#31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi, DPi: Filipe Albuquerque, Pipo Derani, Mike Conway, Felipe Nasr

NASCAR Cup Series Champion Elliott Joins Whelen Engineering Cadillac Lineup for Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott will make his Rolex 24 At Daytona debut in January as the fourth driver in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, as announced Friday by Action Express Racing.

 

Elliott will join Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani and Mike Conway behind the wheel of the No. 31 Daytona Prototype international (DPi) entry for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener on the 3.56-mile road course at Daytona International Speedway.

 

“The Rolex 24 is such a major event, and it’s a race that anybody across any type of motorsports really respects. I think everyone wants to win a (Rolex) watch before their career is over,” Elliott said, referring to the prized timepiece presented to Rolex 24 winners in each class.

 

“It’s something different and a completely different element of racing that I haven’t tried before,” he added. “I’m trying to branch out and be more diverse as a driver and this is another part of that experience. I appreciate Action Express giving me this opportunity and I am looking forward to learning and running my first Rolex 24 next month.”

 

Elliott, 25, is the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott and has already shown a knack for road circuits. He has collected five NASCAR Cup Series road-course wins for Hendrick Motorsports, including at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL during the 2020 NASCAR playoffs. Gary Nelson, team manager at Action Express Racing, believes Elliott will be a solid addition to the No. 31 driver lineup.

 

“Recently we were able to spend a day with Chase in the simulator, running the Dallara, Cadillac model on the Daytona road course,” Nelson said. “We were amazed at how quick Chase got up to speed, his feedback, and how easy he was to work with. We are very excited to work with him again next month in Daytona at the Roar and the Rolex 24.”

 

At the Rolex 24, Elliott again will be a teammate with Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who’s one of the drivers for a second Action Express Racing entry at Daytona.

 

Elliott will turn his first laps in the No. 31 Cadillac during Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing Jan. 22-24. The event concludes with the Motul Pole Award 100, a qualifying race to determine the starting grid for the 59th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

 

Rolex 24 race week runs Jan. 27-31. The green flag for the 24-hour race is set to wave at 3:40 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 30.