After confirming its full-season driver line-up on Friday, Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian (Acura MSR) has announced its endurance drivers for the upcoming IMSA season – headlined by the return of Rolex 24 At Daytona winner AJ Allmendinger to the team.

Allmendinger will be back behind the wheel of the #60 Acura ARX-06 at this year’s Daytona 24 Hours, 13 years after he took overall honours for Michael Shank Racing alongside co-drivers John Pew, Oswaldo Negri Jnr, and Justin Wilson. Allmendinger also finished third overall in 2013 and second in GTD in 2018. His last Rolex 24 appearance came in 2021.

He’ll share the #60 Acura with full-season drivers Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun, as well as Scott Dixon, who returns to the team for Daytona, Sebring, and Petit Le Mans.

“Mike Shank is one of the most important people in my life,” said Allmendinger, who currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Kaulig Racing. “He’s one of my best friends and a brother to me. I’ve missed driving for him at the Rolex 24 and feel so fortunate to get another opportunity. The race has always been one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to get there!”

“I can’t say enough about how happy it makes me to bring AJ back to the team for his 16th Rolex 24 with MSR,” said Mike Shank, co-owner and namesake of Meyer Shank Racing. “He is the definition of a professional race car driver and can do it all behind the wheel. Not only is he a great racer, he’s also like a brother to me, and to have his energy back on the team is really exciting. It’s a huge challenge for anyone to come in and learn to drive GTP cars, but I can’t wait to get him going!”

Six-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Dixon will be making his 23rd consecutive appearance at the Rolex 24, a race that he’s won three times overall in 2006, 2015, and 2020. He was part of Acura MSR’s runner-up finish in their IMSA return at Daytona in 2025.

In the sister #93 MSR Acura, four-time and defending IndyCar Series Champion Álex Palou will return to drive alongside full-time drivers Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly at Daytona, Sebring, and Petit Le Mans. Palou, who is also the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner, finished second at last year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring, but missed Petit Le Mans due to his ongoing court case versus McLaren in the United Kingdom.

Honda factory driver Kakunoshin Ohta will return to drive the #93 Acura at Daytona and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, after making three starts with the team last year. Ohta is currently second in the Japanese Super Formula Championship standings heading into the season-ending rounds at Suzuka on 22/23 November, which is now a triple-header after the 12 October race at Fuji Speedway was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Ohta’s slightly reduced schedule in IMSA opens up the possibility of a return to the Autobacs SUPER GT Series with Honda, which is launching the new Prelude-GT in 2026. He is also expected to return to Super Formula for his fourth season.

“I am super excited about Scott, Alex, and Kaku returning to their endurance roles in 2026,” Shank said. “They’re all mega pros and now have a year of experience together alongside our amazing full-time drivers. This will go a long way in delivering Acura big results.”

Images © Meyer Shank Racing, Jack Webster / dailysportscar.com