The Rolex 24 at Daytona will usher in a new era of sports car racing with a preliminary entry list at the maximum size for the new Grand Touring Prototype division.
There are 61 cars entered in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener Jan. 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway. IMSA officials said more than 70 entries were received for the 61st Rolex 24 at Daytona, but the field is being capped at 61 because the LMDh cars of the premier GTP class will require larger pit boxes than the previous DPi category.
There are nine entries in GTP across four manufacturers: three from Cadillac (two for Chip Ganassi Racing; one for Action Express Racing; two from Acura (Meyer Shank Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing); two from Porsche (Team Penske) and two from BMW (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).
61ST ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA: Click here for the preliminary entry list
IMSA originally released a 60-car entry list Dec. 15. But on Jan. 5, IMSA announced the addition of a 61st entry for the 61st Rolex 24 at Daytona. The No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG was added to the entry list in the GTD class. The No. 75 also is expected to run the full Michelin Endurance Cup.
“Having 61 cars for the 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona seems only natural,” IMSA President John Doonan said in a release. “After we previously announced a 60-car capacity for the field last month – and knowing that we received more than 70 entries – our IMSA team regrouped and eventually determined that we could accommodate one more entry to match our field size from last year. This is shaping up to be a Rolex 24 and a 2023 IMSA season for the ages.”
The green flag will fly on the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 28 with live NBC network TV coverage carrying the start as well as the race’s conclusion beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 29. Additional portions of the race will be televised live on USA Network with flag-to-flag streaming available on Peacock.
TV COVERAGE: How to watch the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 2023 IMSA season
The preliminary entry list contains team, car number, manufacturer, tire, engine and fuel designations. A finalized entry list with driver lineups is expected in early January. Teams that submitted entries without being selected for the race have been placed on a reserve list and could be entered in the event of withdrawals.
According to IMSA, 57 of the 61 entries will be competing in the four-race Michelin Endurance Cup, and 45 cars will run the full season.
Here is the entry breakdown for the other four classes: LMP2 (10), LMP3 (nine), GTD Pro (eight) and GTD (25 across nine manufacturers).
GTP cars tested at Daytona in mid-December. The full field will test Jan. 20-22 in the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Rolex 24 at Daytona field will be set Jan. 22 in a traditional qualifying session (after a qualifying race had been used the past two years).
Click here to view the preliminary entry list for the 61st Rolex 24 at Daytona.