RealTime Plotting NSX GT3 Evo Return for 2020

RealTime Racing is currently evaluating its options for next year with a Blancpain GT World Challenge America return on the cards, according to team owner Peter Cunningham.

The Wisconsin-based outfit returned to the top class of World Challenge competition this year with an Acura NSX GT3 Evo after switching its efforts to a touring car program in 2018.

Its Pro-Am entry this year has been driven by Dane Cameron, who was partnered with Bret Curtis for rounds two and three and Mike Hedlund for the following four events.

Ahead of this weekend’s Las Vegas season finale, Cunningham told Sportscar365 that the long-time Honda/Acura entrant will return with the NSX GT3 Evo in some form in 2020.

“We don’t know much about 2020 just yet, but we would certainly intend to continue with the GT3 program,” he said.

“There are other things that we might do as well, but it’s kind of silly season right now. We need to see what’s going to happen.

“[Blancpain GT America] is a series we’ve been involved with for a long time and I’ve personally been involved in this series since the beginning when it was under a different name.

“But I’ve run plenty in IMSA and we’ve enjoyed that as well. We just don’t exactly know where we’re going to end up right now.

“Acura has got pretty good coverage now already [in IMSA] so I’m not sure that we need to pursue that.

“We like the SRO format with the 90-minute races and having two drivers. But the possibilities are there to do a number of different things.”

Cunningham suggested that RealTime’s IMSA involvement could be in the form of a TCR program in the Michelin Pilot Challenge.

A delegation of RealTime staff, including team manager Nathan Bonneau, attended last weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans.

“I think it’s not impossible that we would have a touring car program as well,” Cunningham said.

“Nothing is off the table, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that it would be an Acura or Honda product.

“We would also look at either series [TC America or IMSA] to run a touring-style program.

“It’s certainly more expensive to run in the Michelin series because of the duration fo the races, with more tires, fuel and crew guys needed. But we can get bigger or smaller, depending on the program.”

2019 a “Great Season” for RealTime

Cunningham added that he was satisfied with the team’s first season with the Acura NSX GT3 Evo, despite a late start and a mid-season driver lineup change.

Heading into the Las Vegas finale, the team scored six class victories including four consecutive through the Watkins Glen and Road America rounds, including overall honors in Race 2 at the team’s home track.

This put RealTime second in the Pro-Am teams’ standings, two points behind Racers Edge Motorsports, and fifth in the overall rankings.

“We missed the opening round and then missed out on [Pro-Am points in] the second race at CTMP when we had to run Pro-Pro, but we’ve been on a bit of a tear since then,” said Cunningham.

“The RealTime guys are doing a great job. But really, Mike Hedlund and Dane Cameron deserve credit for their part of it.

“It’s been a great season for us. It’s taken 26 years, but we have 100 wins now. We’ve been here a long time and we’ve had some pretty good years, and I think this was one of them.”