Forget Football, It's Rolex 24 At Daytona Time, Baby

Final preparations are underway for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The marquee 24-hour race on the speedway’s high banks isn’t just the season-opener for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship; it’s also the first major event on the 2024 North American racing calendar. The late January slot allows plenty of current and former stars from Formula 1 and IndyCar to try their hand at sports car racing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, amateur racers are given a massive platform to show off their skills. If you’re looking for a good reason to tune in, you’re in luck: There are plenty.

IMSA GTP’s Sophomore Season

The second campaign for the new sports prototype category began in triumphant fashion last weekend when all nine GTP cars that took part in Rolex 24 qualifying broke the track record. Pipo Derani in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R won pole with a time of 1 minute, 32.656 seconds, beating the previous record by an entire second.

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Miata Mayhem

The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup might have the slowest car to take the Daytona road course all weekend, but it will likely provide the wildest racing. The MX-5s typically pack race around the massive track, hip-checking each other for position as the laps tick down. The support series races often in incredible photo finishes with multiple Miatas side-by-side across the finish line. It’s the ultimate appetizer before the 24-hour all-star race buffet.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona starts on January 27 at 1:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock.

The Whelen Mazda MX-5 is free to watch on IMSA.tv, with Race 1 on January 25 at 4:15 p.m. and Race 2 on January 26 at 10:15 a.m.

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