Braun Keeps MSR Acura on Top in Session 3 at Daytona

Photo: Brandon Badraoui/IMSA

Colin Braun kept Meyer Shank Racing on top of the time sheets in IMSA-sanctioned testing at Daytona International Speedway by going quickest in the third session of the weekend.

Braun, in the No. 60 Acura ARX-06, reeled off a chart-topping 1:36.231 lap time in the three-and-a-half hour long session to outpace the No. 85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche 963 of Bryce Aron by 0.310 seconds, in what’s been a continued impressive run by the Minnesota-based privateer team.

The pair of Team WRT-run BMW M Hybrid V8s showed improved form after Friday’s first running, with the two factory GTP entries ending Saturday’s first session third and fourth quickest in the hands of Dries Vanthoor and Philipp Eng.

The No. 7 Penske Porsche 963, meanwhile, completed the top-five with Felipe Nasr.

All 11 GTP cars turned laps in the session, including the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Valkyrie, which was sidelined on Friday with electrical issues.

LMP2 was led by the No. 73 Pratt Miller Motorsports Oreca 07 Gibson of Pietro Fittipaldi, while the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo and Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entries from Magnus Racing (GTD) and Winward Racing (GTD Pro) paced the production-based classes, respectively, in their first running of the weekend.

While Spencer Pumpelly put the Magnus Aston atop the time charts, the No. 44 Aston stopped on course in Turn 6 in the hands of team owner/driver John Potter to bring out the session’s only red flag. The car later rejoined the testing action after changing the alternator.

The No. 28 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Jan Heylen was third quickest amongst the GT runners, with the 75 Express Mercedes-AMG fourth in the hands of Mikael Grenier, edging out two-time and defending GTD champions Winward, which made it three Mercedes-AMGs in the top five with Russell Ward at the wheel.

The second test session of the day is scheduled to run from 1:30-6 p.m., prior to a two-hour night session that begins at 7 p.m. (all times ET).

RESULTS: Test Session 3

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John