Tom Blomqvist led a dominant 1-2 finish for Meyer Shank Racing Acura during the first and only practice session for Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025.
The 90-minute session at the iconic Daytona International Speedway was held in cloudy conditions and crucial for teams to fine-tune their setups ahead of the qualifying rounds scheduled later in the day.
Tom Blomqvist showcased the prowess of the Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 by clocking an impressive lap time of 1:34.576 placing him at the top of the time charts during the first and only practice session for the Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025.
Meanwhile, Blomqvist’s teammate Nick Yelloly finished closely behind in second place aboard the sister No. 93 Acura with a time just 0.176 seconds off the time benchmark.
The remarkable performance marked a huge achievement for MSR as they returned to IMSA competition with two entries after one-year absence and reinforced their status as serious contenders for the Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025.
As the practice unfolded, several other teams also made notable strides. Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde from Team RLL pushed their BMW M Hybrid V8s to third and fourth positions respectively, demonstrating that BMW had made significant improvements since last season.
Defending GTP champion Felipe Nasr, piloting the No. 7 Penske Porsche 963, rounded out the top five, showcasing competitive times that suggest a tightly contested race is on the horizon.
In the LMP2 category, Mikkel Jensen set a blistering pace in the No. 11 TDS Racing Oreca 07 Gibson, leading the class ahead of Malthe Jakobsen’s CrowdStrike Racing entry and Rasmus Lindh’s United Autosports Oreca.
Meanwhile, Franck Perera emerged as the fastest driver in GTD with a lap time of 1:47.321 in his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, edging out Andrea Caldarelli from Pfaff Motorsports and Mike Rockenfeller’s Multimatic Ford Mustang GT3.
The only practice for Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 was not without its challenges; a red flag was brought out due to debris on track caused by a flat tire on Tristan Vautier’s Proton Competition Porsche.
Despite the minor interruption, teams used the available track time effectively to gather data and prepare for qualifying.
The atmosphere at Daytona International Speedway was electric as teams and drivers prepared for what promises to be an exhilarating Rolex 24 race weekend.
With a total of 61 cars entered across various categories—including Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro), and GT Daytona (GTD)—the competition is set to be fierce.
The return of Meyer Shank Racing Acura to IMSA is particularly noteworthy given their history of success in this event. The team clinched back-to-back victories in the Rolex 24 in 2022 and 2023 but faced challenges that led them to miss last year’s season opener due to a tire pressure manipulation scandal.
Their comeback with two Acura entries has generated excitement among fans and competitors alike. The driver lineup for MSR is formidable; Blomqvist and Colin Braun lead the No. 60 Acura ARX-06, while Yelloly is joined by Renger van der Zande, Álex Palou, and Kaku Ohta in the No. 93 car.
This combination of experienced drivers brings both speed and strategic depth to their efforts at Daytona.
As teams prepare for qualifying later today, all eyes will be on how these performances translate into success at Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025.
The balance of performance adjustments that IMSA implements can significantly impact race strategies and outcomes, making every practice session critical for teams looking to gain an edge.
Qualifying is set to get underway at 2:10 p.m. ET with live coverage on Peacock, IMSA.tv and IMSA Radio.
