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Rolex 24 at Daytona recap: Riley Dickenson, Porsche outlast field, win BMW endurance race

ryan pritt and ken willis, daytona beach news-journal
·7 min read
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DAYTONA BEACH — Thursday was a quality teaser, but today will be a full-blown table setter as Rolex 24 weekend serves up another quickie as well as a four-hour romp that annually serves as the endurance appetizer.

Belly-up!

You like that 45-minute Mazda race Thursday? Talk about last-lap theatrics and drama. If you missed it, you get another chance today, because IMSA's Mazda MX-5 Series tees up the second half of its season-opening doubleheader, with the green flag waving this morning at 10:15.

ROLEX 24 UPDATES: The latest from the 24-hour endurance race at Daytona

MICHELIN PILOT CHALLENGE: Who's driving in the BMW M Endurance race? What to know.

Michelin Challenge practice, Friday morning, January 26, 2024 at Daytona International Speedway
Michelin Challenge practice, Friday morning, January 26, 2024 at Daytona International Speedway

Following that is one final hour of shakedown prep for the 59 WeatherTech Series cars now just a day away from the Rolex 24.

The day concludes with the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series' four-hour opener, the BMW Endurance Challenge, which is indeed an endurance challenge unless you compare it to the day-long grind just around the corner.

Stick with us here for racing updates throughout the day, as well as any other breaking news from Daytona, which this week earns its "World Center of Racing" label.

Riley Dickinson, Porsche outlast field, claim BMW M Endurance Challenge

Riley Dickinson held steady, outlasting the field and the opposing fuel tanks, and guiding the No. 91 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 718 to Victory Lane in the BMW M Endurance Challenge, the season opener for the Michelin Pilot Challenge.

After a lengthy caution, the green flag flew with just about an hour to go. Quickly, a five-car breakaway formed, led by the Turner Motorsport BMWs driven by Robert Megennis and Robby Foley. But as time wore on, one-by-one, the front five were forced onto pit road, opening the door for Dickinson.

In the TCR Class, the No. 17 JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi, which didn't participate in the final practice, outlasted the class to the checkered flag as well.

BMW race at Daytona begins final hour under yellow

The yellow flag is out as the fourth quarter begins in the BMW Endurance Challenge, the four-hour opener for IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge Series.

Three hours in, the No. 28 Porsche, with Trent Hindman aboard, will take the green in the lead to open the fourth and final hour.

Bubba Wallace car behind the wall as caution waves in BMW Endurance

The No. 61 TCR car, driven by Gavin Ernstone, ran out of fuel while leading and came to a stop on the backstretch, necessitating a full-course caution with around two hours and 20 minutes left in the BMW M Endurance Challenge.

Ernstone had run 29 laps but couldn't make it to 30 as the car began to sputter in the infield section and never made it back around to pit road. Pit stops were underway with the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW, driven by Dillon Machavern, still leading the overall race. Harry Gottsacker, piloting the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra, inherited the lead in among the TCR Class.

Meanwhile, the No. 23 car driven by Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek and Corey Heim, went behind the wall with mechanical issues, the latest development in a week plagued by them. Contact on the race track and a shredded tire put the car a lap down already in Friday's race.

BMW M Endurance Challenge: Sean McAlister brings out first caution

The No. 39 CarBAhn Motorsports BMW topped every practice session in the Michelin Pilot Challenge this week, but ran into big trouble early on Friday.

With Sean McAlister behind the wheel, the suspension on the car was broken, scattering debris around the track and bringing out the race's first caution.

The race went back under green just as the second hour began. Dillon Machavern in the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW passed the No. 46 driven by Owen Trinkler to take the lead.

After opening the first stint behind the wheel, Bubba Wallace gave way to John Hunter Nemechek during the caution. Their No. 23 Smooge Racing Toyota Supra was shown in 33rd.

BMW Endurance Challenge goes green, four hours of Daytona racing await

The race and the season has gone green for IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge Series.

The four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge has started, with 39 teams filling two classes of race cars — Grand Sport (Aston Martin, Porsche, Supra, Mustang, etc.) and Touring Car (Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra, mostly).

Tom Blomqvist tops final Rolex 24 practice in a Cadillac

Rolex 24 at Daytona practice at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
Rolex 24 at Daytona practice at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

Two-time defending winner of the Rolex 24, Tom Blomqvist, turned in the fastest lap of the final practice for Saturday's Rolex 24, churning out a lap of 1:35.983 in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac entry. Friday's session came on the heels of another exciting finish in the Mazda MX-5 Cup and lasted an hour.

Rene Rast in the No. 25 BMW was second at 1:36.222. Steven Thomas led the LMP2 contingent in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA with a time of 1:39.078. Among GTD Pro cars, the No. 60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini with Matteo Cressoni behind the wheel posted a time of 1:47.239, about a tenth and a half off of the best time from a GT3, set by Thomas Preining in the No. 43 Andretti Motorsports Porsche, a GTD entry.

Up next on Friday is the BMW M Endurance Challenge, the first race in the Michelin Pilot Challenge.

Mazda MX-5 Cup: Nate Cicero survives chaotic last lap, claims win

The No. 13 car of Westin Workman limps through the chicane with damage after last-lap contact during the Mazda MX-5 Cup race on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.
The No. 13 car of Westin Workman limps through the chicane with damage after last-lap contact during the Mazda MX-5 Cup race on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Nate Cicero separated himself from the field thanks to contact behind him in the West Horseshoe, and held off the field coming out of Turn 4 to survive a wild final lap and claim a win in the final Mazda MX-5 Cup race of the week.

A crash early in the race brought out the yellow flag and took out Preston Pardus and Nathan Nicholson with the green coming back out with 19 minutes to go. Several cars were forced off the track on the final lap as Cicero, who didn't make the start on Thursday, cruised to the win.

Penalties were still being sorted out afterward, but unofficially, Jeremy Fletcher came home second with Selin Rollan finishing third.

Mazda MX-5 Cup crash takes out Preston Pardus, Nathan Nicholson

A crash in the tri-oval just over 15 minutes into the second of two Mazda MX-5 Cup races at Daytona took out a pair of contenders on Friday morning.

Preston Pardus got the worst of it and along with Nathan Nicholson, was forced out of the race. Cars were preparing to go green again with around 19 minutes remaining and Connor Zilisch leading. Gresham Wagner won Friday afternoon's series opener.

Rolex 24 event schedule for Friday

  • 9:25-9:55 a.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge, practice 3

  • 10:15-11 a.m.: Mazda MX-5 Cup, race 2 of 2

  • 11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: WeatherTech Championship, practice 4

  • 1:45-5:45 p.m.: BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona

When is the Rolex 24?

Start time: 1:40 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27

End time: 1:40 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 28

Where can I watch the Rolex 24?

How to watch: All 24 hours can be streaming on Peacock and IMSA.tv. TV coverage will move across various channels:

  • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday: NBC (check local listings)

  • 2:30-8 p.m.: USA Network (Channel 242 on DirecTV, Channel 105 on Dish)

  • 10 p.m.-midnight: USA

  • 6 a.m.-noon Sunday: USA

  • Noon-2 p.m.: NBC

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rolex 24 at Daytona recap Friday: Porsche wins Michelin Pilot race