Acura liveries revaled

Acura Team Penske has released renders of its pair of ARX-05 DPis, which will make their competitive debut at this weekend’s Rolex 24 Hours.

The two cars will feature different colour schemes, to help fans tell them apart on the banking, the #6’s livery is featured, while the #7’s colours are above.

Risi announces new sponsor

Risi Competizione has announced that it has a new sponsor on-board for its Daytona appearance, its #62 Ferrari 488 GTLM car will be sporting Effex Management Solutions branding, a large volume contingent workforce staffing company, which has joined fellow Texas-based Risi Competizione as a sponsor for the 2018 running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona race.

This will be a first-time racing sponsorship for the 17-year old company.

Magnus film and webcast

Ahead of its return to IMSA competition, Magnus Racing has produced yet another great video, this time a parody of Truth In 24. Check it out below:

Various changes at Action Express

Christian Fittipaldi, who is stepping back from full-season racing action this year, but will contest the enduros, is now confirmed as the sporting director for Action Express.

The Mustang Sampling #5 Cadillac, one of a number of new-look cars for the season, principally because of the livery, but in addition with the minor change to the Dallara-base chassis for the Cadillac DPi, will run with a slight angle change under the front splitter.

Cadillac explains its engine change

In addition to the splitter change, Cadillac’s DPis will run a smaller 5.5 litre V8 engine this season, after competing in 2017 with a larger 6.2-litre engine.

Ahead of the new power unit’s debut at Daytona, Cadillac has detailed the reasoning for the change:

“Having a 5.5L puts it closer to the rest of the prototype competitors engine configurations. The engine retains the same block configuration, with changes to the cam producing 580hp at 7050 rpm – in current BOP configuration. Design on the re-configuration started in September of 2017 with existing engine stock being retrofitted in November.

“The engine retains the same block configuration, with changes to the cam crankshaft (stroke), connecting rod (length) and piston (compression height). The engine produces 552hp at 6550 rpm with IMSA Mandated Sonic Air Restrictors as of 2018 Rolex 24hr

.

“The Cadillac DPi.VR received a 0.6mm smaller air restrictor since the Roar test, bringing it down to 31.6mm x2 in size. IMSA has adjusted the car’s fuel capacity (+1 liter) and refueling restrictor (+0.5) within its revised 5.5-liter V8 powerplant.”

CTSC entry list revealed

The full CTSC entry list for the opening round of the season at Daytona has been revealed.

This year’s bumper grid will feature a whopping 30 GS GT4 cars, seven cars in the new-for-2018 TCR class and further six in the Street Tuner category.

CTSC’s season opener will be a four-hour race, on Friday, a day before the Rolex 24 Hours begins.

ENTRY LIST >>>

Michelin preparing for 2019

While Michelin will be supplying tyres for the GTLM class runners in IMSA this year, the foundations for its full tyre deal for 2019 are already being laid.

The first objective this week for the French tyre company is to help the Michelin technical partner teams from BMW Team RLL, Chevrolet Corvette, Risi Competizione Ferrari, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, and Porsche GT Team perform at the highest possible level throughout the grueling 24 hour race.

“We are very focused on this week’s race,” said Ken Payne, technical director motorsports, Michelin North America.

“With its heavy factory involvement, the GTLM class is one of the most competitive classes in international motorsports and our technical partners all want the prestigious win at the Rolex 24. We work closely with each team to provide them with the tires, technical support, and services that they need to perform at their best.”

However, on the side, this week will be important ahead of next season. Michelin will host a pair of informational meetings with IMSA manufacturers and team managers during the Daytona race weekend.

“We are working in close collaboration with IMSA to provide day after event opportunities for IMSA teams to run with our Michelin IMSA tires on key IMSA tracks during the 2018 season,” said Chris Baker, director of motorsport, Michelin North America.