Roar Report: Gradient Racing Qualify Fifth for 61st Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona

Gradient Racing will start next weekend’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona – the longest race on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – from the third row of the GTD grid after an impressive showing in qualifying on Sunday.

The 15-minute session was the final act of The Roar Before the 24 – IMSA’s traditional pre-season test event at Daytona International Speedway – and featured series of excellent laps by Germany’s Mario Farnbacher aboard the #66 Acura NSX GT3 Evo 22.

The team from Austin, Texas, fields the #66 JG Wentworth Acura NSX GT3 Evo 22 in the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the first time, having ended a shorter ‘endurance-only’ 2022 campaign with a sensational GTD class win from the back of the grid at Petit Le Mans.

Full-season drivers Sheena Monk and Katherine Legge were both behind the wheel of the NSX during The Roar, as were team regular Marc Miller and factory Acura racer Mario.

Across three days the car completed 94 laps of the 3.560-mile course with Atlanta-based Briton Katherine – who scored the NSX GT3’s first-ever race win in 2017 – and two-time IMSA GTD champion Mario each setting competitive times on Day Two.

Sheena – the only member of the quartet never to have raced in GT3 – focused on learning the NSX and on managing traffic during the sessions, which featured up to 61 cars on track.

Sheena Monk, watching practice during the Roar Before the 24 weekend.

The Newton, PA, native gained speed throughout The Roar and impressively set a string of top-10 times during her stints behind the wheel.

The #66 Acura will be back on track on Thursday for the first of four official free practice sessions at Daytona, with the race underway at 13:40 ET on Saturday. Live coverage is available on the NBC Network family of Channels (USA) and via IMSA TV (rest of world).

Sheena Monk, Driver, said: “It’s been really good so far, but I’ve just taken things a little bit at a time and made sure I’m comfortable with how to manage traffic and getting used to the JG Wentworth Acura NSX GT3 Evo 22. I’m used to being in the faster car in multi-class racing and doing the lapping, but not used to being in a GT car against faster prototypes – and we have five classes here - so learning where to place the car, use the spotters’ guidance and taking little chunks here and there has been the aim. Fortunately, I have some of the best in the business to learn from and Mario, Katherine and Marc have really helped me get up-to-speed quickly.”

Sheena Monk waits to climb aboard the #66 JG Wentworth HPD Acura NSX GT3 Evo22

Mario Farnbacher, Driver, said: “It’s been a fun Roar and especially for me because I was constantly switching between the NSX GT3 Evo 22 and also the TCR Honda that I’m also racing at Daytona. Things have certainly gone well with the NSX as you could see from the performance in qualifying and also in the other sessions. Qualifying isn’t so important in a 24-hour race, but the closer to the front you are, the more chance you have of staying out of trouble on a first lap with 61 cars connected. It’s a long race ahead of us, but we’ve made good progress – Sheena especially – and we’re happy.”

Katherine Legge, Driver, said: “I’m ecstatic to be back in an NSX GT3. I couldn’t be happier because it’s a car I love. Obviously the Evo 22 is the next step on from the car I loved and developed from its onset and it is quite different to drive now. We still have some work to do to dial it in perfectly, but we’ve done a good job so far. Just sitting in the feels like being back home. It’s awesome.”

Katherine Legge is focused on one thing, getting back into Victory Lane for Acura.

Marc Miller, Driver, said: “The key during the Roar has been to give Sheena as much seat time as possible. She unfortunately lost some time in the first session when a piece of shrapnel went into the radiator and caused a leak, but Kat and Mario got a good read on how the Acura performs on old tires and we’re in a good place pace and consistency-wise heading into race week. There’s a lot more to come.”

Andris Lavins, Team Principal, said: “Overall The Roar has gone very smoothly and to have a fine, fine performance from Mario in qualifying was a good way to finish. Everyone’s been getting up-to-speed with the JG Wentworth Acura and our two new drivers, Sheena and Katherine, have both done a great job. We have a little bit of work to do on the handling and on some ergonomic things for the drivers ahead of the race, but we have a few days to get that done. I’m happy with where we are right now and think we’ll have an incredibly competitive driver line-up in the 24 hours next week.”

Team Manager, Andris Laivins, is satisfied with the results of The Roar but knows there is more to come

Coverage of this weekend’s 61st Rolex 24 Hours is available via the NBC Family of Networks, Peacock and on IMSA.TV for International viewers without a TV broadcaster. IMSA Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio will also have non-stop live coverage of the race. For full event coverage please follow Gradient Racing on Twitter at @GradientRacing, on Instagram at @gradientracing and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GradientRacing/.