Rolex 24 at Daytona 2023: Friday Update
Sims, Cadillac Post Fastest Time in Final Full Field Session on Friday
The No. 31 Cadillac V-LMDh of Alexander Sims took the fastest time during the final full field IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship practice session of the weekend on Friday. The lap posted by Sims, a 1:35.493 lap time, was only two tenths quicker then the Cadillac of Scott Dixon.
BMW made its first appearance in the top three of the speed charts as the No. 25 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 would up third, while the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 of Matt Campbell posted the fourth quickest time. The pole sitting No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 posted the fifth fastest time. The only red flag of the session came at the expense of Helio Castroneves, who spun his No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 at pit out.
Check out the full results from the fourth and final full field practice session here: http://results.imsa.com/Results/23_2023/02_Daytona%20International%20Speedway/01_IMSA%20WeatherTech%20SportsCar%20Championship/202301271120_Practice%204/03_Results_Practice%204.PDF
A short 20 minute GTP only session was run after the checkered flag of the four hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race. Renger van der Zande paced the field and set the fastest lap time of 1:36.742 in the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-LMDh. Six of the nine GTP cars set to contest the Rolex 24 at Daytona ran laps during the uninterrupted session. Both Acura powered machines fielded by Meyer Shank Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport chose to sit out, as well as the No. 31 Cadillac of Action Express Racing.
Daniel Morad, who will compete full time for Winward Racing in the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge series, has been drafted to replace the injured Lucas Auer for this weekends Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend. Auer suffered a massive accident during Thursdays first practice session which resulted in a significant back injuries for the Mercedes GT3 driver. Winward Racing's spare chassis arrived from its shop in Texas after team members flew back to the shop to retrieve the car. After an over 1,000 mile journey, the car reached Daytona International Speedway at 11:30 Friday morning. Morad's first laps in the car will likely come during the race itself.
With all practice sessions finished, as all support races completed, the eyes of racing world now turn to Saturday afternoon at 1:40pm EST as the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona takes the green flag.
