IMSA: Legge, MSR pleased with Acura test progress

The GT Daytona class had the biggest turnout at this week's two-day IMSA test at Daytona International Speedway. There were 10 GTD cars on hand, including the new No. 86 Acura NSX from Michael Shank Racing, co-driven by Katherine Legge and a former Rolex 24 champion, Ozz Negri, who co-drove a Shank-owned prototype to victory here in 2012.

Former IndyCar Series regular Legge has in recent years had driven the DeltaWing prototype in IMSA competition. Now she's joined Andy Lally and Jeff Segal in the team's second NSX entry. Lally has four (2001, '10, '12, '16) class victories in the Rolex 24; Segal was a GTD winner in the 2014 Rolex 24.

"The test has gone really well," Legge said Wednesday. "It's still early stages in the [team's] development and we're looking at the Roar and the Rolex 24 looming over us and scrambling trying to do as much as possible in the time given. Everybody is multitasking doing a million things at once. We're trying different things on each car and we're making gains in both driveability and speed. It's been very positive."

“The key word is progress,” said team owner Mike Shank. “We made progress in almost every area of the car, even more than I thought we would. This car is new from the bottom up. Every system that we knew we had issues with, we made big gains with and that’s exactly what I would hope.

"We are setting ourselves up to be competitive for the Rolex 24. And that’s all we can ask for. It’s just been super positive and everything is going in the right direction, everyone has the right attitude, everyone knows we have a lot of work to do but everyone is doing their part. From the crew, to the engineers to the drivers, just everybody.”