Credit: LAT Images / Copyright: © 2023 Jake Galstad
A provisional 60-car entry list has been unveiled for the 62nd edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, which will commence the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season on 27-28 January.
Throughout four categories, a sensational list of drivers has been enlisted for the historical endurance event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course.
Amongst the drivers, there are 56 former winners of the Daytona 24 and several Indianapolis 500 winners.
With LMP3 taken out of the IMSA WeatherTech package, GTP, LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD continue to add variety to the multi-class spectacle.
IMSA President John Doogan said: “We could not be prouder to release this preliminary list of participants for the Rolex 24 At Daytona significantly earlier than we ever have before.
“Looking up and down the lineup, we will have a tremendous field of teams, cars and drivers and no shortage of compelling storylines to develop and follow in the next two months as we lead up to the race.
“With such a stacked field, it would be impossible to identify a favorite in any of the four classes.”
GTP will bring 10 top-tier Le Mans Daytona Hybrid competitors to compete for the overall win in the second year for the class’ existance.
#10 Acura ARX-06 – Credit: LAT Images / Copyright: © 2023 Jake Galstad
Cadillac’s V Series.R will be represented by the #01 Chip Ganassi entry and the #31 Wehrlen Engineering Cadillac, the latter of whom are reigning IMSA champions, and both have yet to announce their fourth ‘Daytona’ drivers.
JDC Miller MotorSports’ #5 Porsche 963 features a slightly different line-up, with the addition of the youngest WEC LMP2 champion Phil Hanson, reigning IMSA LMP2 and WEC GTE-Am champion Ben Keating, as well as the return of Richard Westbrook to the outfit after a year at Cadillac.
Keating will carry out a double-duty role at Daytona, driving as part of United Autosports’ LMP2 effort and his first time in an LMDh.
In the previous DPi era, in 2022, he carried out a double-duty role for JDC Miller at Daytona alongside his PR1 Mathiasen LMP2 role, although this will mark the first time a bronze driver will race in an LMDh car.
Proton Competition will return as the other Porsche customer team, having confirmed Gianmaria Bruni and Neel Jani thus far.
The works Porsche Penske Motorsport cars retain their drivers, bringing on WEC Porsche driver Laurens Vanthoor and IMSA Petit Le Mans rookie Josef Newgarden. The former will assist the #7 Porsche 963 whilst the 2023 Indy 500 winner will drive in the #8.
Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti represent Acura with two ARX-06 machines, having already confirmed the addition of Marcus Ericsson and Jenson Button.
BMW will bring their M Hybrid V8 LMDhs having enlisted BMW works driver Jesse Krohn in the #24, as both cars have yet to confirm their Daytona drivers.
LMP2 hosts 12 entries, two more compared to the 2023 race.
All but one competitor will utilise the Oreca 07 package, as Sean Creech Motorsport is set for their maiden LMP2 season with the Ligier JSP217.
#04 Oreca 07 LMP2 – Credit: LAT Images / Copyright: © 2023 Jake Galstad
Many of the driver slots in this class are yet to be confirmed, though the announced driver line-ups thus far bring sensational talent.
Lilou Wadoux, who recently got her first taste of a Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar, will drive for AF Corse in the LMP2 class.
United Autosports are represented with two entries, having yet to confirm two drivers in the #22 and their Daytona 24 driver in the #2.
Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports has only confirmed reigning Le Mans LMP2 winner Jakub Smiechowski so far.
AO Racing are set to run LMP2 entry as well as GTD Pro car, with PJ Hyett and Paul-Loup Chatin named so far in the LMP2 effort.
Paul Miller Racing, who ran a record-breaking 2023 title-winning campaign in the GTD class, have made their step into GTD Pro amongst 13 entries at Daytona.
Their champions Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow are retained, bringing on Neil Vahargen and Sheldon van der Linde for the opening race of the new season.
Corvette Racing has already announced their drivers for the IMSA WeatherTech season, and have yet to confirm their Daytona drivers.
Additionally, Iron Lynx’s #19 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 will pursue the race with four of their respected factory drivers.
Ford Multimatic Motorsports will debut the new Mustang GT3 at the prestigious race, having announced their full-season drivers already and will announce their Endurance Cup and Daytona drivers in due course.
Pfaff Motorsports will once again take on GTD Pro, albeit in a McLaren 720S GT3 EVO with a quadrant of talented drivers for the opening race.
The sole works representation for Ferrari’s 296 GT3 will be from Risi Competizione, fielding Davide Rigon, Daniel Serra, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and a fourth driver yet to be announced.
For the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3.R, Sebastian Priaulx and DTM driver Laurin Heinrich have been listed thus far.
Finally, GTD brings the largest field at 25 competitors for the Daytona 24.
#27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 – Credit: LAT Images / Copyright: © 2023 Jake Galstad
The #27 Heart of Racing will return with their Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to defend their class-win, featuring Zacharie Robichon, Roman De Angelis, Marco Sorensen and Ian James in their driver line-up.
AWA will take on their first race as a Corvette customer team, fielding two Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 IMSA season, and stand as the last, reining LMP3 Daytona 24 winners.
Drivers Anthony Mantella, Nico Varrone, Thomas Merrill and Charlie Eastwood will represent the team’s #17 Corvette, whilst Orey Fidani, Matt Bell, Lars Kern and a soon-to-be announced fourth driver will pilot the #13.
Inception Racing will be the other McLaren in the field as Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff, Ollie Millroy and Tom Gamble are set to take on the Daytona 24 amongst the fierce competition.
WTRAndretti already announced their full-season IMSA drivers, but not their Endurance and Daytona drivers yet.
The #43 Andretti Motorsports is an entry independent from the Wayne Taylor Racing partnership, as their Porsche 911 GT3.R will be driven by Jarett Andretti, Gabby Chaves, Scott Hargrove, and a fourth driver.
Proton Competition will run the new #55 Ford Mustang GT3 as their customer team, and have not confirmed their drivers ahead of the new challenge.
Keyword: Stacked 60-car field unveiled for 62nd running of Daytona 24