Place your bets: Rolex 24 At Daytona

First off, no, we're not placing actual wagers here. Rick and I were discussing next week's big race. So, who are your favorites? Lots of unknowns, lots of contenders and lots of variables. Who do you like?

Prototype: Is it one of the proven DP teams like Ganassi or Wayne Taylor or a new contender? So much newness all around. You can argue that the DPs are new for 2014, and then there's the added variable/newness of the Ford Ecoboost. Is the Mazda diesel a factor? Nissan? Honda? Is this the right opportunity for a team like Spirit of Daytona to swoop in? Or is the DeltaWing going to win it? How much will tires and fuel economy matter?

Prototype Challenge: Yes, a spec class, but some familiar teams in the field.

GT LeMans: Again, all new for Daytona this year. Do you bet against the factory Porsches? Stacked driver lineup, but a new car. Letterman/Rahal have an equally tough lineup in their BMWs. Viper? Hard to bet against a Riley at Daytona. Or is "Corvette" the answer? Anyone want to place their bets on the Ferraris? Aston Martin?

GT Daytona: More questions and unknowns. The Porsche GT America has a nice chunk of the field, but it's also new for this year. And if it is the right choice, who has the best team? Dempsey? Magnus? Alex Job? Park Place? NGT? Check the driver rosters--yes, they have their gentleman drivers, but there's some serious pros in the field. Will Audi repeat? The Fall-Line car could be tough. Or Flying Lizard? Turner BMW? Viper? Ferrari? Aston?

Discuss. I'm supposed to stay neutral, so for now I'll just kibitz.

I'm not sure, all new chassis and motor for Corvette. As professional and prepared as they are I doubt there will be many teething issues. Flying Lizard switching to the R8 might complicate things, adjusting to a new car and rhythm of driver changes and repairs.

I'm not sure what to expect but I'm excited for racing to roar again!

I don't think you could have more of a wide open field in the prototype class than we have this year. The DPs have a lot of new modifications, including more downforce and and extra 50-75 HP, which could affect their normally excellent reliability. The P2s are reliable, but have been slower than the DPs all winter, and have never run on a track like Daytona. Deltawing has been been fast, but, you know, still the Deltawing.... The Mazda diesels are still heavy in development, I don't expect them to do much. The new Ford turbo engine is in the back of the winning teams from the past 3 years, and didn't prove reliable in testing. I think it's going to be one of the Corvette DPs, just because it's the most proven package out there. Every single car has outstanding drier lineups, so not much to choose between them there.

Corvette DP or one of the Hondas; PC challenge...meh; GT Le Mans Corvette still wins; GT Daytona Audi repeats. Sad no Camaros back in GT Daytona

Does anybody else think a GT might win overall?

I'd love to see Mazda do well in prototypes, and I think Corvette and Viper are going to be tough to beat in both of the 'body' classes.

I want to know where to watch the darned thing on the internet. I used to be able to get this stuff through espn3, but I am now not so sure.

Is there a Morgan in the field this year? Where do I find a driver roster?

You can find an entry list on this page:

http://www.imsa.com/races/rolex-24-daytona

an Aston Martin won the VIR 13hr this yr… they've been around long enough now to have worked out most of the bugs

I would be worried (if I was a DP team) about the added downforce …. that can put a huge amt. of stress on suspension parts … might take a couple of seasons to figure out all the strengthening that needs to be done

This is going to be a hard one to call.
The DP's yes have more knowledge of the, but not a lot more, as we have seen in previous years, it is more than just the car. There are always drivers brought in that know the track, this is seen at LeMans as well. I will go out on a limb and call for the P2 cars, probably the Muscle Milk - Pickett racing machine to win overall and the Prototype class. Steady and consistent will win out.

For the GT Class. Well I am a Porsche guy. Porsche will win, but not by much and not with one of the new 991 GT3's, Audi and then Ferrari. The Poor Aston Martins, just do not have the reliability. Their lick always seems to run out.

I have my flame suit on. Go ahead. Roast me. LOL

RollinM wrote: Does anybody else think a GT might win overall?

I hadn't thought of that, but even with all of the Prototype newness, I'm going to say a GT overall win is unlikely. (Of course, if it does happen, then you heard it here first, sports fans.)

Team means far more in a long distance race than the car. I dont think that there will be enough durability problems to wipe out the entire prototype field but I can see a really good GT team getting into the final 3. I dont think that you will see the 24HR sprint race that we are all used to seeing.

David S. Wallens wrote: GT LeMans: Again, all new for Daytona this year. Do you bet against the factory Porsches? Stacked driver lineup, but a new car. GT Daytona: More questions and unknowns. The Porsche GT America has a nice chunk of the field, but it's also new for this year. And if it is the right choice, who has the best team? Dempsey? Magnus? Alex Job? Park Place? NGT? Check the driver rosters--yes, they have their gentleman drivers, but there's some serious pros in the field. Will Audi repeat? The Fall-Line car could be tough. Or Flying Lizard? Turner BMW? Viper? Ferrari? Aston?

1. I wouldn't call the Porsche GTLM "new". CORE got the same chassis that ran in the WEC all last year. And don't forget, they did win Le Mans...

2. I think the GT Americas will be tough to beat, just on sheer strength of number. There are 12 of them, and each one has a better driver lineup than the last. Of the Porsches, I'd say AJR may have the best chance, but I wouldn't count out Snow, Dempsey or Magnus either. That said, Audi Customer Racing has a history of "sharing data", so they are effectively running as one 5-car team, whereas Porsche won't share anything with anyone. It could be a tough one. Heck, even the Ferraris still have a shot.

David S. Wallens wrote:

RollinM wrote: Does anybody else think a GT might win overall?

I hadn't thought of that, but even with all of the Prototype newness, I'm going to say a GT overall win is unlikely. (Of course, if it does happen, then you heard it here first, sports fans.)

I'd say an LMPC overall victory is MUCH more likely than a GTLM overall victory. They're super reliable, very proven chassis, and are way more aerodynamically efficient than the GTLM cars.

That said, I don't see anything other than a Prototype taking the win. If nothing else, one of the Corvette DPs will just cruise it home.

I could see a GTD being faster than a GTLM, though... They're narrower and slipperier on the high banks, and have only a slight disadvantage on the infield sections. The winning GTD car will place higher than 80% of the GTLM field, I'll bet. (This is ONLY for Daytona. Everywhere else, the GTLM cars will be much faster).

whenry wrote: Team means far more in a long distance race than the car. I dont think that there will be enough durability problems to wipe out the entire prototype field but I can see a really good GT team getting into the final 3. I dont think that you will see the 24HR sprint race that we are all used to seeing.

a few yr ago the SpeedSource RX8 made it into the top 10 (if memory serves) …

David S. Wallens wrote:

RollinM wrote: Does anybody else think a GT might win overall?

I hadn't thought of that, but even with all of the Prototype newness, I'm going to say a GT overall win is unlikely. (Of course, if it does happen, then you heard it here first, sports fans.)

But none of the prototype classes are really that new. The old P2 cars are largely left alone, it's only the former DP cars that have significant changes- and most of those are about downforce and cornering.

This isn't like the first year that the Dp cars showed, where none of them were reliable. Most of the prototypes have many development miles under them.

The one I would be concerned with is the one I'm rooting for. Which is the Ford V6- it's newer than most other engines that will be on the track.

That said, my logic tells me that Ganassi will do well, as will the HPD P2 cars.

I just WANT the Ecoboost to win. That would rock.

Yeah the Ecoboost winning would be... wait for it..... legendary

really tough to call this one in any class except for LMPC perhaps. I have not payed attention to those entries so I really couldn't guess but little has changed for that class. BOP is still a significant factor and not truly sorted IMO. From what I have seen so far I think the DP's will have the edge for this years 24 hr race (interject nascar conspiracy theory here). I dont even like the DP's but would love to see the Ford EcoBoost in the top 3 and the real underdog, the Mazda Diesel, are the car I am really interested in seeing, I just hope they finish. Sooo many Porsche's and Ferrari's in the GT LM/D field! I think they will come out on top with corvette not far behind. It would be cool to see the vipers do well, but I really think it is not the right car for the series, the narrow tech regs and BOP really take their toll on them.

Now, the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge... THAT will be good racing to watch this season, it could possibly turn out to be the greatest season we have ever seen for that series!

Excited for the 24 but it should be cool at sebring when hondas turbo DP motor debuts.

I've pitched a pants tent simply because it's my first race in over 3 years.

magnus porsche vid rediscover sportscar

Here's what I think: I hate that we have more than two classes...and will be glad when this thing finally shakes out in a year or two. I just like the simplicity of one kind of prototype and one kind of GT.

But yeah, this year is a total crap shoot.

I agree with Andy … but also understand the need for big fields, which the "spec" class cars provide … my opinion only, but I think they really just clutter up the field … even if they do pay the bills

iirc in an earlier statement from IMSA many of the race weekends will see the lmpc cars run their own race and not combined. The Rolex 24, 12hr of Sebring, (possibly 6 hrs of the Glen) & Petite are the exceptions.