Acura dominated IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying today at Road America, with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti claiming its second consecutive pole of 2024, and first front row sweep. It’s the sixth pole for the hybrid Acura ARX-06 since the electrified prototype made its IMSA debut at the start of 2023.
Filipe Albuquerque took his #10 Acura to the pole in today’s 15-minute session with a time of 1:48.601; while teammate Jordan Taylor piloted his ARX-06 to the outside front row starting position with a time of 1:48.863 around the challenging four-mile Road America circuit.
Last month at Watkins Glen International, it was Louis Deletraz claiming the pole for Acura and WTRAndretti in the #40 ARX-06. Acura also recorded a total of four IMSA poles in 2023, the debut season for the hybrid GTP category.
In the production-based GTD class, the Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 will be starting 13th with co-drivers Sheena Monk and Stevan McAleer. The duo finished ninth last month at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and have a best result of fourth in April at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America Acura Qualifying Results
- Pole Qualifier – #10 Filipe Albuquerque, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06. Co-driver will be Ricky Taylor
- Qualified 2nd – #40 Jordan Taylor, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06. Co-driver will be Louis Deletraz
- Qualified 13th in GTD – #66 Sheena Monk, Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. Co-driver will be Stevan McAleer
Quotes
Filipe Albuquerque (#10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06) Pole qualifier: “A great day for Acura and Wayne Taylor Racing for a lock on the front row! The car felt great. We took some chances about what to do and it paid off. It felt a lot like when I got pole in 2022 with the Acura ARX-05 DPi. The balance was the same. The first laps it just felt like that and I thought ‘now I just can’t make a mistake’ and putting together a lap here is hard with so many corners! It’s not easy! When I did the lap, I felt really really happy because I could not have gone faster. In the end, I tried again and I was two tenths off. That was it. Most important I’m glad it’s an Acura 1-2. It’s good for the ego, especially in such a hard season. Tomorrow, we try and go for the win for Acura and let’s see how it goes.”
Jordan Taylor (#40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06) qualified 2nd: “It’s great to have a 1-2 for the team. We did a test here a couple weeks ago, and I think we have a pretty strong car here as a result. The race is always another story, though. This year, it’s been so hard to pass that track position has been pretty crucial, so we’re pretty happy with qualifying up front and now we just need to make sure we have a strong race car over the long runs for tomorrow.”
Fast Facts
- Acura Motorsports and HPD have recorded nine victories at Road America, and scored a double-podium result in 2023. The Meyer Shank Racing duo of Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun finished second in their Acura ARX-06 hybrid; while Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti finished third in the hands of drivers Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor.
- Acura scored overall and DPi victories in both 2022 and 2020. Wayne Taylor Racing’s Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor took their Acura ARX-05 to victory in 2022, one of four wins for the WTR duo in 2022. Two years earlier, Taylor and co-driver Helio Castroneves piloted their Team Penske Acura ARX-05 prototype to the victory.
- Acura’s first win at Road America came in 1993, when Parker Johnstone and Dan Marvin claimed the Camel Lights class win in their Comptech Racing Acura Spice SE92P. Additional victories followed in American Le Mans Series competition in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013 in the LMP2 category; and overall/LMP1 in both 2009 and 2013.
Where to Watch the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America
Streaming coverage from Road America will be available on NBC Peacock starting at 3 p.m. ET Sunday. Same-day coverage will begin on CNBC at 6 p.m. ET.
Fans can listen to audio commentary viaIMSA.com,RadioLeMans.comand XM Radio; and follow the race live via in-car cameras, IMSA Radio and timing & scoring available worldwide onIMSA.comand the IMSA mobile device App.
Honda Racing PR
- UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics results from Bristol Motor Speedway - September 19, 2024
- William Sawalich Captures Second Consecutive ARCA Menards Series East Championship - September 19, 2024
- NASCAR and Super Modified Racing at Madera Speedway September 28 for Harvest Classic - September 19, 2024