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Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona | Qualifying, VP SportsCar Challenge and bring a jacket!

ryan pritt, daytona beach news-journal
·4 min read

OK, so what’s all the noise about with the Roar Before the Rolex 24?

For starters, it’s the first time cars will take to the track at the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway with competition pending. And it will also serve as some of the final testing for drivers who will compete in next weekend’s 62nd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

And did we mention qualifying for next week's twice-around-the-clock main event goes down this Sunday?

Oh yeah, and there’s a couple of 45-minute sprints thrown in this weekend for good measure.

And yet, those are only a few of the things that make this weekend special, and a must-see for race fans.

Here are five things to watch during the Roar Before the Rolex 24, starting on Friday morning.

ROLEX 24: The big race at Daytona has answered to several different names over the years

Last year, winning the pole was certainly a good omen for the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06, which went on to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona the following weekend.
Last year, winning the pole was certainly a good omen for the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06, which went on to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona the following weekend.

WeatherTech Championship qualifying on Sunday afternoon

Not only will 2024 mark the second year of the LMDh cars in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, but it will also mark the return of a standard, traditional qualifying format which will wrap up the Roar Before the Rolex 24 on Sunday afternoon.

For years prior to 2023, the field for the Rolex 24 was set via qualifying race that lasted an hour and 40 minutes.

But, last year, that was changed with cars competing in sessions separated by class with each lasting 15-20 minutes. That means runs for the GTP cars and separate sessions for LMP2 entries as well as GTP pro and GTP cars.

The fastest in each session will be earn a pole award. Qualifying is set to start at 1:45 p.m.

Class is in session … except for the LMP3s

Last year, there were five classes participating in the Rolex 24.

That number is down by one this year as the WeatherTech Championship made the decision to nix the LMP3 Class due to high demand in the other four — Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD.

Still, a total of 59 entries are scheduled to race in next week’s 62nd running of the Rolex 24 with this weekend’s six WeatherTech Championship practice sessions leading up to Sunday afternoon’s qualifying providing invaluable track time.

VP SportsCar Challenge, part deux

While LMP3 cars will not compete in the main event, they will still be in the house this weekend.

That class of car, combined with the GT4s, make up the VP SportsCar Challenge, which will open its second season as well and will put on the only two races of the Roar Before the 24 weekend. Each will last 45 minutes with one starting at 2:05 p.m. Saturday and the other at 12:20 Sunday, just before the start of WeatherTech qualifying.

The series was created last year with the intent being to develop talent to move up the IMSA ladder. To that point, inaugural champion Bijoy Garg and second-place finisher Daniel Goldburg are now both racing in the LMP2 Class for United Autosports.

Rolex 24 streaks still alive, others have ended and will end

Tom Blomqvist is looking to capture a third straight overall win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona but he'll have to do it with a new team and manufacturer this time around.
Tom Blomqvist is looking to capture a third straight overall win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona but he'll have to do it with a new team and manufacturer this time around.

Despite Helio Castroneves not pursuing a fourth straight overall win, a pair of streaks are very much alive in the GTP category.

But in order for one to survive, the other must die.

Tom Blomqvist, who drove the final stretch for the winning Meyer Shank Racing team a year ago, is chasing a third straight overall victory to match the mark Castroneves set last year. Last year also marked a third win in a row for Acura.

And while Blomqvist is back, Meyer Shank isn't, so Blomqvist has switched allegiances and will drive as part of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing team alongside Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken. Cadillac took the overall win in 2020 for Wayne Taylor Racing, the year before Acura began its current streak.

Roar Before the 24 weather report: Coming in hot … going out cold

If weather is atop your requirement list for attendance to this weekend’s Roar, perhaps Friday is the day for you.

Indeed, the latest forecast for the opening day of racing at Daytona International Speedway looks nice, with highs reaching the low 70s. And though clouds are expected to be present and that could always mean a passing shower, the chance of rain is just 25%.

But oh, what a difference a day can make. Especially, in Florida.

The weekend looks significantly different to say the least with high temperatures barely peaking over 50 degrees Saturday before finding a home in the mid-50s Sunday. That includes a low of 43 on Saturday night. On the bright side, no precipitation is expected.

So, save the room you might otherwise dedicate to a pancho for a set of long johns and some handwarmers.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: IMSA Roar Before the 24 at Daytona: 5 things to watch this weekend