2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona

[Earth]

January 30 - 31

More info on some of the cross over drivers soon

 

[NapoleonMikey]

I attended last year and I'll be going again this year. Anyone else attending this year?

 

[LSX]

I'll be there! I was going to post up a thread and see if any other GTP members were going to attend. But this is just as well.

 

[TheBigMan045]

Lucky people, we on the other side of the world dont have many major timed enduros. Its in the big plan to go sometime

 

[Azure Flare]

Going? I hope to be in the race someday.

 

[Alex.]

Cool story bro.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Almost went last year since it was on my birthday, but we did have the time. I will watch it for sure this year when I'm not at the rally.

 

[TsukubaTrueno]

I don't know if I'll be going this year to Rolex 24, or if I should instead go to 12 hours of Sebring.

 

[Earth]

Noteworthy crossover drivers competing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. This is why I love this race, talent from all types of motorsport race here together.

- A.J. Allmendinger (NASCAR)
- Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
- Juan Montoya (NASCAR)
- Jamie McMurray (NASCAR)
- Sebastian Bourdais (ex-F1)
- Scott Dixon (Indycar)
- Justin Wilson (Indycar)
- Dario Franchitti (Indycar)
- Pedro Lamy (Peugeot sports car driver)

Theres more, I'll have to look over the list again

 

[NapoleonMikey]

I don't know if I'll be going this year to Rolex 24, or if I should instead go to 12 hours of Sebring.

I'd say go to both but if you had to choose only one I'd choose Sebring

 

[CAMikaze]

- Sebastian Bourdais (ex-F1)

Don't forget CART, man.

 

[Azure Flare]

Bourdais is in? what team? (to lazy to look it up myself)

 

[Ardius]

Noteworthy crossover drivers competing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. This is why I love this race, talent from all types of motorsport race here together.

- A.J. Allmendinger (NASCAR)
- Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
- Juan Montoya (NASCAR)
- Jamie McMurray (NASCAR)
- Sebastian Bourdais (ex-F1)
- Scott Dixon (Indycar)
- Justin Wilson (Indycar)
- Dario Franchitti (Indycar)
- Pedro Lamy (Peugeot sports car driver)

Theres more, I'll have to look over the list again

Pedro Lamy is more than that - he's quite an experienced and successful sports car driver. And an F1 reject.

To add to that:
-Ricardo Zonta (Peugeot-Le Mans, F1)
-Jan Magnussen (Chevrolet-Le Mans, F1 reject, Huge talent in lower Formulae)

 

[LSX]

For anyone going, the 4 day ticket is 90$

Check this out though.

Taste of the 24

"You're invited to an outrageously unique dining event. Fabulous music, non-stop entertainment, food from 24 of our areas finest restaurants, cigar bar, live jazz, beer and wine from around the world, and a chance to win a Rolex. A delicious blend of food and fast cars with access to the race all weekend long. All this and more, located in 24 private corperate suites at the Daytona International Speedway high atop the Superstretch Grandstands."

(I'll vouch for the super stretch suites being nice. Monitors, climate control, butler. Booyah.)

Saturday, January 30th 6:30-9:30PM
95.00$- Event admission and weekend pass to the Rolex 24, including Sprint FANZONE access. Free parking through gate 70.
OR tickets are 70.00$ without the Rolex watch give away.

I think I'm going to get these tickets, because I doubt 5$ would cover dinner eating at one of the vendors in the speedway. 5.00 will get you a damn hot dog, and maybe ketchup.

I got the flier in the mail though, it's put on by Daytona State College. The site is here for the tickets.

Not trying to advertise, I'm not affiliated, just trying to pass on a good deal to other members. I mean it's got everything the 90.00 ticket has, plus food and beer, and suites for a few hours, so win maybe? It only lacks infield parking which you do get with the 90.00$ ticket. Which I kind of want, because I'd like to grill it up and make breakfast too. And sleep in my Jeep, if at all.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Well, I'll be cheering for the #02 Telmex BMW Riley, Go JPM!

Wonder what kind of coverage we're gonna get in the UK?

 

[LouTs337]

Anyone know of a chance of coverage at european side? (eurosport/motorstv/rtl?)

I think eurosport did last 2 years? but havent seen any notifications on eurosport this year about it :/

 

[NapoleonMikey]

I wish I saw that post eariler today LSX. I just bought mine and my buddys tickets this afternoon. But it dosnt look like you get garage access with that package so im still kinda glad I bought the other tickets. We will just hit up the Dennys across the street from the track anyways i can get food for $5 there

 

[LSX]

Haha my bad, I've had the flier since last week, I just got around to looking into it. I'm still on the fence myself. I could get off easy and just get the straight Rolex tickets and have garage access, and camp in the infield. Or a little bit of climate controlled beer and food. I think the camping will win out though, then I'll have more money to spend on the Bud Shootout and Nationwide race a few weeks after. Dennys FTW, or the Olive Garden outside of turn 4, there is Winghouse too, but then I bet that will be pretty full. 3 AM lumberjack slam!

Edit: Out of all our Florida and Georgia members, there are really only two of us going? This IS part of the triple crown of endurance racing, Lemans 24hr, Sebring 12hr and Daytona 24hr

 

[NapoleonMikey]

Haha yea i think i had that slam around 6am though just before i took my nap. Thanks to my job my sleeping schedule is whack but i did get to watch the whole night part of the race last year. And i agree I'm surprised no one else has spoken up about going. i thought there would be a whole lot more members heading over there. Its the first major race of the year in the northern hemisphere.

 

[Earth]

Don't forget CART, man.

4 time CART Champion sounds better then ex-F1 or F1-reject ha

Pedro Lamy is more than that - he's quite an experienced and successful sports car driver. And an F1 reject.

To add to that:
-Ricardo Zonta (Peugeot-Le Mans, F1)
-Jan Magnussen (Chevrolet-Le Mans, F1 reject, Huge talent in lower Formulae)

Didn't know much about Lamy's background, just knew he was pretty quick in a Peugeot. Thanks for that.

Also, F1 reject is pretty harsh. Allan McNish is a F1 reject but he is one of of the best sportscar drivers the world has ever seen, I think ex-F1 sounds a bit better.


After looking at the list again dissappointed there is no Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart or Danica patrick. Stewart must be busy with his team, Gordon is probably still recovering from back problems and Patrick is probably busy with her little thing with stock cars.

Still not a complete list but expanded,

Noteable names that only race in the Daytona 24 hours and not the rest of the schedule,

From NASCAR:

- A.J. Allmendinger
- Jimmie Johnson
- Juan Montoya
- Jamie McMurray
- Bobby Labonte

From CART:

- Sebastian Bourdais (CART, ex-F1)
- Jimmy Vasser (CART)

From Indycars:

- Scott Dixon
- Ryan Hunter-Reay
- Justin Wilson
- Buddy Rice
- Dario Franchitti

From Sportscars other then Grand Am:

- Emanuel Collard - Pedro Lamy (Peugeot sports car driver)
- Ricardo Zonta (Peugeot-Le Mans, F1, ex-FIA GT)
-Jan Magnussen (Chevrolet-Le Mans, F1 reject, Huge talent in lower Formulae)
- Sascha Maassen (Porsche Factory driver)

 

[Ardius]

Didn't know much about Lamy's background, just knew he was pretty quick in a Peugeot. Thanks for that.

Also, F1 reject is pretty harsh. Allan McNish is a F1 reject but he is one of of the best sportscar drivers the world has ever seen, I think ex-F1 sounds a bit better.

Harsh, but its more in reference to this great site:
http://www.f1rejects.com/index.html

Its not necessarily a remark on their skill, in fact most of them I quite admire for trying as many of them were stuck in horrible teams with either bad cars, rubbish team management or just really bad luck.

Anyway, I'm a semi-follower of this race thanks to the Jaguar XJR LM cars competing there way back when, I used to (and still do) love the liveries they used for the IMSA competitions (Castrol colours, I much preferred them to Silk Cut).
I've also come to really love the track thanks to many good times in GT5 Prologue.

 

[arvin charles]

Noteable names that only race in the Daytona 24 hours and not the rest of the schedule,

From NASCAR:

- A.J. Allmendinger
- Jimmie Johnson
- Juan Montoya
- Jamie McMurray
- Bobby Labonte

From CART:

- Sebastian Bourdais (CART, ex-F1)
- Jimmy Vasser (CART)

From Indycars:

- Scott Dixon
- Ryan Hunter-Reay
- Justin Wilson
- Buddy Rice
- Dario Franchitti

From Sportscars other then Grand Am:

- Emanuel Collard - Pedro Lamy (Peugeot sports car driver)
- Ricardo Zonta (Peugeot-Le Mans, F1, ex-FIA GT)
-Jan Magnussen (Chevrolet-Le Mans, Huge talent in lower Formulae)
- Sascha Maassen (Porsche Factory driver)

Don't forget the entire Flying Lizards driver lineup that's racing with TRG...All of whom are Porsche factory drivers in the ALMS.

Joerg Bergmeister
Patrick Long
Johannes van Overbeek

In the TRG #71 car:

Romain Dumas
Timo Bernhard

Also among other notable names:

Christophe Bouchut (LM24 winner '93, FIA-GT)
Joey Hand (ALMS)

 

[CAMikaze]

Anyone remember Team 16? I wonder what has happened to the kids that raced on that team since then. I think one of them is competing in one of the NASCAR series. And if I also recall correctly, they had some Auburn University colors and logos on their car as well at one time.

 

[NapoleonMikey]

I didnt realize TRG was using the factory drivers this race. Now I'm thinking about it and is letting Jorg and Jan on the same track this early in the season in a series they dont have the 2 race probation watching there every move against each such a good idea? Maybe not, but I think it might provide some interesting racing.

 

[arvin charles]

I didnt realize TRG was using the factory drivers this race. Now I'm thinking about it and is letting Jorg and Jan on the same track this early in the season in a series they dont have the 2 race probation watching there every move against each such a good idea? Maybe not, but I think it might provide some interesting racing.

Yep, here's the presser:

"Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today that The Racer's Group (TRG) will enter a TRG/Flying Lizard Porsche in GT at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season-opener for the Grand-Am Road Racing Series. In the ShoreTel-sponsored No. 67 Porsche GT3 Cup Car, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will join Johannes van Overbeek and Seth Neiman for the 24-hour endurance race to be held on January 30-31, 2009. "

http://www.lizardms.com/news/releases/2009/dec-24.html

And from PaddockTalk:

Spencer Pumpelly led Sunday afternoon GT practice with a lap of 1:49.700 (116.828 mph) in the No. 71 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup co-driven by Tim George Jr. and Bobby Labonte.

"We’ve been making the car better in every session, and making it more drivable to make it consistent through a run," Pumpelly said. "Getting to run with Tim George Jr. and Bobby Labonte - along with Porsche factory drivers Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard - in the Rolex 24 is a dream come true. I can’t wait."

Dumas and Bernhard – last minute additions to the entry list – were not at the test. Keen, Ragginger and Pumpelly were trailed in GT by Porsche factory driver Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 67 TRG/Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche GT3 and Sylvain Tremblay in SpeedSource’s Mazda RX-8. Bergmeister’s co-driver and American Le Man Series co-champion –factory driver Patrick Long - held onto the fastest time on Friday in the TRG/Lizard Porsche effort, which also includes Johannes van Overbeek and Seth Neiman.

Other Porsche factory drivers who will participate in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona include Wolf Henzler (in a TRG Porsche), and Richard Lietz (with new Porsche team owner John Potter, Porsche Supercup champion Jeroen Bleekemolen and veteran Craig Stanton), Several Porsche factory drivers are on loan to non-Porsche teams, including Sascha Maassen and Emmanuel Collard, who will drive a BMW prototype. Former factory drivers Richard Westbrook, Lucas Luhr, and Mike Rockenfeller are also entered in the event.

http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=126125

 

[Earth]

First commercial

It should be noted that every car has 4 drivers for the first time. Will this catch on in other 24 hour endurance races?

 

[Crashbroke23]

4 time CART Champion sounds better then ex-F1 or F1-reject ha



Didn't know much about Lamy's background, just knew he was pretty quick in a Peugeot. Thanks for that.

Also, F1 reject is pretty harsh. Allan McNish is a F1 reject but he is one of of the best sportscar drivers the world has ever seen, I think ex-F1 sounds a bit better.


After looking at the list again dissappointed there is no Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart or Danica patrick. Stewart must be busy with his team, Gordon is probably still recovering from back problems and Patrick is probably busy with her little thing with stock cars.

Still not a complete list but expanded,

Noteable names that only race in the Daytona 24 hours and not the rest of the schedule,

From NASCAR:

- A.J. Allmendinger
- Jimmie Johnson
- Juan Montoya
- Jamie McMurray
- Bobby Labonte

From CART:

- Sebastian Bourdais (CART, ex-F1)
- Jimmy Vasser (CART)

From Indycars:

- Scott Dixon
- Ryan Hunter-Reay
- Justin Wilson
- Buddy Rice
- Dario Franchitti

From Sportscars other then Grand Am:

- Emanuel Collard - Pedro Lamy (Peugeot sports car driver)
- Ricardo Zonta (Peugeot-Le Mans, F1, ex-FIA GT)
-Jan Magnussen (Chevrolet-Le Mans, F1 reject, Huge talent in lower Formulae)
- Sascha Maassen (Porsche Factory driver)

The drivers in the Daytona 24 really steal the show. The only race where there are more prestigious names are all the F1 Rejects that find themselves in the Le Mans 24.

But, i find that this could really be a interesting year in GT. Local team, for me since I'm Canadian, Bullet Racing has a good chance to er.. do good. They got Darryl O'Young on their team from FIA GT fame, Sean McIntosh from A1 Team Canada, and a former Porsche Factory driver from the 80's Kees Nierop. And those red rims the team used during the Roar Before the 24 are AWESOME!

This will be a interesting race, can't wait to watch!

 

[LSX]

TRG #63 Team Poliezi will be showing up for the 24hrs. I'm guessing Alex Roy will be there as well. Maybe I can get my "The Driver" book autographed. Cool stuff. I'd also like to get the event poster that came in a Grassroots Motorsports mag signed and framed if I can. JPM?

63 TRG
Zak Brown,
Richard Dean, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Henri Richard, Los Altos Hills, Calif.
Mark Thomas, Aberdeen, Scotland and Baju, Azerbaijan
Rene Villeneuve, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Porsche GT3

Future Electronics, Remington, Team Polizei, M3LRacing.com, Freescale Semiconductors


Only one F430, two Camaro GT-R, one Corvette and a few M6's, RX8's, G6-GTPr, and maybe two GTO's. The rest of the field is Porsche's. Good field, just too bad there is not an even spread amongst anything non Porsche.

 

[LSX]

Are you guys sure Sebastian Bourdais is going to be racing? I can't find him on the entry list, though there are a few DP cars with no driver roster listed.

Has anyone else decided to get tickets? Commute people! DO IT DO IT! Too bad I don't have a GTP shirt to wear. Then it would be easy to find people.

Continental Tire series 200 (Koni Challenge) (Infield and Grandstand) on friday is $15.00
Saturday 6 hour grandstand after 6pm the are $10.00
Saturday/Sunday Grandstand - 55$ or 35 for either day.

Weekend schedule.


Thursday, January 28

7:00 AM Rolex & Continental Tire Challenge garages open
10:00 AM Opening of Speedweeks Ceremony at Start/Finish line in Pit lane
10:00 AM-11:30 AM Practice – Rolex Series
11:45 AM-12:30 PM Practice – Continental Tire Challenge
1:30 PM-2:30 PM Practice – Rolex Series
2:45 PM-3:30 PM Practice – Continental Tire Challenge
3:45 PM-4:00 PM Qualifying* – Rolex Series Daytona Prototype
4:15 PM-4:30 PM Qualifying* – Rolex Series GT
*sets top 20 cars in class grid positions
5:00 PM-5:15 PM Qualifying – Continental Tire Challenge ST
5:30 PM-5:45 PM Qualifying – Continental Tire Challenge GS
6:30 PM-8:30 PM Practice – Rolex Series
9:30 PM Garages closed

Friday, January 29

7:00 AM Garages open
9:00 AM-9:45 AM Practice – Rolex Series
9:45 AM Daytona Prototype Field Group Photo at Pit In
10:00 AM-10:45 AM Practice – Continental Tire Challenge
11:00 AM-11:20 AM Final Qualifying – Rolex Series**
11:25 AM-11:55 AM GRAND-AM On Track Activities
12:00 PM-12:45 PM Final practice – Rolex Series
1:00 PM-1:25 PM GRAND-AM On Track Activities
1:00 PM-1:30 PM Continental Tire Challenge Pre-Race/Fan Walk/Autograph Session
1:45 PM START – Continental Tire Challenge Fresh From Florida 200 (2.5 Hour time limit)
7:30 PM Garages closed – All Continental Tire Challenge rigs must leave the garage area.

Saturday, January 30

7:30 AM Garages open
9:00 AM Pit Road and Blue Garages Open
9:30 AM-10:45 AM DIS On Track Activities
11:00 AM Rolex 24 Heritage Exhibition
11:30 AM Rolex 24 Driver’s Meeting
12:00 PM Milestones Laps
12:15 PM Rolex Driver autograph session (Drivers to tables SPRINT FANZONE)
1:00 PM DIS On Track Activities
2:15 PM Rolex Driver introductions (Drivers report to gate by Tech Garage)
2:15 PM Grid opens for the Rolex 24 At Daytona – ALL ENGINES OFF
3:00 PM Pre-race ceremonies/ All cars on the grid
3:00 PM Grid closes
3:30 PM START – 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona

Sunday, January 31

3:30 PM FINISH – 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona
7:00 PM Garages closed

 

[arvin charles]

Are you guys sure Sebastian Bourdais is going to be racing? I can't find him on the entry list, though there are a few DP cars with no driver roster listed.

He's been driving the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports BMW Riley with Christophe Bouchut, Emmanuel Collard, Sascha Maassen & Scott Tucker during the test days.