The historic 60th anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will be held on Jan. 29-30, 2022 at Daytona International Speedway to open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
“We are excited to celebrate 60 years of memorable, iconic moments, and the continuation of a rich legacy with the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “We are looking forward to hosting fans from across the globe at the World Center of Racing for 24 hours of the most incredible sports car racing, along with an unforgettable experience at this diamond event in sports.”
The inaugural Rolex 24 was a three-hour event in 1962, initially known as the Daytona Continental, with Hall of Famer Dan Gurney taking the checkered flag. Held on Daytona’s world-famous 3.56-mile road course, the event has become renowned for annually attracting many of the world’s finest race car drivers – from various racing disciplines – to make history against the world’s best sports car racers. Historically, drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) have joined forces for the chance to win the coveted Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.
Daytona International Speedway will pay tribute to noted Rolex 24 Champions with names like Andretti, Haywood, Pruett, Gordon, Foyt, to name a few – as well as the magnificent machines that carried them to victory (Porsche is the all-time overall wins leader with 18 triumphs). Wayne Taylor Racing’s No. 10 Acura quartet of Filipe Albuquerque, Helio Castroneves, Alexander Rossi and Ricky Taylor are the reigning Rolex 24 at Daytona Champions.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season currently features competition in five classes: the headlining Daytona Prototype International (DPi), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP2), the new GTD PRO class making its world debut with factory teams and divers, and GT Daytona (GTD) for customer racing programs.
The Rolex 24 weekend kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 27 with practice sessions in all classes. On Friday, Jan. 28 – prior to the Saturday-Sunday, twice-around-the-clock Rolex 24 – the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season will begin with the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge.
Like 2021, the track actually will host back-to-back racing weekends with the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 preseason test sessions on Jan. 21-23 (Friday-Sunday). Qualifying to determine the starting lineup for the Rolex 24 at Daytona will take place on Sunday, Jan. 23. Scout Days, a longtime tradition during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 that didn’t occur earlier this year because of the pandemic, are set to return in January.
Select tickets are currently available for the Rolex 24 at Daytona and can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. They include both 2- and 4-day infield admission packages: 2-day pass – $60 (includes free admission to the Roar); and 4-day pass – $110 (includes garage access and free admission to the Roar). Kids 12 and under are free. Returning guests from 2021 may also log into their account to view their renewal and take advantage of special pricing and no-interest payment plan options.
The Taste of the 24, held annually on the Saturday evening after the drop of the green flag to the Rolex 24, will once again be held with the proceeds benefitting the NASCAR Foundation. It features unrivalled dining experience featuring local restaurant fare in the Midway Suites as part of the frontstetch seating.
