Rolex 24 Pre-Race Fast Facts:
- Wayne Taylor Racing’s Renger van der Zande captured the pole position in the Prototype class with a lap of 1:36.083, edging out Helio Castroneves by 0.007 seconds.
- Danish racer Jan Magnussen earned his 20th career IMSA pole position for Corvette Racing in GTLM with a lap of 1:42.779.
- Daniel Serra took pole postition in GTD with a 1:46.049 in the No. 51 Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GT3.
- Scott Pruett trying for his 11th Rolex 24 class win. He is tied with Hurley Haywood for most overall Rolex 24 victories (five), and he’s the all-time win leader in IMSA competition with 60 career victories.
- Race start at 2:40PM EST on Saturday, January 27th.
ROLEX AND DAYTONA
Rolex’s connection to Daytona harks back to an even earlier time when Daytona Beach was considered the capital of land speed records in the early 20th century. The long, flat and very firm Daytona Beach played host to 14 land speed records in the early part of the 20th century – five of which were set by Sir Malcolm Campbell, including the fastest official record there of 276mph in 1935 at the wheel of his mighty Bluebird with a Rolex on his wrist. In 1992 Rolex formalized this long-standing association with Daytona and the Speedway becoming the Official Timepiece and Title Sponsor of the 24-hour Daytona classic, further strengthening the link between the race and the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watch. After 26 years, the brand is now so closely tied to the event that motor sport aficionados simply refer to it as “The Rolex”.
