IMSA Race 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona(IMSA @ Daytona) - Jan 25-28

[Matt]

Welcome to the 2018 IMSA season. Starting with the longest race of the year, a twice around the clock test of speed, reliability, and teamwork set among the unique backdrop that is Daytona International Speedway.

Gone is the PC class from the main game, with no replacement. P sees a new manufacture in DPi equipment, with Roger Penske running the factory Acura cars. Visit Florida Racing returns to their former name, Spirit of Daytona and they're in a fourth Cadillac DPi-V.R. Performance-Tech, BAR1, and CORE have made the jumps from PC and GTD into the P ranks. The #99 Red Dragon returns, this time being run out of the JDC-Miller camp, which sees them expand to two cars, the other being the #85 Banana Boat. PR1-Mathiasen returns with their Ligier. ESM is back with two Nissan DPi's, the three Cadillac teams from last year return, although the lineups have been shuffled a bit. After missing the second half of the 2017 season, Mazda is back. This time without Speedsource, as they were given the boot. Team Joest will be running and developing the cars. Yes, that Team Joest.

GTLM sees the normal cast of characters, with two full season cars entered by Corvette, Porsche, BMW, and Ford. Risi will enter a Ferarri GTE in select rounds. BMW has retired the M6 GTLM car for the new M8, which has had teething issues.

GTD sees the usual cast of characters. Michael Shank Racing has lost it's Acura backing and is now a pure privateer effort. They're running one car full season, the second if they can get funding. HART returns for the NAEC rounds with it's all volunteer crew in the #69(nice) NSX. Lexus returns with 2 cars, with the 2018 Rolex being Scott Pruett's final race professionally. WeatherTech Racing joins up with Scuderia Corsa and they will field two cars in the Rolex. Wright Motorsports moves over from Pirelli World Challenge to the IMSA series. Speaking of PWC, Magnus is also back, and they've got Andy Lally. One BMW for Tuner in Liqui-Moly colors.

Also joining the WSC stars and cars is IMSA's Continental Sports Car Challenge, who will take to the high banks for a 4 hour enduro. 31 GS cars are signed up, 5 ST, and 6 TCR cars, a new class for the series.

Those are the highlights, who will be crowned the winner after 24 grueling hours at the World Center of Racing? We will find out soon!

Rolex 24 TV Schedule(all times Eastern):
Saturday, Jan. 27
2 p.m.-5 p.m., FOX
5 p.m.-10 p.m., FS2
10 p.m.-11 p.m., FSGO
11 p.m.-1 a.m., Sunday, FS1

Sunday, Jan. 28
1 a.m.-8 a.m., FSGO
8 a.m.-10:30 a.m., FS1
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., FSGO
1 p.m.-3 p.m., FS1

Race will be streamed in full on the IMSA website for those it applies to.

Essentials:

IMSA Radio

IMSA WSC/CTSCC Spotter Guide(available Jan 23)

Entry List for WSC(50 cars)

Entry List for CTSCC(43 cars)

Event Schedule(at bottom of page)

Daytona Beach, FL Weekend Weather

Event History

Track Layout

Track Graphics c/o RacingCircuits.info

Last Years Race:
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3XyADBUCTI
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYgVlBCRs8
Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chc87WAJWt4

I'm heading down Thursday AM.