The Rolex 24 At Daytona Is Only the Beginning of a Diverse and Demanding 2023 Slate
By John Oreovicz
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The sports car world’s focus is on Daytona International Speedway, where the 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will flag off the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship later this month.
Suppliers, manufacturers and 61 competing teams have been working flat out to ensure they are ready for arguably the most strenuous season-opening race in any form of motorsport. The preparation process has been even more arduous than usual for competitors in the WeatherTech Championship’s new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, as complex new prototypes built to LMDh technical regulations were developed from the ground up.
It’s strange to think that in terms of on-track racing time, the Rolex 24 makes up more than a third of the 2023 season. Yet it counts the same number of points as each of the other races on the schedule. And just as no other track on the slate is similar to Daytona, every event has its unique character and importance.
Here’s a closer look:
Roar Before the Rolex 24 (Jan. 20-22)
That “first day of school” feeling always stirs emotions, and the Roar weekend serves as the IMSA academy’s opening day. It’s a chance to ease back into travel mode, to see all the new cars on track for the first time and renew old acquaintances. Anticipation is especially high this year for the start of the GTP era: Who will establish the early advantage – at least in terms of one-lap pace – between Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche? Will the sophisticated new cars run reliably enough to give teams peace of mind heading into the Rolex 24 race weekend? Two full days of testing at Daytona are followed by a qualifying session to determine the Rolex 24 starting grid.
Rolex 24 At Daytona (Jan. 26-29)
The Rolex 24 serves as the unofficial starter on the international motorsports calendar, attracting participation and attention from around the world. It’s in the small pantheon of endurance racing “majors,” and it doesn’t hurt that Florida in January is generally a pretty appealing proposition in the doldrums of winter. Again, the GTP class debut is the most significant aspect of this year’s event. Can any of the nine entries run trouble-free (or darn near) for 24 hours in the first genuine competition test of the new cars? Will weather (extreme cold or rain) impact the proceedings?
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (March 15-18)
Sebring is the granddaddy of American sports car circuit racing, with 12 years of seniority on Daytona (1950 vs. 1962) and a prestigious heritage that is illustrated on the facility’s Wall of Champions. The circuit, built off a former World War Army Air Corps base, has changed little over the past 75 years. It’s extremely bumpy, with a character like no other permanent racecourse. Some say that running 12 hours at Sebring is tougher on driver and machine than 24 hours at Daytona or Le Mans. Sebring also has immense character as an event; the Twelve Hours has long been a spring break destination with a hardy party atmosphere. Second of four rounds in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Challenge.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 14-15)
The first split-field event of the year; the Le Mans Prototype 2 and 3 (LMP2 and LMP3) classes don’t make the trip to California due to the space limitations within the paddock and pit lane of the famous 1.968-mile street course – the only street circuit on the 2023 schedule. Long Beach is the first round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup for the GT Daytona (GTD) class, and it’s also unique as the only true sprint race on the calendar, with a run time of just 1 hour, 40 minutes. A lot can happen in that timeframe, as witnessed just last year when Sebastien Bourdais drove through the field after an early spin to win. Every racing fan should attend Long Beach at least once, if just for the people watching and cool California car culture.
Motul Course de Monterey (May 12-14)
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a popular favorite, thanks to the unique hillside circuit highlighted by the famous Corkscrew turn and the spectacular surrounding area featuring the Monterey Peninsula and 17 Mile Drive. This event runs to the “standard” sprint race length of 2 hours, 40 minutes. LMP2 returns to the slate, but LMP3 gets another weekend off. One interesting thing to observe this year is lap times, given that the classic road course was just repaved for the first time since 2007. WeatherTech Raceway opened in 1957 and was extended to its current 2.238-mile length in 1988.
Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen (June 22-25)
IMSA’s summer season kicks off at one of America’s most historic road courses. Sports car racing near the town of Watkins Glen, in the Finger Lakes region of New York, dates to 1948, with a permanent circuit constructed in 1956. A section known as “The Boot” was added in 1971, bringing the full circuit length to 3.4 miles. The rolling terrain is packed with campers on race weekend. A six-hour round of the United States Road Racing Championship (a precursor to IMSA) was first staged in 1968, and the Sahlen’s Six Hours is the third of four rounds in the Michelin Endurance Cup.
Chevrolet Grand Prix (July 7-9)
Staged at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (popularly known for decades as Mosport) outside of Toronto, Canada, the Chevrolet Grand Prix provides the WeatherTech Championship with a bit of international flair. Mosport has hosted sports car competition since 1961 with a race won by the great Stirling Moss, and its fast, sweeping corners and significant motorsports history make it a must-visit destination for true racing fans. LMP2 is not part of the mix for this event, somewhat alleviating traffic concerns for GTP competitors on this tight-but-fast 2.459-mile road course.
FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix (July 21-22)
The GT classes (GTD and GTD PRO) step up to headline status for the first of two times in 2023 at Lime Rock Park, the lovely, rustic road course in northwest Connecticut just a few miles from the New York and Massachusetts state borders. Narrow and twisty (at 1.50 miles, shortest on the schedule), it’s easy to see why prototypes are too fast for one of America’s most historic road racing venues. Events at Lime Rock have a civilized character all their own, but don’t look for racing action on any given Sunday: It’s prevented by local noise ordinance.
IMSA SportsCar Weekend (Aug. 3-6)
Road America in the Kettle Moraine area of Wisconsin is beloved by almost everyone. Drivers are stimulated by the challenge of the fast, 4.048-mile layout – which should be even faster this year after the first full-circuit repave since 1995. Fans love the pastoral scenery, and perhaps above all, the remarkably delicious track food. By this point in the season, championship scenarios are coming into perspective and the points chases take on greater prominence, with all five WeatherTech Championship classes in action on track.
Michelin GT Challenge at VIR (Aug. 25-27)
The second of the GT-only venues, VIRginia International Raceway has a laid-back character that evokes the vibe of Lime Rock. But VIR is a much more expansive circuit, spreading out over 3.27 miles. With championship pressure increasing, this race gives the GTD PRO and GTD contenders a chance to concentrate on their own competition without worrying about staying out of the way of faster prototypes.
TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks (Sept. 15-17)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway needs no introduction, but not everyone is familiar with the 2.439-mile road course that winds through the infield. It’s flat but technically challenging, and it generally produces close racing. What’s significant for IMSA is the collaboration with IMS for what is expected to grow into a significant event on the world sports car calendar. For the first year, the race will run to the standard 2-hour, 40-minute sprint length, but that could change to a longer event in the future. In addition, for the first time in IMS history, fans will be permitted to camp in the infield during a race weekend. The WeatherTech Sprint Cup champions will be crowned in the GTD class following the Indianapolis race.
Motul Petit Le Mans (Oct. 11-14)
Created by Don Panoz and first run in 1998, Motul Petit Le Mans is youthful compared to the most established endurance races at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona. But it quickly moved into a position of being mentioned in the same sentence as those classics of the sport. As the final round of the Michelin Endurance Cup, the 10-hour race always garners a large entry. And its status as the overall WeatherTech Championship finale lends a big-event feel. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is another favorite fan venue for camping, and the undulating 2.54-mile road course somehow almost always sets up a thrilling finish.