 97 laps despite having to repair the gearbox midrace and worrying whether it would indeed make it to the end. It marks the third straight Rolex 24 overall victory for Acura, which also won with the WTRAndretti team in 2021.
 


Nine hybrid prototypes made the highly anticipated debut of the GTP class in the race. All but one were still running at the finish, including the top six overall finishers, an impressive outing for a car making its first competitive showing in one of the longest, most grueling events on the schedule.
 


The celebratory feeling went from track to pits to company brass. The first win in a totally new car elicited both relief and confidence. The finish of the race, the reliability and competitiveness a good sign for all.

 

“It feels unbelievable,’’ said David Salters, president of Honda Performance Development (HPD), which developed the race winner. “The real privilege is to work with those people (Acura teams) and achieve days like today. We all know it doesn’t happen all the time. Was it worth it? It’s been two years and I think it’s the best thing I’ve been involved in in my whole life.


 
“If that isn’t a demonstration of precision-crafted performance, I don’t know what is,’’ Salters added. “It’s a landmark moment. It’s the pinnacle of sports car racing.”
 



By Holly Cain- photos IMSA Galstad, Levitt, R Dole

Permanent-URL: http://www.automobilsport.com/acura-landmark-first-gtp-win-meyer-shank-rolex-24h-repeat---247123.html

29.01.2023 / MaP

More News

24h Daytona final standings GTD
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023GTDPro and GTD combined    16    1    Marco Sorensen#27 Aston Martin Vant more >>
24h Daytona final standings GTPRO
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    17    1    Maro Engel#79 Mercedes-AMG GT3M        729&nbs more >>
24h Daytona final standings LMP3
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    15    1    Wayne Boyd#17 Duqueine D08M        737 &n more >>
24h Daytona final standings LMP2
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    7    1    James Allen#55 ORECA LMP2 07M        more >>
24h Daytona final standings GTP
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    1    1    Tom Blomqvist#60 Acura ARX-06        783 & more >>
24h Daytona final overall standings - Victory for #60 Acura drivers
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    1    1    Tom Blomqvist#60 Acura ARX-06        782  & more >>
24h Daytona standings after 21h30 GTP - Pagenaud in #60 Acura leads Bourdais #01 Cadillac
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    1    1    Simon Pagenaud#60 Acura ARX-06        709   more >>
24h Daytona standings after 20h30 - Pagenaud and Acura #60 leads
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    1    1    Simon Pagenaud#60 Acura ARX-06        680    --. more >>
Both Porsche 963 suffer setbacks in the first two-thirds of the race
29.01.2023
Porsche 963, Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6), Nick Tandy (UK), Mathieu Jaminet (F), Dane Cameron (USA)•    No. 6 Porsche 963 loses three laps in the early morning hours•    No. 7 car spends 35 minutes in the pit more >>
24h Daytona standings after 19h30 - Scott Dixon in #01 Cadillac leads the field
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySunday, January 29th 2023    1    1    Scott Dixon#01 Cadillac V-LMDh        648   more >>
24h Daytona standings after 18h GTD #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin leads
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 20231 27 R. De Angelis / M. Sorensen / I. James Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 553 18:01:53.544 358 1:46.078 120.816D. Turner more >>
24h Daytona standings after 18h GTDPRO -#79 Mercedes leads, Gounon fastest
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023GTDPRO Fastest Lap by Gounon Jules: 1:45.541 (Lap 106, 121.431 Mph)1 79 C. MacNeil / D. Juncadella / J. Gou more >>
24h Daytona standings after 18h LMP3 -#33 Sean Creech Ligier keeps leading
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 Hours DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023LMP3 Fastest Lap by Siegel Nolan: 1:43.497 (Lap 171, 123.829 Mph)1 33 L. Willsey / J. Barbosa / N. Pino / N. Siegel Sean Creech Mo more >>
24h Daytona standings after 18h LMP2 -#35 TDS remain in lead
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023LMP2 Fastest Lap by Quinn Alex: 1:39.205 (Lap 66, 129.187 Mph)1 35 F. Heriau / G. van der Garde / J. Pierson TDS Racing more >>
24h Daytona standings after 18h GTP results #60 Acura in lead
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023GTP Fastest Lap by Blomqvist Tom: 1:35.616 (Lap 6, 134.036 Mph)1 60 T. Blomqvist / C. Braun / H. Castroneves Meyer Sha more >>
24h Daytona standings after 17h overall results - #01 Cadillac leads #60 Acura, Bourdais fastest
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 20231 1 01 GTP S. Bourdais / R. van der Zande Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh 560 17:00:00.432 8 1:36.106 133.352S. Dixon2 more >>
24h Daytona standings after 16h GTD #57 Winward Racing leads-Sorensen fastest
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023GTD Fastest Lap by Sorensen Marco: 1:46.078 (Lap 358, 120.816 Mph)1 57 R. Ward / P. Ellis / I. Dontje / D. Morad Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 488 16:02:01.969 207 1:46.463 120.380 more >>
24h Daytona standings after 16h GTDPRO #79 Mercedes in lead
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023GTDPRO Fastest Lap by Gounon Jules: 1:45.541 (Lap 106, 121.431 Mph)1 79 C. MacNeil / D. Juncadell more >>
24h Daytona standings after 16h LMP3 - #33 Sean Creech Ligier in lead
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023LMP3 Fastest Lap by Siegel Nolan: 1:43.497 (Lap 171, 123.829 Mph)1 33 L. Willsey / J. Barbosa / N. Pino / N more >>
24h Daytona standings after 16h LMP2 #35 TDS Racing leads
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023LMP2 Fastest Lap by Quinn Alex: 1:39.205 (Lap 66, 129.187 Mph)1 35 F. Heriau / G. van der Garde / J. more >>
24h Daytona standings after 16h GTP #01 Cadillac in lead
29.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023GTP Fastest Lap by Blomqvist Tom: 1:35.616 (Lap 6, 134.036 Mph)1 01 S. Bourdais / R. van der Zande / S. Dixon more >>
24h Daytona standings after 4 hour race #60 Acura leads
28.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023   1    1    Colin Braun#60 Acura ARX-06        130    --.--- & more >>
24h Daytona start teams and drivers
28.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwaySaturday, January 28th 2023    1    1    Tom Blomqvist#60 Acura ARX-06    &nb more >>
BMW of North America Customer Racing programs kick off Rolex 24 at Daytona weekend
28.01.2023
...with BMW M Endurance Challenge At Daytona   BMW of North America customer race teams kicked off the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona weekend with the 4-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge At Daytona, the first race of the 2023 I more >>
Women in Motorsports North America welcome supporters to Daytona
28.01.2023
Women in Motorsports NA (WIMNA) co-founders Lyn St. James and Beth Paretta welcomed many WIMNA supporters and women participants today to Daytona during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend. WIMNA Co-Founders more >>
Daytona Michelin Challenge 4h Race results by class TCR
27.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwayFriday,  January 27th 2023TCR1 61 G. Ernstone / J. Morley Road Shagger Racing Audi RS3 LMS SEQ 106 4:03:10.995 67 1:58.316 108.320 more >>
Daytona Michelin Challenge 4h Race results by class GS
27.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwayFriday,  January 27th 20231 42 H. Burton / Z. Smith PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 107 4:01:24.951 5 1:52.813 113.60483 T. Collingwood / J. Ble more >>
Daytona Michelin Challenge 4h Race overall results - H.Burton #42 Ford Mustang winner
27.01.2023
Daytona Michelin Challenge Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwayFriday,  January 27th 2023    1    1    Harrison Burton#42 Fo more >>
Thomas Wins Mazda MX-5 Cup Race Two in One Lap Dash to the Finish
27.01.2023
Defending Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires Champion Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) timed the final lap of Friday’s race perfectly and beat Thursday’s race winner, Tyler Go more >>
Cetilar Racing set for 61st 24 Hours of Daytona
27.01.2023
- The only all-Italian Team to fields in the GTD class- The brandnews #47 Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto, Antonio Fuoco and Alessandro BalzanThe countdown to the 61st edition of 24 Hours of Dayt more >>
IWTC Rolex 24h Daytona Practice 4 results by class - Alex Sims fastest
27.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwayFriday,  January 27th 2023GTP1 31 P. Derani / A. Sims / J. Aitken Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac V-LMDh Cadillac V-LMDh 1:35.493 19 20 134.209 more >>
MX-5 Cup Daytona race 2 classification
27.01.2023
Rolex 24 at DaytonaDaytona International SpeedwayFriday,  January 27th 20231 1 96 ND2 Jared Thomas JTR Motorsports Engineering Mazda MX-5 19 45:38.607 - 88.918 4 2:07.439 100.5652 2 51 ND2 Tyler Gonzalez Copeland mo more >>
Gonzalez Narrowly Wins Electrifying Mazda MX-5 Cup Opener at Daytona
27.01.2023
After 45 minutes of frantic, all-green flag running with nearly 30 identically prepared Mazda MX-5 Cup machines fighting for position on the high banks at Daytona International Speedway, it was all of 0.015 of a second that separated winner Tyler Gonzalez (No. 51 Copeland Motorsports) and runner up Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports) as the I more >>
Winward Racing Statement Lucas Auer
27.01.2023
Lucas Auer, driver of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, has been admitted to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. According to attending medical personnel, Auer has sustained significant fractured lumbar injuries in an incident earlier Thursday near the end of the first official IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice session of t more >>
24h Daytona Practice 3 results by class
27.01.2023
GTP1 7 M. Campbell / F. Nasr / M. Christensen Porsche Penske Motorsports Porsche 963 1:35.802 7 33 133.7762 10 R. Taylor / F. Albuquerque / L. Deletraz Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 Acura ARX-06 1:35.974 31 42 more >>
IWTC 24h Daytona Practice 2 results
26.01.2023
ROLEX 24 at DAYTONADaytona International Speedway26-29 January 2023Thursday, January 26th 2023    1    1    Earl Bamber#02 Cadillac V-LMDh        more >>
IMPC Rolex 24 at Daytona TCR qualifying results
26.01.2023
ROLEX 24 at DAYTONADaytona International Speedway26-29 January 2023Thursday, January 26th 202337 M. Pombo / R. Eversley LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic FK7 TCR 1:56.837 6 7 109.6912 5 T. more >>
IMPC Rolex 24 at Daytona GS qualifying results
26.01.2023
ROLEX 24 at DAYTONADaytona International Speedway26-29 January 2023Thursday, January 26th 2023GS1 28 E. Filgueiras / S. McAleer RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS 1:52.157 3 6 114.2682 59 B. more >>
MX-5 Cup Daytona qualifying classification
26.01.2023
IDEMITSU MAZDA MX-5 CUP PRESENTED BY BFGOODRICH TIRES ROLEX 24 at DAYTONADaytona International Speedway26-29 January 2023Thursday, January 26th 2023   1 1 72 ND2 Connor Zilisch Hixon Motor Sports Mazda MX-5 2 more >>

Kategorien

2001-2023 automobilsport.com full copyright