IMSA News: #24 WRT BMW tops Session 2 of the Roar Test
BMW M Team WRT (pictured) capped off the opening day of the Roar Before The 24 at Daytona International Speedway with the quickest lap in the second of seven practice sessions, setting the pace in the GTP class.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
The hour-long session wasn’t without drama. Just 15 minutes in, Job van Uitert spun the returning Intersport Racing #37 ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2 into the tire barrier at Turn 1, triggering the first red flag. While van Uitert emerged unscathed, the car was done for the day.
Barely five minutes after green-flag running resumed, Nolan Siegel spun the #343 Inter Europol Competition ORECA at the Le Mans Chicane, briefly halting again—though his car escaped damage and rejoined the track. Around the same time, Esteban Masson pulled the #12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 off at the West Horseshoe due to a mechanical glitch.
Amid the interruptions, Sheldon van der Linde climbed to the top of the GTP charts in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, posting a 1:36.742— the fastest overall time of the day so far, though still shy of the GTP course record amid the switch to Michelin’s new tire compound.
The #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 slotted into second with Tijmen van der Helm’s 1:36.880, edging out the factory Porsche Penske entries. New Porsche factory driver Laurin Heinrich took third in the #7 Penske Porsche at 1:36.908.
The Cadillac contingent followed closely: Earl Bamber fourth in the #31 Whelen Cadillac, Filipe Albuquerque fifth in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, and Jordan Taylor sixth in the #40 WTR Cadillac. Reigning Rolex 24 winner Laurens Vanthoor was seventh in the #6 Porsche Penske.
Rounding out GTP were the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06, #25 WRT BMW, #23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie, and #93 MSR Acura. Remarkably, just 1.271 seconds separated the entire 11-car field.
In LMP2, Ben Hanley propelled United Autosports USA’s #2 ORECA to the class lead with a 1:39.136—the day’s best in the prototype ranks. Enzo Fittipaldi followed in second aboard the #73 Pratt Miller Motorsports ORECA, with Tom Dillmann third in the #43 Inter Europol and Siegel fourth in the #343.
GTD PRO saw reigning Australian Supercars champion Chaz Mostert—a past Rolex 24 class winner—storm to the top in the #75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO with a 1:47.625. Christopher Mies was close behind in second with the #65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 Evo, while defending GTD PRO champ Alexander Sims took third in the #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Jack Hawksworth, an early leader, ended fourth in the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus.
For the second straight session, a GTD entry outpaced the GTD PRO field overall in GT times. Corey Lewis set a blistering 1:47.522 in the #66 Gradient Racing Ford—just two-tenths off the day’s GT benchmark. Danny Formal was second in class with the #45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, Russell Ward third in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG, and James Roe fourth in the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG.
The Roar Before The 24 continues Saturday with three more IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship test sessions, kicking off at 11:15 a.m. ET.