Asian Customer Program for Acura ARX-06 “Highly Possible”

Photo: Brandon Badraoui/IMSA

There’s a “highly possible” chance of the Acura ARX-06 continuing to race, but in the Asian Le Mans Series according to Honda Racing Corporation USA President David Salters, who confirmed ongoing talks with multiple customers.

The American motorsports arm of Honda announced last month the ‘pausing’ of its factory IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP program at the end of the year, with Salters citing the spiraling costs, particularly in Evo joker allowances within the formula.

While remaining open to providing the ORECA-chassied LMDh-based prototype to customers, Salters said the escalated costs in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and WeatherTech Championship leaves only one option in the Asian Le Mans Series.

“If a customer can fully fund it, we’re open for that,” he told reporters Friday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “Within the costs of GTP, I don’t believe that’s possible in a WEC or in IMSA.

“It’s highly possible in ALMS (Asian Le Mans Series). We’re open to offers there.

“We love this car. It’s our car, with ORECA, [we’ve done] a brilliant job. It looks cool, it sounds cool. It makes weird noises.

“Some of the traction control [learnings] has come back into Honda and Acura. The system is self-aware. That’s where the learnings come from.

“We love the thing. It would be nice to see it here but it all has to balance out.”

The upcoming season of Asian LMS is set to include a Hypercar class for the first time, which will see a FIA Bronze-driver mandate in each top-class entry.

Several series regulars, including Algarve Pro Racing and Inter Europol Competition, are understood to be exploring possibilities with LMDh manufacturers.

Salters said a potential Asian LMS program would have to be “fully funded” by the customer.

“I could only imagine that happening in one place at the moment,” he said in reference to the ACO/SRO-run championship, which runs to a winter schedule.

When asked by Sportscar365 if he’s been in dialogue with teams for a program, Salters said: “We’ve got inquiries, some really quite interesting inquiries. We’ll see what will happen.”

When pressed further on how many cars they could support, Salters said he’s “not sure at the moment.”

Salters, however, confirmed the support would come from HRC US and not HRC in Japan, with the California-based organization having been the brainchild behind the LMDh program, which debuted in 2023.

He also said he would expect the car to keep Acura badging if a customer program could be put together.

“I don’t like speculating but it could carry on racing as Acura,” he said. “I don’t see why not. Let’s see if we get that far.”

Series organizers have yet to confirm a calendar for the 2026-27 season, amid the current situation in the Middle East.

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