That great harbinger of a new year’s racing season gets underway today — the Rolex 24-Hours at Daytona. The official start of IMSA’s ultra-competitive Weathertech Sportscar Championship, America’s answer to the WEC, and the unofficial starting gun for the feast of motorsports that lies ahead of us in 2019, this year’s Rolex 24 will feature a dazzling array of high tech cars and the world’s best drivers.

The grueling overnight marathon inevitably attracts top talent as third and fourth drivers for teams with deep pockets and this year is no exception. In the Prototype class, Acura Team Penske will add Indy stars Simon Pagenaud and Alexander Rossi to their regular two-car lineup of Juan Pablo Montoya & Dane Camron and Helio Catsroneves & Ricky Taylor respectively. Meanwhile Wayne Taylor’s redoubtable #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac gets a serious infusion of star power with Toyota WEC teammates, Le Mans winners and former F1 aces Fernando Alonso and Kamui Kobayashi bolstering regulars Renger van der Zander and Jordan Taylor as they try to defend their overall Weathertech Championship in this crucial first contest. Continue reading →