Front-Row Start for Acura at Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – January 24, 2020 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) –

Juan Pablo Montoya runs second for Acura Team Penske in Rolex 24 qualifying
Trent Hindman heads Acura NSX GT3 effort, qualifying third in GTD
IMSA season begins Saturday with the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance contest

Strong Rolex 24 qualifying performances from both Acura teams Thursday at Daytona International Speedway saw Juan Pablo Montoya qualifying on the outside of the front row, second, for Acura Team Penske, and Meyer Shank Racing’s Trent Hindman posting the third-quickest GTD qualifying run in his Acura NSX GT3.

Acura Team Penske
Montoya took his #6 Acura ARX-05 to a time of 1:34.154 around the 3.56-mile Daytona road course layout as he and season-long co-driver Dane Cameron seek to defend their 2019 Drivers’ Championship, with Simon Pagenaud again joining the driver lineup for the endurance rounds, Oliver Jarvis claimed the pole for the second consecutive year with a best lap of 1:33.711.

In the #7 Acura ARX-05, Ricky Taylor will start eighth overall after crashing in the “bus stop” chicane in the closing minutes of qualifying. Taylor was uninjured in the crash, and the Acura Team Penske crew was effecting repairs on the #7 car for Taylor and co-drivers Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi.

Trent Hindman qualified third in the GTD class in his Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Acura NSX GT3.

Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3
Trent Hindman led the way for the Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing team in the ultra-competitive GT Daytona category qualifying session, and will start his #57 Acura NSX GT3 third in class, sharing the car with co-drivers Alvaro Parente, Misha Goikhberg and A.J. Allmendinger.

In the #86 MSR Acura, Matt McMurry qualified ninth, and will share driving duties with defending series champion Mario Farnbacher, Shinya Michimi and Jules Gounon.

Television coverage of the Rolex 24 starts Saturday, at 1:30 p.m. EST on NBC, and continues on the NBC Sports Network from 2:30 – 6 p.m., and from 11 p.m. – 3 a.m. EST. Race coverage continues Sunday morning on the NBC Sports Network from 6 a.m. – 12 p.m. Coverage concludes with the final hours of the contest and finish on NBC from 12 – 2 p.m. Sunday.

Quotes
Juan Pablo Montoya (#6 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) qualified second: “I was surprised [to be second], to be honest. The lap was good, but it could’ve been a little better. I could’ve been a bit quicker through the ‘bus stop’. But I’d already had three or four laps on the tires, so that was it. For the race, we’ve done our homework. We’ve done everything we need to do. I think Simon [Pagenaud] and Dane [Cameron, co-drivers] are ready and, of course, our ultimate goal is to be there at the end [of the 24 hours].”

Trent Hindman (#86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3) qualified third in GTD: “I think we’ve got a really good race car, one that will be consistent through the length of a full stint [run between pit stops]. We knew coming into this event that our focus needs to be on the race. I think our car is phenomenal over a one-hour-long stint—even, possibly, longer if we have to. Meanwhile, to be starting up front, and hopefully, ahead of anything [bad] that might be going on during the first couple of laps is a good thing for us.”

Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.