Acura wins first GTP Rolex 24 race with an impressive 1-2 at Daytona
This video was first publish on Javier Mota Youtube Chanel
https://www.youtube.com/v/f6diu3LTFNQ?version=3Acura Wins Third Consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona
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.
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.
Rolex 24 Race Results
1st overall - #60 Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaug; Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06
2nd overall - #10 Filipe Albuquerque, Louis Deletraz, Brendon Hartley and Ricky Taylor; Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Acura ARX-06
4th GTD - #66 Mario Farnbacher, Katherine Legge, Marc Miller and Sheena Monk; Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22
6th GTD - #93 Ryan Briscoe, Danny Formal, Ashton Harrison and Kyle Marcelli; Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR Acura NSX GT3 Evo22
