2023 Daytona IMSA Winter Test

[Nick Woodbury]

Hey all, figured I'd start a small thread to funnel some of the discussion about the upcoming test at Daytona which will go on for about 4 days starting on Wednesday and ending on Saturday. Hopefully there will be some reports from the usual folks at RACER and S365, DSC, etc. Some posts have already been made on separate threads so forgive me for repeating some of that here.


One of the biggest points of intrigue for this year's winter test is the U.S. debut of the SC63 LMDh from Lamborghini!
https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/l...-daytona-test/

Continued Reading - https://www.imsa.com/news/2023/09/29...december-test/

Official IMSA Schedule
https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...EST-112923.pdf


Entry List/Paddock Assingments
https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...s-12.01-V3.pdf


Looking forward to this as always. Nothing like a little offseason motorsport to wet the appetite for next year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFR9K7clXcU

[Nick Woodbury]

First pictures of unloading from the test thanks to S365!

https://sportscar365.com/photography...aytona-test-2/

[joeb]

And notes from today

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/d...y-notebook-11/

Lots of good info, like Brad Kettler has been picked up to head the Lambo US effort

[broadrun96]

Creech bringing in a Sneaky Silver, FIA Formula 3 race-winner Jonny Edgar to get time in the car.


And this tidbit for post test:

'A number of cars are set to return or take to Daytona for a private test, hosted by Riley, on Dec. 16-17. Riley’s LMP2 car and both Kellymoss with Riley Porsches will be present alongside JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Porsche 963, AO Racing’s entries, Ford Multimatic Motorsports’ Ford Mustang GT3s as well as LMP2 cars from United Autosports and Sean Creech Motorsport.'

That means Riley(Multimatic), Oreca and Ligier LMP2s will all be on track together at once. Been a bit for that other than in DPi form.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Creech bringing in a Sneaky Silver, FIA Formula 3 race-winner Jonny Edgar to get time in the car.


And this tidbit for post test:

'A number of cars are set to return or take to Daytona for a private test, hosted by Riley, on Dec. 16-17. Riley’s LMP2 car and both Kellymoss with Riley Porsches will be present alongside JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Porsche 963, AO Racing’s entries, Ford Multimatic Motorsports’ Ford Mustang GT3s as well as LMP2 cars from United Autosports and Sean Creech Motorsport.'

That means Riley(Multimatic), Oreca and Ligier LMP2s will all be on track together at once. Been a bit for that other than in DPi form.

Riley, the team, is running an Oreca in P2 this year.

[broadrun96]

D'oh

I've actually seen the Riley LMP2, think it said Riley on entry with small Multimatic on the car, and LMP3 on track together at the same time, the P3 made me ill. Can't remember if it was HSR or SVRA

[Coach Ep]

The updated Aston looks more similar to their grand predecessors:


more pics: https://sportscar365.com/photography...jwddDtOJXNrq5M

[broadrun96]

I'm torn, it looks more race car but less like the street car

[Nick Woodbury]

Man, the front is giving me big a throwback vibes to the DBR9s!

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Man, the front is giving me big a throwback vibes to the DBR9s!

Beautiful I love it!!!

[hondafan37]

Caldarelli Quickest in “Very Positive” First Daytona Run

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/c...t-daytona-run/

[Nick Woodbury]

Lanky Turtle, the hero that he is, has captured some footage of the Lambo testing!

-> https://youtu.be/AQr-yFH8BPk?si=83Wx5IDhlANJe3K9

In even BETTER news, it has been confirmed that RSL/IMSA Radio will return with Hindy, Jeremy Shaw & Shea Adam for 2024! No announcement for additional years, but I'm relieved above all else that they are back for atleast 1 more year.

[broadrun96]

And the cinder blocks and inserts for the air intakes will be coming Lamborghini's way given the pace. But far better for the car to be faster and then slow it than try to BOP a second in to the car.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by hondafan37

Caldarelli Quickest in “Very Positive” First Daytona Run

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/c...t-daytona-run/

That has to have the team feeling positive heading in to 2024.

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Lanky Turtle, the hero that he is, has captured some footage of the Lambo testing!

-> https://youtu.be/AQr-yFH8BPk?si=83Wx5IDhlANJe3K9

In even BETTER news, it has been confirmed that RSL/IMSA Radio will return with Hindy, Jeremy Shaw & Shea Adam for 2024! No announcement for additional years, but I'm relieved above all else that they are back for atleast 1 more year.

Great news to have the IMSA radio team back!

[Coach Ep]

The brake lights on the Lambo are awesome, like horizontal Ys!

Also, the #10 went off at T3, putting itself in the tirewall, about halfway through the morning session. Minor damage but hasn't been back out since.

[kartman24]

Any timing or times available to see who is doing what?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by kartman24

Any timing or times available to see who is doing what?

I didn't think so, but there were times listed in some of the post test press releases yesterday

[Nick Woodbury]

Looks like Daytona paved runoff up to the bus stop now according to a recent IMSA Facebook video...

[broadrun96]

From the Pratt Miller FB page



Like the duckie with the beret but needing a drill at the test? Guess it's better than a hammer

[Coach Ep]

Substantial off for P2 #11 @ T5 in the afternoon, hauled away on a flatbed with rear damage. No 10 this afternoon and limited running by #40. By far the fewest laps for the Acuras if all GTP runners.

Night practice to go, it'll be chilly!

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Looks like Daytona paved runoff up to the bus stop now according to a recent IMSA Facebook video...

Likely in reaction to the Preece wreck in the late race last summer

[Adam43]

I don’t think the timing is released from the test. All the pre test documentation is available, but not the timing data. Anyone know different?

[broadrun96]

Saw some times on S365 but not sure where Dagys pulled them from, official T&S or team data but can't imagine teams would give out times unless they had to.

1:35.027 for the Lamborghini on Day 1 in his article, 4 tenths ahead of GTP field

1:35.317 for 01 later, 1:46.111 for PMR M4 to lead the field, 46.353 for Vette and 46.618 for Mustang but I didn't see a T&S sheet on the articles

And I think anything from Saturday would be pointless as they were running programs for IMSA and I'm guessing BoP parameter testing and data

[Adam43]

Thanks.

Most of the test is probably pointless. Who knows what they were running.

I was interested in how many laps everyone did. If anyone did any long runs?

Of limited use for the fan at home, but interesting.

You don’t get speed trap data from IMSA it is only a WEC thing.

I’d love to know how the Saturday is run. What they do. I guess some systems tests. Calibrations. I wonder if they vary power and weight to try and get an idea what it does.

[Coach Ep]

GTP top speed on Thursday reported to be 199.7 mph by one of the BMW's if I'm not mistaken.

And just from visual observation, it seemed the Porsches in GTP ran the most laps, followed by Cadillac. The BMW's were slow to come out in the morning but ran a bunch the remainder of the day. The Acuras by far ran the fewest laps, didn't see the #10 at all after it's little incident early on and the #40 didn't come back out until later in the afternoon.

Going by the amount of laps some were doing, I reckon, quite a few longer runs were performed. Noticeably, the #33 P2 car ran out of fuel towards the end of the afternoon session.

All from Thursday (as it was the only day I was there).