IMSA News: Meyer Shank Racing to run 2-car Acura team in 2025

Honda Racing Corporation USA today confirmed it will partner with championship-winning Meyer Shank Racing to field a pair of Acura ARX-06 entries in the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, starting with the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

The multi-year agreement will see HRC US take on a larger operational role as the company further develops its personnel and technology for the hybrid electrified racing era. HRC US associates will race engineer one of the two GTP entries, while Meyer Shank Racing will oversee the second Acura ARX-06.

“Running our own GTP car is the next, exciting step for our associates at HRC US,” said David Salters, President, Honda Racing Corporation USA. “We race to develop our people and technology and we are thrilled to be partnering with MSR to race our ARX-06 against some of the world’s best sportscar teams. This is why the next logical step for us is race engineer our own car: buckle-up HRC boys and girls!”

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti and HRC US currently campaign two Acura ARX-06 GTP cars in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with drivers Louis Deletraz and Jordan Taylor piloting the No. 40, while Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque drive the No. 10. Deletraz and Taylor captured pole at the recent Watkins Glen IMSA race, while Taylor and Albuquerque took victory at the Detroit Grand Prix earlier this month.

“I would like to sincerely thank Wayne Taylor, the WTR with Andretti team and its talented drivers. We have shared some brilliant and successful times together; and we look forward to finishing 2024 with more top-level racing,” said Salters.

Acura and HRC US developed the electrified Acura ARX-06 for the debut of IMSA’s hybrid GTP category in 2023. The 2025 GTP entries will once again rely on the proven ORECA [ORganisation Exploitation Compétition Automobiles] LMDh-based chassis, and exterior body that was created and styled by the Acura Design Studio in Torrance, CA. HRC US developed the electrified powertrain, vehicle, engine and simulation software and control systems along with advanced driver-in-the loop simulator for the ARX-06.

“First, on behalf of everyone at Meyer Shank Racing, I want to express our gratitude to David Salters and everyone at HRC and Acura for giving us this opportunity,” said Mike Shank, co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing with former business executive Jim Meyer. “We are supremely grateful to have earned this new opportunity and everyone on the team is looking forward to day one in our new relationship with Acura, and the new role we’ll be playing in HRC US’s IMSA program.”

Meyer Shank Racing will prepare and maintain the pair of Acura ARX-06 GTP entries from their facilities located in Etna, Ohio, just east of Columbus. MSR has campaigned several successful Acura race cars including NSX GT3, ARX-05 and ARX-06 machines racking up race wins and championships in IMSA.

MSR will also continue to operate and field multiple Honda-powered entries in the IndyCar Series, where the team has been a part of the HRC US effort in Indy car competition since 2018.

Information regarding HRC US and MSR team drivers, sponsors and other program details will be shared at a later date.

Acura is a three-time series champion in the former Daytona Prototype international (DPi) category, claiming the Manufacturer, Driver and Team DPi titles in 2019, 2020 and again in 2022, the final season in the DPi era. In IMSA GTP competition, Acura has recorded five poles and four victories since the electrified hybrid GTP category began competition in January, 2023.