Testing: Daytona
MLT Motorsports starts testing for their 2023 campaigns, running at Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona Beach, FL- The 12-hour test day, from 10am to 10pm gave the team ample opportunity to test in multiple conditions, including valuable night practice.
Josh Sarchet was back in saddle for the team and took right back to the MLT run Ligier:
“It was great to be back in the car after a few months away. The MLT crew had our Ligier P320 on the pace straight away, so we worked on the developing the Daytona setup even further. With 11 hours of green flag running, we collected a lot of data to work with over the winter break.” -Josh Sarchet
Josh knows the car around Daytona, so having him evaluate the new setup work was invaluable along with Driver Development Director Andrew (Pinky) Pinkerton sharing testing duties. Significantly, as the team looks to expand and MLT grows its base, having ‘Pinky’ driving the LMP3 in testing adds a valuable dimension to the group. Part of MLT’s goals is to grow talent and provide a solid platform for drivers to build their experience; and that is only one of Pinky’s multiple roles with the team.
Logging around 400 miles of running the team used this test to gather data on aero and tire conditioning. Team Manager, EVB, was more than satisfied with the results. “We achieved what we set out to do in our normal efficient and steady approach. It was extremely useful to be testing so soon after the end of the season. Its shows MLT’s commitment to 2023.”
Tom Brown, the team's Engineer thought both drivers “…gave us exactly what we needed. We made significant gains through the day, gathering data for the team and its partners as we work on our off season testing and preparing for the 2023 season.”
Andrew Pinkerton (Pinky) had this to say on driving and the test in general, “Getting behind the wheel was hugely valuable for helping our drivers next season, as I can now relate to some of the more subtle sensations of our setups. Running at Daytona was great to experience the car trimmed out fully and where the edge is between low, medium, and high-speed corners. I am looking forward to getting further into preparations for 2023 in the coming months.”
About MLT Motorsports:
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Mike Thompson, MLT Motorsports has established itself as a premier team amongst the IMSA paddock in the LMP3 category. Based near Road Atlanta the team has easy access to some of the best road courses in the country and importantly Florida, where the sportscar racing world kicks off every winter at Daytona and Sebring. Constant investment and maintenance have seen the team arrive to each race weekend with top-notch race cars and state-of the art equipment.
Early success can be attributed to the hard work and experience the team possesses as the first win came on their second start at Mid-Ohio in 2019. During the 2021 season MLT finished off the podium only once on the way to a double championship win; earning the IMSA Prototype Challenge Team’s and Driver’s Championship with drivers Dakota Dickerson and Josh Sarchet. Parlaying the success of 2021 Championship MLT made its IMSA Weathertech Championship debut at Mid-Ohio in May of 2022 joining the ranks of the best sportscar teams in the world.
For inquiries on testing and race programs email us at: info@mltmotorsports.com