NASCAR Flexes its Muscle at the Rolex 24 at Daytona

The 62nd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona took place this weekend under clear skies and a packed house. Brad Pitt was there, filming scenes for his upcoming racing drama. As were numerous Indy and F1 legends. NASCAR’s presence was significant throughout the 24-hour endurance race — if not as much on track, certainly leading up to the race as well as behind the scenes, ensuring the Rolex 24 remains one of the premiere events in all of motor racing.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona kicks off the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. NASCAR owns IMSA and was eager to promote this combined endurance race. NASCAR even made sure to tell its fans exactly where they could watch the race — as it was split across NBC, USA Network, and Peacock streaming.

Maybe it’s a coincidence, but this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona was the most attended in history. Fans got to watch four classes of cars compete on track: the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) — “prototype classes.” Plus, the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) — sports car classes. In other words, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Ferrari, Lexus, Porsche, Toyota and more, all on track, all bringing their very best. That alone makes the Rolex 24 worth watching. Plus, the competing drivers are a proverbial who’s who from across the world of motor racing.

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Rolex 24 Brings Together Racing’s Elite

The Rolex 24 — aka 24 hours at Daytona — is the biggest race on the IMSA calendar. Given the unique elements of the race, at Daytona, combined classes, twenty-four hours, nearly every major manufacturer, it’s not surprising the Rolex 24 attracts some of the very best drivers in the world. Name drop? How about Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Jenson Button, Felipe Masa, and Pato O’Ward. That’s just a small sampling.

NASCAR drivers have a storied history racing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, although much less so this year. This year, NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and John Hunter Nemechek helped set the tone, racing in the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge leading up to the main race. They were joined by NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Corey Helm. This four-hour endurance challenge, a sort of practice run just before the Rolex 24,  often attracts NASCAR’s rising stars. Last year, Zane Smith and Harrison Burton won in a Ford.

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NASCAR Founder’s Vision Proven Correct at Rolex 24

The NASCAR connections with the ISMA-run 24 Hours at Daytona are many. ISMA got its start with help from Bill France, Sr., founder of NASCAR. And the Rolex 24 is a testament to France’s vision of bringing a best-in-classes endurance race to the US. In fact, on the NASCAR on NBC podcast, ISMA president John Doonan said France’s vision of a “Daytona Continental,” much like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has been validated. “(Bill France) was trying to have the best drivers, best teams and best cars compete at the World Center of Racing. And the unique nature of the track alone is enough to get world-class drivers excited. Where else in the world is there 31 degrees of banking that you get to run a sports car?”

Over the years, numerous NASCAR drivers have run the 24 hours at Daytona. Jeff Gordon won twice. Mark Martin won back in 1995. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced it in 2001.  Now that NASCAR outright owns ISMA, they are flexing their marketing and technical muscles to promote the race. More manufacturers, more fans in the stand, more viewers, better race coverage. Good for the sport.

Check out ISMA for the final results and times by class for all 59 teams.

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