Michael Shank, RealTime Confirmed as Acura NSX GT3 Teams

Photo: John Dagys

Acura formally announced its racing plans for the new NSX GT3 on Friday, confirming factory supported programs in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Pirelli World Challenge with Michael Shank Racing and RealTime Racing.

Both teams will campaign a pair of GT3-spec cars, with Shank debuting the mid-engined sports car in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona in the GT Daytona class and RealTime running two GT class entries in PWC.

RealTime will make the switch from the current pair of Acura TLX GTs fielded in PWC to the NSX GT3 for 2017.

Meanwhile, Shank will move from its Ligier JS P2 Honda in the WeatherTech Championship’s Prototype class to a two-car effort in GTD.

“The NSX was designed as a pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance, and we’re looking forward to proving its ultimate performance capabilities in GT3 competition,” said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development.

“By continuing our longtime partnership with RealTime Racing in the Pirelli World Challenge and extending our association with Michael Shank Racing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, we plan to build on Acura’s long tradition of success in North American sports car racing.”

Acura has a long history of success in North American sports car racing, including three IMSA Camel Lights championships from 1991-93, and the 2009 American Le Mans Series manufacturers’ title.

Driver lineups will be announced at a later date but are understood to feature a mix of new and existing Acura drivers, along with familiar faces to the Shank program.

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