Acura NSX GT3s Take Center Stage at Lime Rock Park
• Meyer Shank Racing, Katherine Legge and Alvaro Parente continue GTD title challenge
• Lawson Aschenbach, Justin Marks welcome the challenge of Lime Rock “Bull Ring”
• IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship stretch drive continues at Lime Rock Park
TORRANCE, Calif. (July 19, 2018) – Acura’s NSX GT3s head to Lime Rock Park in Connecticut this weekend for the first of two rounds in the 2018 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship where the GT categories are the featured classes, with the #86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura of Katherine Legge and Alvaro Parente in the thick of the GTD title fight.
“Our goal for the Acura NSX GT3 has always been to win races and compete for championships,” said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development and Acura Motorsports. “Meyer Shank Racing and Katherine Legge have combined a win at Detroit with consistent podium finishes and are now just three points away from the championship lead. Like everyone at HPD and Acura, the Meyer Shank team are fighters, and we look forward to continuing the title fight this weekend at Lime Rock Park.”
Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3s
The MSR team has contended for GTD honors at nearly every race this season. The #86 Acura of Legge and regular co-driver Parente finished second at Daytona, Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen; and led for extended periods at the 12 Hours of Sebring. At Detroit, Mario Farnbacher moved over from third-driver duties with the MSR #93 Acura to join Legge in the #86 for the GTD class win.
As a result, Legge is a close second in the GTD Drivers’ Championship after six of 11 rounds, just three points behind Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow. Acura also is second in the Manufacturers’ Championship, nine points out of the lead in the highly-competitive category that also includes Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
The #93 NSX GT3 of Lawson Aschenbach and Justin Marks finished second in Detroit, completing the first 1-2 sweep for MSR in the team’s IMSA racing history, and was leading at Watkins Glen before being taken out of the race as a result of contact from a Prototype. Aschenbach and Marks also led several times during the 12 Hours of Sebring, and contended for a podium at Mid-Ohio, finishing fourth.
Fast, but short at just 1.5 miles in length, Lime Rock is road racing’s version of a short oval “bull ring”, invariably producing exciting racing. It is also the first of two races where the two GT categories (GTLM and GTD) will be the featured classes, as the prototype category will not take part at either Lime Rock or the Virginia International Raceway round in August.
Acura Team Penske
IMSA’s Prototype category is not a part of the IMSA weekend at Lime Rock, but the Acura ARX-05s will return to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the August 3-5 Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Where to watch the Northeast Grand Prix
The Northeast Grand Prix starts at 3 p.m. EDT Saturday, July 21, with same-day television coverage on Fox Sports 1, starting at 4 p.m. EDT.
Fans can listen to audio commentary via IMSA.com, RadioLeMans.com and Sirius XM Radio; and follow the race live via in-car cameras, IMSA Radio and timing & scoring available worldwide on IMSA.com and the IMSA mobile device App.
Video recaps from this weekend’s Acura racing activities at Lime Rock Park will be posted on the “Honda Racing/HPD” YouTube channel. Produced by the Carolinas Production Group, the videos can be found in the HPD Playlist at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.