Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins
Welcome to the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale, where Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and Acura created pivotal moments. Held at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the big news for the team was the #60 Acura ARX-06 piloted by Tom Blomqvist taking pole position amidst a tight title fight.
Acura Pole Position
The pole position gave Acura vital points in the IMSA manufacturers’ championship, shrinking the gap to two points ahead of the 10-hour Petit Le Mans endurance race. This marks the fourth pole position of the season for Acura and Acura Meyer Shank Racing’s (MSR) third Petit win in four seasons with victories in 2022 and 2023. Moreover, Blomqvist and Braun were looking for their second Petit Le Mans win as a pair. Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, and Tristan Vautier drove the other #93 ARX-06 for Acura MSR. In addition to the physical exertion from this race, the driver’s traffic management skills through the crowded class of vehicles were impressive!
“Turning up for qualifying, we weren’t too sure where we were going to stack up, to be honest,” said Tom Blomqvist, #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06. “We struggled a little bit in practice, but the team worked super hard overnight to see if there were some things we could try and improve on in the car, and the Acura really came alive.”
Georgia Racing Excitement
Located an hour north of the Atlanta airport in Braselton, GA, the 12-turn, 2.54-mile Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta hosted various activities for motorsports enthusiasts during the busy weekend. Highlights included the 2-hour Fox Factory 120 Michelin Pilot Challenge, a Fan Zone with simulated racing games, the Porsche Carrera Cup, official team merchandise for purchase, performance vehicle displays, guided tours of the grid walk, and hot pit tours. Families and aficionados traveled from all parts of the country to witness the action, many camping in their RVs. Additionally, race fans relished the thrills of the IMSA Hot Lap Experience in numerous cars, including the Integra Type S.
Acura Integra Type S Hot Lap Experience
Thrillingly, before the 2025 Motul Petit Le Mans kicked off, media and VIP guests participated in the Acura Hot Lap Experience. The Shimmering Gold-wrapped Integra Type S was pure bliss on the road course. Our pro driver and Honda engineer handled the 320-horsepower Japanese machinery proficiently and confidently.
The sports car is powered by a 2.0-liter VTEC 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that pairs with a 6-speed manual transmission featuring Rev-Match Control. Developed with racing technologies in mind, the Integra Type S sits atop the Integra range as the vanguard of the Acura sedan family. Its exterior sport appearance package, 19” Shark Gray alloy rims (NSX Type S-inspired), Michelin Pilot Sport 4S high-performance summer tires, massive two-piece front rotors, and Brembo 4-piston calipers set the tone for the vehicle’s physicality. This particular Type S is yours for $53,400.
Michelin Racing USA
As the official tire sponsor and supplier of IMSA, Michelin utilizes motorsports heroics to develop and define its rubber technologies in various vehicles, tracks, and race conditions. Motorsports is often perceived as a showcase for pure performance, but it also requires responsible innovation where sustainability is combined with sporting excellence. The tire manufacturer developed a brand-new line under the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 range. With a deep and methodical history in endurance racing, the goal is to incorporate 50% sustainable materials into these tires. Moreover, Michelin is the technical tire partner for many of the world’s elite automakers.
Honda Marine Experience
In typical fashion, HRC ensured guests participated in the open-air Honda Marine Experience to and from dinner on the eve of Petit Le Mans. The early evening was beautiful and relaxing while coasting around 40 miles an hour on the enchanting Lake Lanier in Honda’s BF-350 Pontoon Boat, which is powered by a V8 BF350 engine.
While taking in the fresh air hovering over the 38,000 acres of water, the man-made Lake Lanier is special to residents and visitors of the recreational facilities as it covers a few counties and hosts the North Georgia Mountains (Blue Ridge Mountains), which feed it with water from the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers. Whether auto racing, flying, or boating, Honda impressively has its hands in every segment of the mobility industry.
Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was the final race of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Michelin Endurance Cup. Unfortunately, the Acuras fell short as Cadillac won the Grand Touring Prototype title. Well done to all the drivers, teams, and pit crews for their dedication to the season. See you in 2026!
