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IMSA at 50: Derek Bell recalls the first time he hit Daytona’s banking

It can take a while to acclimate to 31 degrees of banking in a corner even if your name is legendary.

In the video above, Derek Bell recalls his first laps around Daytona International Speedway.

“My first time at Daytona was in 1971. It was my first time on the banking. It was the weirdest sensation because as you come down a straight as a racing driver, when the road sort of turns sharp left normally you would put the brakes on to slow down. But you had to get used to the fact that you didn’t slow down you just turned the wheel and hopefully balance the car.”

As IMSA celebrates their 50th year, they take a look back at some of the drivers and events that have been a part of their history.

“I never actually took it flat,” Bell said. “I was jolly close, but I never did. It was the most amazing experience. … I got used to it after a while, but the first time it was pretty forbidding.”