Endurance Drivers Join 2017 Acura NSX GT3 Effort
• Tom Dyer, Mark Wilkins to take part endurance events
• Duo will take part in Tequila Patron North American Endurance Championship and Sprint-X races
• Both will participate in testing this week at Daytona International Speedway
SANTA CLARITA, CA (Nov. 14, 2016) – Veteran drivers Tom Dyer and Mark Wilkins will join the Michael Shank Racing (MSR) Acura NSX GT3 effort at four Tequila Patron North American Endurance Championship rounds of the 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.
In addition to taking part in the TPNAEC races, the pair will join RealTime Racing for Sprint-X rounds of the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge, where RTR will field a pair of new Acura NSX GT3s.
California native Dyer, 38, has experience in nearly every field of the sport, from karting as a youth through junior open-wheel racing categories, NASCAR, oval track midgets and the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series.
Wilkins brings a long list of GT and endurance racing accomplishments to the NSX GT3 program, including LMPC class wins at the 2016 12 Hours of Sebring, 2014 Rolex 24, and 2013 Petit Le Mans. The 33-year-old Canadian has five class victories in Pirelli World Challenge competition since 2012.
“Both Mark and Tom will be strong additions to our endurance racing efforts with the Acura NSX GT3,” said Lee Niffenegger, senior program engineer for Honda Performance Development. “They bring skill sets and endurance racing experience that will benefit the program, and mesh well with the full-season drivers in both series.”
Dyer and Wilkins will make their debut with MSR in testing this week at Daytona International Speedway, joining full-season drivers Andy Lally, Katherine Legge, Oswaldo “Ozz” Negri Jr. and Jeff Segal. In the Sprint-X rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge, the endurance drivers will pair up with RTR season regulars Ryan Eversley and Peter Kox.
Each team will field a pair of new Acura NSX GT3 race cars in its respective racing series. The Acura NSX GT3 will make its race debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in January.