Roar Suggests Porsche On Target For Daytona Victory

The Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class arrived at Daytona with one clear question: could anyone stop the Porsche 963? Based on the Roar results, the answer is “not yet.” Porsche Penske Motorsport’s quest for a third consecutive Rolex 24 victory began in dominant fashion, as Felipe Nasr set the weekend’s benchmark in the opening session with a 1:36.327 in the #7 Porsche. This time remained unbeaten through all seven sessions, proving that the 963 is exceptionally “dialed in” for the Florida banks. The depth of the Porsche stable was further highlighted by the customer #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports car, where 21-year-old Nico Pino stunned the paddock by clocking a time just 0.004s slower than Nasr’s factory effort.

While Porsche swept four of the six all-class sessions, the chasing pack is hardly out of contention. Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing showed significant race pace, with Filipe Albuquerque topping Session 4 (1:36.731). The Cadillac V-Series.R remains the most agile car in the infield, though it appears to concede a slight top-speed advantage to the Porsches on the banking. BMW also enjoyed a productive test; the #24 WRT-run Hybrid V8 topped Friday’s afternoon session, signaling that the Belgian squad has adapted quickly to IMSA competition. The biggest concern remains with the Acura Meyer Shank Racing entries and the debutant Aston Martin Valkyrie. Both Acuras spent significant time in the garage with technical gremlins, while the Valkyrie rounded out the GTP timesheets, ending the weekend 1.2s off the ultimate pace after an engine change sidelined it during crucial Saturday running.

LMP2: TDS Racing Leads a Tight Field

The LMP2 category remains as volatile and competitive as ever, with the ORECA 07-Gibson remaining the weapon of choice. TDS Racing emerged as the statistical leaders of the Roar, with Charles Milesi posting a blistering 1:38.935 in the very first session. Much like the GTP class, the fastest times of the weekend were set in the cool Friday morning air, with Milesi’s flyer standing as the overall class benchmark. The #11 crew showed consistent speed throughout the weekend, often appearing at the sharp end of the timing screens regardless of track temperature.

However, the session rankings were somewhat skewed by an extended penalty for three of the class favorites. Tower Motorsports, Era Motorsport, and Pratt Miller Motorsports were all forced to sit out a full hour of session time due to administrative and technical infractions, significantly limiting their data-gathering during the critical Saturday sessions. Despite the lost time, Ben Hanley in the #2 United Autosports entry proved to be the most consistent challenger to TDS, topping the Friday afternoon run. The weekend concluded with a rain-affected “Bronze-only” session, where PJ Hyett set the pace in the #99 AO Racing “Spike” Oreca before a late spin caused a red flag. Despite the incident, AO Racing looks like a serious contender for the Rolex, demonstrating that they have the “pro-level” speed required to anchor a win.

GTD PRO: The Power of the Star

The GTD PRO class was dominated by a singular narrative: the incredible transition of IndyCar champion Will Power to sports car racing. Driving the #75 SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, Power was the revelation of the weekend. He topped the class in several sessions, including a standout 1:47.530 on Sunday morning. His ability to extract immediate pace from the Mercedes-AMG has moved the #75 car from “dark horse” to “firm favorite” in a matter of 48 hours. The Mercedes platform looks particularly strong in the high-downforce sections of the infield, which bodes well for the multi-class traffic management required during the race.

The competition in GTD PRO is arguably the most diverse in the paddock. The #9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini and the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes traded times at the top, while the new Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo showed flashes of brilliance. Davide Rigon placed the Risi Competizione Ferrari as high as fourth on Saturday, suggesting that the “Prancing Horse” has the longevity, if not the outright “qualifying” pace, to challenge for the win. Meanwhile, the Ford Mustang GT3 program seems to have resolved the reliability issues of 2025, with both factory-supported cars running consistent, trouble-free laps throughout the Roar. The class is incredibly balanced, and with 15 entries, the GTD PRO battle is shaping up to be a 24-hour sprint.

GTD: Mustang and Aston Martin Trade Blows

In the GTD class, the “pro-am” battle proved that “amateur” does not mean “slow.” In fact, the overall fastest GT lap of the weekend was set by a GTD entry rather than a PRO one. Spencer Pumpelly in the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO clocked a 1:47.304 on Friday morning, a time that stood as the GT benchmark for the remainder of the test. The Aston Martin Vantage looks exceptionally stable on the bumps of Daytona, giving the Magnus squad a high degree of confidence heading into race week.

Challenging the Aston Martin was a resurgence of American muscle. The #66 Gradient Racing Ford Mustang and the #16 Myers Riley Mustang were consistently in the top three. Joey Hand topped the class in the final all-class session on Sunday, proving the Mustang’s strength in varying conditions. The class also saw strong performances from the Ferrari contingent, with Brendan Iribe leading the final Bronze-only session in the #70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. With 21 cars on the grid, GTD is the largest class in the field, and the Roar times suggest that as many as ten different cars are within three-tenths of the lead pace. For the fans, this class will likely provide the most frequent lead changes and the most intense door-to-door action of the Rolex 24.