Meyer Shank Racing Acura has inherited Rolex 24 pole position in a stunning turn of events after IMSA officials handed No. 31 Action Express Cadillac penalty for failing post-qualifying technical inspection.
The car, driven by Jack Aitken to pole-winning lap time of 1:33.939— the only GTP entry to dip below 1:34— was found to have excessive wear on its rear skid block, prompting stewards to relegate it to the back of the 11-car GTP field.
This violation, which suggests the car was set up aggressively low to maximize aerodynamic performance, hands the pole to Renger van der Zande’s No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06, with the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac driven by Jordan Taylor joining the front row.
The Action Express Cadillac penalty not only reshuffles the GTP starting grid but also underscores the stringent technical scrutiny that defines endurance racing at this level, where even fractions of a second can come at a high cost.
Beyond GTP, penalties rippled through GTD Pro, where Paul Miller Racing’s No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 Evo—Neil Verhagen, Connor de Phillippi, Maximilian Hesse, David Harper—was demoted from second to the class rear for chassis camber non-compliance, violating alignment specs.
The No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller—Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Maximilian Kirchhöfer—remains undisputed in class pole, with the No. 59 RLL McLaren now jumping to second.
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