Both entries from Acura Team Penske encountered mechanical problems within minutes of each other in the second half of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. And, unfortunately for the Roger Penske led outfit, both issues were terminal, and the Nos. 6 and 7 ARX-05s have been retired from the race.
The No. 7 machine was the first to hit problems, with Ricky Taylor coasting to a dead stop on track after the car appeared to lose power, with Taylor later detailed it lost oil pressure. A full-course caution was flown to tow the car back into the pits, where the team began tending to it.
However, a short time later, the problems were deemed terminal and the car officially retired.
Not the day that @Team_Penske wanted as the No.7 gets rolled back into the paddock. Their #Sebring12 is done. pic.twitter.com/rZSuNAblu5
— #IMSA (@IMSA) March 17, 2018
Not long after, the sister No. 6 Acura, in the hands of Juan Montoya, appeared to have a similar issue, stopping on track following a loss of power.
Like the earlier problem with the No. 7, a caution was flown as the No. 6 was towed back to the pits. It was then taken back to the garage, where the team confirmed it too would be retired.
It’s with sad news that we report both the No. 6 and No. 7 Acuras have retired from the #Sebring12
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) March 17, 2018
The problems with the No. 6 came just after Montoya had contact with the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R of Tristan Vautier, which saw Montoya spin out of fourth place, though it is currently unknown if the mechanical issue is related to the contact.