The C8.Rs had been hit twice with BoP and to just hit again the day before this weekend's race starts

The C8.R teams were already unhappy with the C8.Rs pace and qualified well down the GTD-Pro class with a P8 and P9 finish during last Sunday’s qualifying race.

IMSA has given both the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R and BMW M4 GT3 additional weight ahead of this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Confirmed in a pre-event Balance of Performance table, the Corvette will now run at a minimum weight of 1335 kg, (2,900 lbs) marking a 15 kg increase compared to its configuration in last weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24, with the BMW handed 10 kg of additional weight.

Both cars, however, have been handed aero adjustments that should help with straight-line speed, with the Corvette set to run at an 8-degree minimum rear wing angle (-3 degrees) and the new-for-2022 BMW at -2.2 degrees after previously being set at 0 degrees.

Additionally, the BMW will lose 4 liters of fuel capacity.

The changes come after both cars appeared to struggle for pace in the Roar,
with the Corvettes finishing piss poor eighth and ninth and BMWs in 12th and 13th in the 13-class GTD Pro class prior to several post-race penalties for tire pressure infringements.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2022)

Corvette Racing begins its 24th season of competition this weekend with the Rolex 24 At Daytona to start the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
It’s a new season in more than one way as it marks the team’s first foray into GT Daytona (GTD) PRO competition.

The team logged three days of testing plus Sunday’s 100-minute qualifying race to set the Rolex 24 grid. Throughout the weekend, Corvette Racing engineers gathered useful data on a number of new items that are unique to the GTD-spec version of the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

The twice-around-the-clock endurance race around at the 3.56-mile road course inside the Daytona International Speedway presents a number of challenges and elements that aren’t found anywhere else in racing, according to two members of Corvette Racing:

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/Sirius XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“I love this event and being at Daytona. You’re going to straight into it and starting the season with one of the most important races. There’s no way to ease into things. You have to be on it, and this sets the tone for the season. It’s a unique situation compared to Europe.
I’ve done this event several times now, so I’m used to it. Plus it’s a unique setting. The track is cool and fun with the banking. Plus you have a GT class that is this big. It’s an event we all look forward to every year.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“Daytona is always cool because it’s this big, standalone event. Yes, it’s part of a points-scoring championship but it’s still the Daytona 24 Hours. So it’s always cool. It’s different this year, especially for us on the 4 Corvette side for two reasons. For one, we have this new-spec C8.R GTD car so that’s different and new.

I was telling someone the other day that Corvette Racing have been coming here for years and years and years with the same kind of formula and the same knowledge about how things should play out. This year it’s all a bit different and new. It’s fresh and very interesting to go into something new while learning and experimenting while not really knowing how things will work. Plus it’s a single event for our side of the garage before we go off to the WEC.
But Daytona still has that big atmosphere and big levels of anticipation of what’s coming and what’s ahead of you.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA

• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. It is the closest finish in race history.
• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car going on 24 years: Corvette Racing and Chevrolet.
• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort.
• 4: Rolex 24 wins in 11 tries for Corvette Racing: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)
• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 29: Number of GTLM wins for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014. Corvette Racing moves to GTD PRO starting with this year’s Rolex 24.
• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor. The list will grow by one with the addition of Marco Sorensen for this year’s race.
• 25: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.
• 31: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 69: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 were produced that year.
• 120: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 112 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
• 250: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 49,723.16: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing at Daytona. That’s more than two full trips around the Earth at its equator (approx. 24,900 miles).
• 333,179.36: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon!

What’s New on the GTD PRO Corvette?

There have been lots of questions about changes to the Corvette C8.R for the IMSA GTD PRO class. There is quite a bit of work the Corvette Racing team has undertaken to transition the car from GTLM spec to meet GTD technical regulations. Here are a handful of key areas:

1. The mass of the C8.R is increased by 65 kilograms (143 lbs.) relative to Daytona 2021. To accommodate the ballast box required by the GT3/GTD regulations to hold the extra weight, the Corvette Racing team had to reconfigure the entire passenger side floor compartment. This required the move of the air conditioning unit, fire bottle, battery box and other electronics. This was no small feat with integration requiring significant effort by the Corvette Racing engineering team.

2. The 2022 Corvette GTD entry is running on customer Michelin tires, which are required for the category. This is a change from GTLM where the C8.R ran on confidential tires – ones that were specifically designed for Corvette Racing.

3. The power output of the C8.R’s flat-plane V8 is significantly reduced under GTD rules. The difference between the size of this year’s Daytona air restrictor and 2021 is nearly 1.7 mm.

4. Related to that, the GTD PRO Corvette is running with a higher angle of attack on the rear wing than previous years. This creates a greater level of drag on the race car and significantly reduces top speed.

5. The addition of ABS is required under GT3/GTD rules. As many observers are aware, Corvette Racing tested this in competition for the first time last year at Belle Isle in the GTLM Corvette. The system continued to be improved throughout testing late last year and early this season both virtually and in the real world.

6. The differential of the Corvette C8.R must now comply with GT3/GTD regulations. A limited slip differential configuration is permitted with a single homologated set of ramps. This required removal of some tuning options previously available on the GTLM Corvette.

7. Unlike other GTD teams, the C8.Rs are required to run with torque axle sensors. These directly measure the output of the Corvette engine and the data is used by IMSA for the BOP process.

The Chevrolet Fan Experience
Chevrolet aficionados will have no shortage of things to see and do at the Rolex 24. That’s because three locations around Daytona International Speedway – the Chevrolet Experience Center, the Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Motorsports Display – will be full of Chevrolet vehicles that spectators can learn more about throughout the weekend.

Each location will open at 9 a.m., Friday and Saturday; and 8 a.m., Sunday.

The Chevrolet Experience Center is located next to Victory Lane. The main attraction for Corvette enthusiasts is the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – a nearly mirror image of the Corvette C8.R race car. Among its features is a 5.5L, flat-plane V8 capable of reaching 8,600 rpms. The 670hp output is the highest for any naturally aspirated V8 produced by any production car in the world.

In addition, Chevrolet vehicles on display at the Experience Center include the 2022 Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition, Camaro ZL1, Tahoe High Country and Colorado ZR2, plus a Corvette Z06 chassis.

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display in the Fan Midway will have a number of attractions:
• Production vehicles such as the Corvette Stingray with the Z51 package, Tahoe RST, Blazer RS, Colorado Z71, Silverado 2500 HD Crew Carhartt, Camaro ZL1, a Corvette C8.R showcar and a Stingray cutaway chassis.
• Samples of Chevrolet engines, performance parts and accessories available to fans for purchase from local Chevrolet dealers
• Corvette Racing t-shirts for fans who sign up with Chevrolet

At the Chevrolet Injector, nearly 20 different Chevrolet vehicles are on display throughout the four levels of fan access. Models include Trax LT, Equinox RS, Traverse Premier, Trailblazer ACTIV and RS, Blazer Premier and RS, Silverado 1500 Trailboss, Silverado HD and 2500 Crew Cab LTZ, Corvette Stingray Convertible, Camaro ZL1 and 2SS Coupe, Colorado Z71 Crew Cab and ZR2, Suburban 4WD High Country and Tahoe LTZ

As at the Chevrolet Motorsports Display and Chevrolet Experience, Chevrolet product specialists will be on-hand to answer questions on each model of Chevrolet vehicle throughout the weekend.

Corvette Z06 at Barrett-Jackson
Also of note, the first 70th Anniversary Edition 2023 Corvette Z06 off the production line will be auctioned Saturday at the annual Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Ariz. Corvette Racing veterans Oliver Gavin and Ron Fellows will be on-hand and take part in the auction.

Net proceeds from the sale of these cars benefit Operation Homefront. Celebrating 20 years of serving America’s military families, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.

Corvette Racing at Daytona
1999
No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS

2000
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS

2001
No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole)

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second)

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM

2020 (Rolex 24 – January)
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM

2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM

2021
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM

A severe cold front heading south from the Great Lakes & Eastern Canada will descend on Florida Friday, making the racing there in the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 29-30 colder than it has been in years.

Temperatures could possibly even reach below the freezing mark.

A hard freeze is expected, the worst in four years in the Central Florida area.
Forecasts vary, with some having Saturday night lows from 27 to 30 degrees, along with possible rain.
The high Saturday, according to MSN Weather, will be 48, and 51 on Sunday.

Friday, when the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge will take the green flag, is when the front is expected to arrive, with a high Friday of 63 and a low of 39.
There is about a 40 percent chance of rain during the race.
The rain should clear by Saturday, just leaving frigid by Florida standards temperatures for the rest of the weekend.

The cold weather could affect tire strategy and other aspects of the Rolex 24, but it will run, as always, rain, shine, hot or cold.

If wanting to watch or tape the whole 24 hours you will need to be jumping all over TV channels and if not paying for Peacock you'll be missing parts of race

NBC Sports’ coverage of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season begins this weekend with live coverage of the 60th Rolex 24 at Daytona on NBC, USA Network and Peacock.

The network’s comprehensive presentation will utilize 14 of its IMSA, NASCAR and IndyCar commentators, analysts and reporters headlined by NBC Sports’ lead IMSA commentating team of play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey, Rolex 24 winner and former IMSA GT driver and analyst Calvin Fish (analyst) alongside NASCAR on NBC analyst and NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

IndyCar veteran driver James Hinchcliffe makes his on-air debut with NBC Sports, joining Marty Snider and Vanessa Richardson on the Peacock Pit Box on pit road, and also serving as an analyst in the booth.

Steve Letarte will be pulling an all-nighter for NBC Sports, working all 24 hours of the race. Letarte will work alongside his NASCAR on NBC booth-mate Jeff Burton to provide analysis and showcase the unique experience at the Rolex 24 infield.

Parker Kligerman, Kevin Lee and Dillon Welch will serve as pit reporters throughout the event. Dave Burns and Brian Till will also serve as play-by-play commentators.

In addition to comprehensive Rolex 24 coverage, Peacock will also provide exclusive streaming coverage of Robert Wickens’ return to racing in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Daytona this Friday at 1:35 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ coverage will also include a number of features surrounding the Rolex 24, including a piece highlighting the 60-year anniversary of the event, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s interview with Mario Andretti, and an interview with Wickens following his return to racing on Friday.

Below are the broadcast details for the Rolex 24 at Daytona (all times ET). All coverage will also stream on Peacock.

Sat., Jan. 29
1:30-2:30 p.m. NBC
2:30-4 p.m. Peacock
4-7 p.m. USA Network
7-10 p.m. Peacock
10 p.m. – 3 a.m. USA Network
Sun., Jan. 30
3-6 a.m. Peacock
6 a.m. – Noon USA Network
Noon – 2 p.m. NBC

LIVE TIMING: http://scoring.imsa.com/

Live Timing for mobile device: http://scoring.imsa.com/mobile.html


Entry List: https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...ry-List-v2.pdf


Radio: IMSA Radio
http://imsatv.imsa.com/

http://radiolemans.0157.org/nplayer.php

Local: 107.9 FM local at track, 93.5 FM and 1150 AM in Daytona

XM channel 202/online 992

2) PIT NOTES: http://twitter.com/ @CorvetteRacing, @IMSA, @IMSAlive, @DISupdates, @Rolex24Hours
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CorvetteRacingFans/


BoP pdf tables: https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...BoP-012522.pdf

First practice today

3 cars never made a lap, so sets the C8.R times look better but clearly BoP not helping them

***This is the historic sixty anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

***The Rolex 24 is the first race of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which features the four longest races of the IMSA season.

***The 61-car field in the WeatherTech Championship is up 12 cars from 2021 and the largest field here since 2014.

***Last year’s 49-car Rolex 24 field completed a combined total of 29,678 laps or 105,654 miles, an average of 605.673 laps or 2,156 miles per starter.

***Only six of the 49 starters in 2021 competed fewer than 500 laps.

***The 2021 race winning No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 completed a massive 807 laps or 2,872.92 miles of the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway circuit.

***With 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes per hour, the Rolex 24 represents 84,000 ticks of the clock. The 2021 margin of victory was 4.704 seconds.

***With a bigger 61-car field in 2022, Michelin estimates that a 60-minute green flag run in dry conditions will produce more than 5,000 miles in a single hour.

***Michelin has shipped 30 semi-trailer loads of tires and equipment to Daytona for the IMSA season-opening events.

***There are 35 Michelin race tire engineers, tire specialists, and managers on site in addition to a crew of 75 who are working in rotating shifts to handle tire inventory, mounting, balancing and release to teams.

***Daytona International Speedway is living up to the “international” middle name, as drivers from 26 countries have entered the Rolex 24. The seven DPi entries include drivers from 13 countries.

***Last year, track temperatures in the 24-hour race ranged from 56 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees. During the 2021 season, Michelin reports that track temperatures ranged from 39 degrees at Road Atlanta to 127 degrees at Lime Rock.

***Teams may look to double stint Michelin tires, especially through the night when temperatures are colder, as keeping hot tires on the car can be an advantage.

***Tire warmers are not permitted in IMSA.

***The BMW M4 GT3 will be making its IMSA debut. This is now the top car in the high-performance M Motorsport range. Michelin is proud to have been on every edition of the M class.

***Some of the biggest names in racing will be in Daytona. This includes Indy 500 champions, IndyCar champions, a NASCAR Champ and several overall 24 hours of Le Mans winners.

***Teams and fans are excited to have the IMSA Radio crew back on site for the first time since the pandemic.

***The Rolex 24 begins the countdown to what will be the first race of the new IMSA World Endurance Championship agreement that will bring Prototype class entries from many top manufacturers here next January.

What’s New on the GTD PRO Corvette?

There have been lots of questions about changes to the Corvette C8.R for the IMSA GTD PRO class. There is quite a bit of work the Corvette Racing team has undertaken to transition the car from GTLM spec to meet GTD technical regulations. Here are a handful of key areas:

1. The mass of the C8.R is increased by 65 kilograms (143 lbs.) relative to Daytona 2021.
To accommodate the ballast box required by the GT3/GTD regulations to hold the extra weight, the Corvette Racing team had to reconfigure the entire passenger side floor compartment. This required the move of the air conditioning unit, fire bottle, battery box and other electronics.
This was no small feat, with integration requiring significant effort by the Corvette Racing engineering team.

2. The 2022 Corvette GTD entry is running on customer Michelin tires, which are required for the category.
This is a change from GTLM where the C8.R ran on confidential tires, ones that were specifically designed for Corvette Racing.

3. The power output of the C8.R’s flat-plane V8 is significantly reduced under GTD rules.
The difference between the size of this year’s Daytona air restrictor and 2021 is nearly 1.7 mm.

4. Related to that, the GTD PRO Corvette is running with a higher angle of attack on the rear wing than previous years.
This creates a greater level of drag on the race car and significantly reduces top speed.

5. The addition of ABS is required under GT3/GTD rules. As many observers are aware, Corvette Racing tested this in competition for the first time last year at Belle Isle in the GTLM Corvette. The system continued to be improved throughout testing late last year and early this season, both virtually and in the real world.

6. The differential of the Corvette C8.R must now comply with GT3/GTD regulations. A limited slip differential configuration is permitted with a single homologated set of ramps. This required removal of some tuning options previously available on the GTLM Corvette.

7. Unlike other GTD teams, the C8.Rs are required to run with torque axle sensors.
These directly measure the output of the Corvette engine and the data is used by IMSA for the BOP process.

Second practice session is over

Again, many of the cars did not spend much time on the track in the 1 1/2 hour session
You can tell by looking at the laps each completed
Notice the C8.Rs ran the most laps

Last session for today is at 7 PM

Third Practice

Still cars not having many laps for this nighttime session as some are afraid of the weather :-(