and Full WeatherTech Championship Season
Full Field of 60 Entries Accepted for 2023 Season-Opener at Daytona
After receiving more than 70 entries from teams wishing to compete in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29, 2023, IMSA officials today confirmed a capacity 60-car field for the season-opening round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Fifty-six of the 60 entries have committed to the complete, four-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, with 45 cars planned for full-season WeatherTech Championship programs. The 60-car field at Daytona represents the maximum field size with new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) machines requiring slightly larger pit boxes than their predecessors.
“More than 70 total entries and a 60-car field as we kick off a new era for WeatherTech Championship competition speaks volumes for the interest in international endurance sports car racing and our IMSA platform,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “Arriving at this 60-car entry list for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona required a substantial effort from our team at IMSA. We are proud to present one of the strongest and most competitive fields we have seen and cannot wait to put on a tremendous show for a global audience of racing fans next month.”
The debut race for the GTP class will see a total of nine entries representing four manufacturers: Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche. All nine cars participated in a two-day, IMSA-sanctioned test session at Daytona International Speedway last week. The entire, 60-car field will participate in the three-day Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona test on Jan. 20-22, culminating with Rolex 24 qualifying on Sunday, Jan. 22.
The GT Daytona (GTD) class again will have the largest field with 24 entries having been selected. The GTD field will include GT3-spec race cars from nine different manufacturers – Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche – with Pro-Am driver lineups.
The GTD PRO class returns with eight entries from seven different manufacturers: Aston Marin, Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. Two brand-new race cars – the Ferrari 296 GT3 and the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) – and the updated Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will make their respective debuts in the GTD PRO and GTD classes.
Both Pro-Am prototype classes also will feature full fields in the Rolex 24. The LMP2 class boasts a 10-car field of ORECA LMP2 07 machines. The LMP3 class includes a nine-car entry consisting of four Duqueine D08 race cars and five teams fielding the Ligier JS P320.
