It's the start of the 2024 racing campaign. Like always, the Weathertech IMSA SportsCar Championship kicks off the action at the "World Center of Racing" at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The 2024 running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona has plenty of world-class flavor as the event will drivers from IndyCar, NASCAR and Formula One against the best sports car racers in the world.
This year is slightly different, as there are plenty of big names in the field, but not as many NASCAR names as usual.
2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button is in the field. He has some Cup Series experience and was part of the NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports' venture at Le Mans in 2023.
Mike Rockenfeller is back for another shot at the Rolex as well, after a handful of NASCAR starts over the past couple of seasons.
Andy Lally, who sometimes competes in NASCAR as a "road course ringer" will also be running in the event.
Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek and Corey Heim are at Daytona for the festivities as well, but they will be racing in the BMW Endurance Challenge, which will be run on Friday before this weekend's 24-hour race.
The three will be behind the wheel of a Toyota Supra in that event.
According to Ed Hardy for motorsport.com two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou; 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson; and Button are among the drivers to keep an eye on the most.
As for the other major racers throughout the Rolex Grid, IndyCar's best will be on full display. A majority of the 2024 IndyCar driver line-up will be in Daytona in one of the four classes of cars. Scott Dixon is back, looking to win another Rolex Watch after doing so in 2015 and 2020. He is paired with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and defending series champion Palou, alongside Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande, who both have plenty of experience in this great event.
2023 Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden makes just his second-ever appearance in the event in one of the two Team Penske Porsches. Other IndyCar names to keep an eye on are Pato O'Ward, Scott McLaughlin, Felix Rosenqvist, James Hinchliffe, Alexander Rossi, Kyle Kirkwood and Devlin DeFrancesco.
Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) once again has a strong line-up with Ricky Taylor leading the charge as one of the best sports car racers in the world, alongside Felipe Albuquerque and Ericsson aboard the No. 10 Acura. The team is also fielding a second car with Jordan Taylor, Button and IndyCar ace Colton Herta piloting the No. 40 Acura.
That is the GTP Prototype class alone. There are other big names in the racing world featured in the other classes of cars. The entire entry list can be seen on motorsport.com.
Colin Braun's team might be the favorite, as he has long been a part of the Rolex 24 and has been on a winning team three times since 2014, including last year.
Despite the lack of top NASCAR talent, the 2024 Rolex 24 is the official start to the new racing season and will have plenty of interesting storylines and entertaining racing to bring racing fans everywhere out of their winter hibernation to tune in and watch.
