54th Rolex 24 At Daytona: New Cars, New Look, New Weekend In 2016

By:
On:
In: Racing News

A new era for GT class racing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will debut alongside a new state-of-the-art motorsports stadium at Daytona International Speedway, adding to the excitement and fan experience of the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona scheduled for Jan. 30-31, 2016.

 

Beginning with the 2016 Rolex 24, the TUDOR Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) class will compete under the new GTE specifications established by the ACO, while the GT Daytona (GTD) class will welcome full FIA GT3 specifications for all of its cars. The adoption of new GT class specifications is expected to increase all GT cars’ performance and attract more manufacturer and team involvement while maintaining the close competition associated with the TUDOR Championship.

 

Meanwhile, DAYTONA Rising, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the Rolex 24, is a $400 million redevelopment project of Daytona International Speedway. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch and provides a fantastic view of the track’s infield road course. When completed, Daytona International Speedway will be the world’s first true “stadium” motorsports venue featuring all of the amenities found in modern sports stadiums along with unprecedented connectivity and breathtaking views of the entire facility.

 

“The debut of new cars in the GTLM and GTD classes, along with the first event in Daytona International Speedway’s motorsports stadium, will add even more anticipation for one of the most prestigious events on the international motorsports calendar,” said IMSA President Scott Atherton. “The Rolex 24 At Daytona is more than a race, it’s an event where fans can enjoy world-class sports car competition and witness the latest and greatest from some of the most prestigious high performance car manufacturers in the world. New GT cars and the addition of a completed DAYTONA Rising project will make next year’s Rolex 24 a must-see spectacle.”

 

The Rolex 24 also will kick off the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup. The Patrón Endurance Cup is a four-race competition encompassing 52 hours of endurance racing in the TUDOR Championship and includes the Rolex 24, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida at Sebring International Raceway, Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, and closes with the 10-hour Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta.

 

Testing dates for the Rolex 24 also have been finalized. The Roar Before the Rolex 24, a three-day test in preparation for the Rolex 24, will be held Jan. 8-10.

 

The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge’s BMW Performance 200 is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 29.

Adam Sinclair
Latest posts by Adam Sinclair (see all)
Post Views: 51