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The all-women Acura NSX team previews a way forward for racing

DAYTONA, Fla. — There is a team at the 24 Hours of Daytona that's just like any other team, with experienced drivers who rightly earned their spot in the top endurance racing series in America. They are prepared to run a full season in a competitive car, and they even set the fastest time in their class at the pre-season Roar Before the 24 test. The only difference between this team and any other is that its drivers happen to be women. We went to Daytona to talk to them about their journey to the race. The No. 57 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo team features a roster of talented, experienced drivers: Katherine Legge, Simona de Silvestro, Bia Figueiredo and Christina Nielsen. While there have been four other all-women lineups at Daytona before, the No. 57 team is the first to be considered truly competitive. Team founder Jackie Heinricher, a biotech CEO who has raced in Ferrari Challenge, Global Rallycross Lites and Lamborghini Super Trofeo, was coached by Legge. Two years ago, she had the idea to run a car full of women – and not just a token effort, but rather a car full of drivers who could win. "The car does not know your gender, and I feel as if this sort of professional effort legitimizes that in a way that's particularly important and inspirational outside of racing," Heinricher told Autoblog. Heinricher had seen Legge struggle to get the right funding for rides before, so she didn't want to limit this team to whoever could pay. So, she first lined up the funding, thanks largely to support from primary sponsor Caterpillar. It took awhile, though, as many companies simply told her that they were out of racing sponsorships entirely. "I think perseverance might be the most underrated human quality," Heinricher said. "I just didn't give up." After funding was in place, she found a competitive partner in the Meyer Shank Racing crew, whose owner Michael Shank has run a pair of factory-backed Acura NSX GT3s in IMSA's GTD class since 2017. The GT3 shares an engine and turbo with the road-going NSX but ditches the hybrid system, making it about 670 pounds lighter. The No. 57 car is an EVO variant, which Legge helped develop, and it features improved aerodynamics to better suit it to the mix of pro and amateur drivers who take shifts racing in the GTD class. Legge had been on Shank's NSX team for the past two years as well, so Heinricher reached out to her for help assembling women who truly had the ability to win.

Acura TLX Type S PMC Edition reservations open tomorrow

The good news: If you decided you must have the 2023 Acura TLX Type S PMC Edition, Acura would like you to know the reservation system opens tomorrow at 1 p.m. Eastern time, 10 a.m. Pacific time. The not-exactly-good news: Acura doesn't yet want you to know the price. All the automaker would say about MSRP is that it's "expected to be in the low-to-mid $60K range." That doesn't strike us as an unreasonable premium in relation to the standard sedan's $55,000 starting price, when the PMC Edition is built like an NSX, comes in NSX colors and exclusive color combos, and is limited to 300 units. We have to admit, however, that the times we live in have warped all our reference points. Now for the bad news: Acura is releasing the run one color at a time, so today's reservations will only be for the 100 units of the Curva Red special model. Another 100 examples in 130R White can be reserved at an unknown time on November 9, the final 100 in Long Beach Blue can be reserved on December 8. In an age when mass-market makers can't build enough vehicles and buyers are paying 5% or more over sticker for a Honda or a Hyundai, we can already imagine the carnage headed to the Acura website when the horde moves in to fight for 100 spots. If you want this car and you have a lamp, now's the time to start rubbing the lamp.  All PMC Edition cars get a Berlina Black (also an NSX shade) painted roof, antenna, and door handles, the quad exhaust finished in black chrome instead of the bright chrome that comes standard. You get the same Y-spoke 20-inch wheels as the regular Type S, finished in a new copper paint. There's a carbon fiber lip spoiler in front, a carbon fiber decklid spoiler, a rear diffuser in the same weave, alongside glossy black side sill garnish and model badging.  Inside, carbon fiber trim keeps the cabin on brand, accessorized with illuminated side sills, unique Type S-badged floor mats with color-matched edging, and serialized plaques on the center console. The Curva Red sedan gets an Ebony black interior with red stitching. Long Beach Blue cars get an Orchid (cream) interior with blue stitching. The 130R White cars will get a red interior. Occupants recline in Milano leather seats with Ultrasuede inserts, driver and passenger able to adjust them 16 ways.  Similar to other Acura PMC cars, this one is put through the same quality control checks as the NSX, including a dyno check, rough road simulation, and paint inspection.

Acura, Penske reveal ARX-05 prototype racecar

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. — Acura pulled the cover off its striking Daytona prototype, called the ARX-05, as part of a new partnership with one of racing's most legendary names, Roger Penske. The racecar debuted Friday at The Quail, a vintage car show held during the week of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Acura and Team Penske will campaign two cars next season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship, starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January. ARX is short for Acura Racing eXperimental, generation five. The car will run a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine that's based on the J35 series six-cylinder used throughout Acura's lineup. The body, designed by Acura global creative director Dave Marek's team, uses design cues from the company's road cars, including similar headlights. The chassis is based on the Oreca 07 setup. "We're already testing, and things are looking pretty good," said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development and Acura Motorsports. Acura has raced endurance cars since 1991, finding success in IMSA and the former American Le Mans series. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron will drive one of the cars, while the other team to be announced later. Acura will face off against Nissan, Cadillac, Mazda, Oreca, Dallara and Multimatic Riley in the IMSA prototype field. The venture marks a return to sports-car competition for Penske, whose organization ran a Chevy Corvette in its first race at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona and then operated victorious ALMS programs into the 2000s. Penske sees racing as a way to raise the image of Acura, whose cars he sells at his dealerships, Penske Automotive Group. "We want to take this brand to the next level," he said. "It's [racing] a core part of our brand and it's one of the ways we are validating our performance," said Acura vice president and general manager Jon Ikeda. After The Quail, the ZRX-05 is scheduled to appear at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and in a featured area for concept and racing cars on the lawn at the Concours. Related Video: Featured Gallery Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype Reveal View 11 Photos Related Gallery Acura ARX-05 race car View 12 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Motorsports Acura Racing Vehicles Pebble Beach daytona prototype