On-Track Action over Three-Day Test Builds Anticipation for Rolex 24
By Tony DiZinno
Roar Entry List (Click Here)
Rolex Entry List (Click Here)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has solidified and updated the entry list for the 2025 Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Speedway, building on what was revealed in mid-December 2024.
The same 61 cars announced are confirmed for the mandatory three-day test, where all four WeatherTech Championship classes gain key track time and learning to prepare for the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 23-26. While most lineups are confirmed, a handful of teams are yet to reveal their finalized lineups.
In a change from recent years, the Roar test features just practice sessions for WeatherTech Championship competitors as qualifying for the Rolex 24 shifts to Thursday of race weekend, January 23. As the Roar is a test only, times are unofficial and do not count towards track records if they were to go quicker than existing records.
All four classes are active over two sessions Friday, January 17, three sessions Saturday, January 18 and a morning session Sunday, January 19. The seventh and final session of the weekend on Sunday afternoon is reserved for Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) Bronze-rated drivers only.
Quick fast facts for the Rolex 24 At Daytona are below.
Fast Facts
63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Florida
January 23-26, 2025
Race Day/Time: Saturday, January 25 – 1:40 p.m. ET
NBC Network Coverage: LIVE, Saturday, January 25 – 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET; Sunday, January 26, 12:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET in the U.S.; International feed coverage available on IMSA.tv and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial (outside the U.S.)
Live Qualifying Stream: Thursday, January 23 – 2:05 p.m. ET on Peacock and IMSA.tv (in the U.S.) and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial (outside the U.S.)
Circuit Type: 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course
Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Grand Touring Daytona (GTD)
Race Length: 24 hours
Track Social Media:
- Instagram: @daytona
- Facebook: @daytona
- X (formerly Twitter): @daytona, @Rolex24Hours
Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #Rolex24
WeatherTech Championship Track Records – Daytona International Speedway
GTP: Pipo Derani, Cadillac V-Series.R, 1:32.656 / 138.318 mph, January 2024
LMP2: Paul-Loup Chatin, ORECA LMP2, 1:35.532 / 134.154 mph, January 2022
GTD PRO: Seb Priaulx, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), 1:44.382 / 122.780 mph, January 2024
GTD: Parker Thompson, Lexus RC F GT3, 1:44.494 / 122.648 mph, January 2024
2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona Motul Pole Award Winners:
GTP: Pipo Derani, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
LMP2: Ben Keating, No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07
GTD PRO: Seb Priaulx, No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)
GTD: Parker Thompson, No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3
2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona Winners:
GTP: Felipe Nasr/Dane Cameron/Matt Campbell/Josef Newgarden, No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963
LMP2: Ryan Dalziel/Dwight Merriman/Connor Zilisch/Christian Rasmussen, No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07
GTD PRO: Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/Davide Rigon/Daniel Serra, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3
GTD: Russell Ward/Philip Ellis/Indy Dontje/Daniel Morad, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
Storylines
- Star Alignment: The usual bevy of extra Rolex 24 drivers boasting experience from Formula 1, NASCAR and IndyCar join the wealth of international sports car stars the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship fields on a full season basis. Some of the extras this year include Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen, Colton Herta, Felipe Massa, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch, Austin Cindric, James Hinchcliffe and Parker Kligerman.
- From Timepieces to Titles: Porsche Penske Motorsport (Grand Touring Prototype, GTP) and Winward Racing (Grand Touring Daytona, GTD) kicked off 2024 with Rolex 24 victories and the Rolex custom timepiece that went with it. Nine months later, their opening round success propelled them to season-long WeatherTech Championship titles.
- Reshuffled GTP Grid: All 12 GTP cars spread among Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lamborghini and Porsche have some degree of difference to kick off the 2025 season after ending 2024, whether in drivers, team names or manufacturers or in some cases, all of the above.
- Deep GTD PRO/GTD Fields: A 15-car Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class field sets the record for the greatest number of cars in the category, ahead of its fourth season. Additionally, 22 cars in GTD bring the combined number of GT cars up to 37. Entries come from Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
- Fresh Blend in LMP2: In two cases, GTP’s loss is a gain for Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) with Dane Cameron (No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07) and Sebastien Bourdais (No. 8 Tower Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07) joining an already stacked 12-car class.
- Lally’s Last (Full-Time) Laps: The most successful active Rolex 24 race winner anticipated to race this year, Andy Lally, is set for his last race before retiring from full-time driving. Sharing the No. 44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO in GTD, Lally has won five Rolex 24 races and is set for his 23rd consecutive start in the race this year.
With most of the field confirmed, there will be more than 50 Rolex 24 winners, more than 50 IMSA champions and more than 40 24 Hours of Le Mans winners in this year’s field, with potentially more in each category to come.