Two-time IMSA champion Pipo Derani will join DXDT Racing for next month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, completing the team’s lineup in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

The Brazilian, who was recently named to the new Gensis Magma Racing LMDh effort, joins the previously announced Salih Yoluc, Charlie Eastwood, and Alec Udell in the GTD class entry.

Derani gained his first laps of the Corvette during last month’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway.

“I am excited to join DXDT for the 24 Hours of Daytona,” Derani said. “[Team manager] Erin Gahagan and I worked together many years ago at Patron ESM and I have a huge respect for the work she does.

“DXDT had so much success last year and has a very promising and exciting new chapter in IMSA starting in 2025.

“I hope that by joining them for Daytona I can contribute to their IMSA success.
I would also like to thank the fact that Genesis Magma Racing allowed me to join DXDT for this race, as it’s a great way to kick off the year and stay sharp and race ready.”

Team owner David Askew added: “Pipo is a great addition to our team for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. He’s a proven winner at this race and in this series, so he knows how to get the job done.

“He was a great help to us at the test back in November, and after watching him race and win in endurance races for the last decade, I know he has that special something to help us win this race. I can’t wait to see him in the car in January.”

It was previously confirmed that Robert Wickens will drive the DXDT Corvette for the five sprint rounds next year, with his co-driver yet to be announced.

Corvette Racing’s influence in the Rolex 24 At Daytona continues to grow with the release of the entry list for next month’s season-opening race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Five Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are taking part in the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 on the road course at Daytona International Speedway the largest number of production-based racing Corvettes in the race since 2007.
A total of 18 drivers, seven of them Corvette factory pilots will drive the Z06 GT3.R, which is starting its second season of global competition.

• Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella(No. 3 Corvette); Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone (No. 4 Corvette)
• AWA – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Martin Kirchhoeffer (No. 13 Corvette)
• DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell, Salih Yoluc, Pipo Derani (No. 36 Corvette)
• Trackhouse by TF Sport – GTD PRO: Ben Keating, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch (No. 91 Corvette)

Each of the collection of Corvettes will participate in the three-day Roar Before the 24 the week before the Rolex.
The 2024 season was one of success and learning for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and its teams. Among the highlights were 11 race victories in North America one of which came from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports the Bob Akin Award (and an entry for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans) for AWA’s Fidani and the GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.

In addition, DXDT Racing scored 10 victories in GT World Challenge America with the Corvette, including the Z06 GT3.R’s first global win and TF Sport claimed a double-podium to close the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship.
The Corvette brand has a deep history at the Rolex 24 and includes four GT class victories, one of those an overall win in 2000.

Corvette Racing performance and powertrain engineers made significant improvements to the Z06 GT3.R throughout its first season of competition. Much of the work focused on optimizing performance and enhancing the Corvette’s reliability.
The outright pace of the Corvette GT3 is evident with 12 pole positions across three series in 2024, and the reliability took huge steps forward in the second half of the year.

The Roar Before the 24 is set for January 17-19, with seven sessions scheduled across the three days. The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 25 with qualifying on Thursday, January 23.

CORVETTE RACING FACTORY DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I am more anxious to race at Daytona than I have been in several years.
There is a lot that everyone at Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller has going for us ahead of the Rolex 24.

Obviously, we expect a lot in the second year with the Z06 GT3.R after a win and some poles last year in IMSA. The other programs in WEC and World Challenge performed really well, especially in the second half of their seasons.
The pace of the car is there, and I’m confident that so is the reliability. Our lineup should be very, very strong with having Alex and Dani having another year with this team.
There are big reasons for us to be confident, and I hope we can achieve our goal of winning another Rolex 24 in a Corvette.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It’s going to be really nice to go into the season with an understanding of the team that I have around me and continuity having worked with Antonio and Dani. Knowing it will be the same this year is great, along with Andy Ramsey as our race engineer.
We’ve built up a really good understanding together, so I hope we can build on that, and I feel like we might be a little bit further down the road for the first few races in terms of our understanding of one another.

It’s not going to create any massive differences in terms of performance, but it’s nice from a personal point of view to have that nice working atmosphere of who you’re going to be with.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Expectations are high for my second year in IMSA has a Corvette factory driver. Now that we have a full year of development of the Z06 GT3.R, it should make our life a lot easier. We finished the season with a test at Sebring, which was really positive in all areas.
I think we have a wonderful starting point for the season coming up. I can’t wait to go again.
Likewise, I love Daytona and starting the season with such a big event, including the Roar and Rolex 24.
I’m excited for that and to see how we fare against the competition.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“A year of racing there’s no better test of a machine and driver than a full season of racing in IMSA. I feel like we’re not worried about or thinking about having a brand-new car like we did at the start of 2024. We have a Corvette now that has had a full year’s worth of running in several series.
It’s the same car with some smaller updates to make the car more comfortable to drive and more reliable.

We’ve had that experience now and can focus on the things that are different this year, like the torque axle sensors. Luckily for us, the TF Sport guys and Corvette Racing in WEC have a year’s worth of experience with that. We’ll use that and all the knowledge that Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller have for Daytona and put that toward giving us the best chance to get a win.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“For 2025, I have good hopes because I think we are a lot further along with the development and understanding of the Corvette than we were last year. So coming into the Daytona 24 Hours, I generally do believe that we have a chance to win it, whereas last year was a little bit more of an exploration of what the car would do and where we would be. But I do believe we have a serious shot.

There are some changes from IMSA which to me are very positive. We can be a bit more focused again on racing the people we need to race. I’m personally a very big fan of that. I’m looking forward to some tough battles.
I think we will have a full grid as well for Daytona.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I can’t express how happy I am to join the Corvette team again in IMSA, now with Pratt Miller. It’s exciting to be in the GTD PRO program, and it gives me vibes of 2023 where we won the World Championship together in WEC. It’s my first time running in the U.S. in the GTD PRO car.
Furthermore, it will be really special to represent Corvette in such an important series.

There are a lot of fans at the races in America, so it will be super fun. I also get to share again the weekends with the mechanics and engineers that I know. I love all those people that make up the team, and I’m looking forward to giving my best and being in the best form of my life to bring the results that the Z06 GT3.R deserves. The car in its first year showed a lot of potential.
Hopefully we can put it together in 2025 for some of these big race wins.
It will be tough work to join Tommy and Nicky, but I think we have a great lineup to fight for big things. I’m super-excited and looking forward to it.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’m really looking forward to joining DXDT Racing. I think the lineup with have in GTD is as strong as any on paper. We had a strong test with the team at Daytona. There is an amazing bunch of guys and girls within the team.
You can see why they had so much success in GT World Challenge America in 2024 because they have so many great qualities and so many great people working within the team.

I was looking forward to the season before the test, and now I can’t wait to get started since the test.
I think we have an excellent chance to get some big results, which I’m gunning to make sure that I make sure to do in 2025 and my second year with Corvette.”

First time for Corvettes as 5 Z06s will be racing at the IMSA 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona

Three Corvettes will be racing in the GTD-Pro class
Two Corvettes will be in the lower GTD class

First will be the 2025 Roar Before The Rolex 24 Jan 17-19th

Then

Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Florida, Rolex 24 Hours

January 23-26, 2025

Race Day/Time: Saturday, January 25 – 1:40 p.m. ET

NBC Network Coverage: LIVE, Saturday, January 25 @ 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET; Sunday, January 26, 12:00-2:00 p.m. ET

Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET in the U.S.; International feed coverage available on IMSA.tv and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial (outside the U.S.)

Live Qualifying Stream: Thursday, January 23 – 2:05 p.m. ET on Peacock and IMSA.tv (in the U.S.) and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial (outside the U.S.)

Circuit Type: 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course

Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Grand Touring Daytona (GTD)

Race Length: 24 hours

Track Social Media:

Instagram: @daytona
Facebook: @daytona
X (formerly Twitter): @daytona, @Rolex24Hours

Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #Rolex24

Trackhouse Racing and TF Sport’s all-star team at the 63rd Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona now has the backing of WeatherTech as a primary partner of the No. 91 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

WeatherTech will continue a partnership with Trackhouse that began last year, when the American automotive accessories manufacturer sponsored Shane van Gisbergen during his NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign.

Van Gisbergen and fellow Australian Supercars champion alumni Scott McLaughlin were already announced to drive the No. 91 Corvette alongside Trackhouse NASCAR development driver and 2024 LMP2 class winner Connor Zilisch, and top-rated American Bronze driver Ben Keating.

“We began a relationship with Trackhouse Racing last year in NASCAR, and now we will be part of their sports car program in this year’s Rolex 24,” said David MacNeil, founder of WeatherTech. “Every sports car fan recognizes WeatherTech, and we feel like Daytona International Speedway is our second home.
I think (Trackhouse founder and owner) Justin (Marks) has put together a talented team, and we are ready to go racing in 2025.”

“We are honored WeatherTech joined us on this project, and we feel this combination of drivers, race teams, manufacturer and corporate sponsors are as good as any competing in Daytona this year,” said Marks, a class winner at the Rolex 24 in 2009.

WeatherTech will also sponsor van Gisbergen and Zilisch in their respective NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series campaigns in 2025.

WeatherTech will serve as the primary partner for the No. 91 “Trackhouse by TF Sport” Corvette driven by an all-star driver lineup when it competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 25-26.

Trackhouse Racing’s NASCAR drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch along with INDYCAR star Scott McLaughlin and longtime sports car racer Ben Keating will drive the No. 91 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R that will compete in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO class for the 24-hour race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.“We began a relationship with Trackhouse Racing last year in NASCAR and now we will be part of their sports car program in this year’s Rolex 24,” said WeatherTech founder David MacNeil.

“Every sports car fan recognizes WeatherTech, and we feel like Daytona International Speedway is our second home.
I think (Trackhouse founder and owner) Justin (Marks) has put together a talented team, and we are ready to go racing in 2025.”

The Bolingbrook, Illinois, company is a leading manufacturer of premium American-made automotive accessories and home and pet care products. The company has a long history in sports car racing in America. It became the IMSA title sponsor in 2016 and extended its agreement through 2030.

WeatherTech will also serve as the primary sponsor of Van Gisbergen in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series and Zilisch in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.

“We are honored WeatherTech joined us on this project and we feel this combination of drivers, race teams, manufacturer and corporate sponsors are as good as any competing in Daytona this year,” said Marks, who won the Rolex race as a driver in 2009.

Trackhouse Racing has fielded NASCAR Cup Series cars since 2021 visiting victory lane eight times with drivers Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez and Van Gisbergen all in Chevrolets.
It joined the MotoGP grid in 2024, bringing an American team back to the pinnacle of motorcycle racing for the first time in over a decade.

The TF Sport team was founded by Tom Ferrier and headquartered in Slinfold, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom.

It has enjoyed a winning pedigree since the outset, claiming multiple championship titles in the British GT Championship, the GTWC endurance championship and the Michelin Le Mans Cup. TF Sport claimed victory at the Spa 24 Hours (2019) and two wins at Le Mans 24 Hours (2020) and (2022). The team were also crowned World Endurance champions in 2022.

The Trackhouse Racing Powered by TF Sport team makes its on-track debut during a three-day test called the Roar Before the Rolex 24 on Jan. 16-19, and returns for practice, qualifying for the 24-hour race on Jan. 23-26.

5 Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set for three days of testing ahead of Rolex 24

The second season of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R kicks off in a big way this weekend with the annual Roar Before the 24 the stage-setting event for the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Five Corvette GT3s from four teams dot the 61-car entry across two of the four classes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The quintet of Corvettes each will test Friday through Sunday on the 3.56-mile Daytona Road Course ahead of next weekend’s season-opening round:

• Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella (No. 3 Corvette); Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone (No. 4 Corvette)
• AWA Racing – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Mavtin Kirchhoeffer (No. 13 Corvette)
• DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell, Salih Yoluc, Pipo Derani (No. 36 Corvette)
• Trackhouse by TF Sport – GTD PRO: Ben Keating, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch (No. 91 Corvette)

This year’s group marks the largest number of production-based racing Corvettes in the race since 2007. The Corvette Racing brand has a deep history at the Rolex 24 and includes four GT class victories – one of those an overall win in 2001. In addition, Corvette’s successes at Daytona have bolstered Chevrolet’s impressive record of 122 wins at the circuit across IMSA and NASCAR’s national series.

Corvette Racing performance and powertrain engineers made significant improvements to the Z06 GT3.R throughout its first season of competition. Much of the work focused on optimizing performance and enhancing the Corvette’s reliability. The outright pace of the Corvette GT3 is evident with 12 pole positions across three series in 2024, and the reliability took huge steps forward in the second half of the year.

The Roar Before the 24 is set for January 17-19 with seven sessions scheduled across the three days.
The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 25 with qualifying on Thursday, January 23.

JESSICA DANE, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

“Everyone at Corvette Racing and our Corvette Z06 GT3.R teams is excited and optimistic heading to Daytona. After our initial season of racing and development, we feel confident going into this year’s Roar with a group of Corvettes that are both quick and reliable.
The engineering teams across the whole Corvette Racing program have spent a considerable amount of time and effort making sure our teams are set up for success this year at Daytona and the rest of our 2025 schedule. With five Z06 GT3.Rs across two classes in this year’s Rolex 24, Corvette fans aren’t going to want to miss it.”

SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“We have a whole season under our belt now with the Corvette. Quite a few of the issues that we had last season are ones we’ve ironed out along with understanding the platform and understanding the car better so we can extract more performance from it more often.
We understand the strengths and weaknesses of the package, of which there aren’t many weaknesses, thankfully.”

“For Daytona, it’s always a huge challenge to complete the first race of the year. I would hope that this year it will be a step better than last year.
Already last year, we had good speed during the race, but with it being the first race of the ZZ06 GT3.R it was understandable that we were still finding out some areas that needed to be improved.
Firstly, the priority would be to finish the race with both cars on the Pratt Miller side on the lead lap without any reliability issues. If we are able to do that, then we’ll be able to fight for the places toward the front.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“For me going into my second season in IMSA, it will make things a little bit easier. There will be a track where I have now been to once, instead of not having been there at all.
One other very positive thing is that my 2023 teammate Nico is joining us as a third driver, which is something we are very happy about. He clearly was very good and a good teammate to have when we won the World Championship. I’m glad he is in our car instead of being in another and racing against him!
He’s incredibly fast so I’m looking forward to working with him again. It’s a very positive outlook for the season.”

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 SABELT / SONIC / PROJEKT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I have been with this team since 2019, and I have grown so much with them as a driver over the years.
I’m looking forward to another season in the GTD class with the Corvette. This year has been so important for us, and we’ve learned a lot about the car throughout each round, with the help of GM and Chevrolet. We’re getting more and more competitive as we continue to progress, and I’m confident that 2025 will be even better.”

ALEC UDELL, NO. 36 MOBIL 1 / SuCo CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’m excited to get back in action with DXDT Racing at Daytona. We’ve got a very talented group of drivers, first-class engineers, crew and team leadership. It’s all an exciting combination. I can’t say enough about how appreciative I am of the efforts across the board to put the team in the best position to compete at the top here in GTD. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R treated us superbly last season, and I’m pumped to tackle the IMSA challenges behind the wheel of the Chevy this year.”

BEN KEATING, NO. 91 WEATHERTECH CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’m really excited for this. I’ve won Le Mans in a Corvette and won a World Championship in a Corvette. I’m thrilled to be back with TF Sport, a team that I know very well and one where we won a lot of races and a championship together.
Furthermore, I’m teaming with some phenomenal Chevrolet drivers in Shane, Scott and Connor, which should be a lot of fun.
This will be a big challenge, but one that I know we are all up looking forward to and are up for.”

7th and last practice for the Rolex has been completed and results as a PDF is at the end of this

Inclement weather failed to put a damper on the final day of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship testing at the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

While the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963s remained in the Daytona International Speedway garages during a rainy one-hour concluding session for the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, the two customer 963s fielded by Proton Competition and JDC-Miller MotorSports topped the timing screens.

Neel Jani posted the day’s best lap of 1 minute, 45.433 seconds (121.556 miles per hour) in Proton’s No. 5 Porsche, just surpassing Gianmaria Bruni’s 1:45.879 (121.044 mph) in JDC-Miller’s similar No. 85 car.
Jack Aitken filled out the top three in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, while Sheldon van der Linde continued BMW’s impressive form in the lead-up to next weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona by logging the fourth-best time in the wet conditions.

Jani’s lap was almost exactly 10 seconds off the fastest lap of the three-day Roar test, a 1:35.424 (134.306 mph) effort turned in on Friday afternoon by Dries Vanthoor in the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8.
Forty-one of the 61 cars entered for next weekend’s twice-around-the-clock contest turned laps Sunday in a 60-minute session that was delayed more than two hours when a thunderstorm brought track activity to a halt.

“We decided to drive because we have not had any experience yet in Daytona in the wet with that car,” said Jani, a 41-year-old from Switzerland. “We were trying it out and gathering data to see how the tire develops and how tire pressures develop, especially on the banking.

“In the beginning it was a bit drier and there were some dry patches in the (Le Mans) chicane, but afterward the conditions got worse,” he added. “But it was a very interesting session for us, just in terms of learning in the various conditions. Next week, it looks like on qualifying day it could be wet; this way we already have a bit of experience.”

The wet track contributed to a handful of spins in Turn 1, but there were no crashes as drivers took care to not damage their cars prior to race weekend.
“When there is no standing water, there is actually good grip because there is not a lot of rubber down,” Jani said.
“But when it rains a lot, there’s a big danger of aquaplaning. Turn 1 is definitely a tricky one, because if you cross the rubber line, it’s very slippery. And Turn 1 has a lot of rubber everywhere! So you have to find that two-meter gap somewhere in that line that has the grip. As soon as you miss that line, it gets fairly tricky.”

Paul Di Resta (No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07) paced the 10 Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) entries that elected to practice in the wet. His 1:49.870 lap works out to a 116.647 mph average and was 0.6 second up on Mikkel Jensen in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA.

Ollie Millroy in the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 was fastest among all Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class competitors at 1:57.033 (109.507 mph).
The fastest GTD PRO entry was the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, with Alexander Sims clocking 1:57.672 (108.913 mph).

In continued damp but improving conditions later Saturday afternoon, the seventh and final session of the weekend was reserved for Bronze-rated drivers. That produced a handful of off-course excursions but nothing major.
Dan Goldberg led LMP2 in the seventh session in the aforementioned No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA, with a best time of 1 minute, 40.613 seconds (127.379 mph), which was ultimately the fastest lap of the day.

Anthony McIntosh (No. 19 van der Steur Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo) led GTD at 1:48.459 (118.164 mph) and Kenny Habul (No. 75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3) led GTD PRO at 1:48.756 (117.841 mph).

The field for the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be set on Thursday, January 23, prior to the race on Saturday, January 25. NBC television coverage starts at 1:30 p.m. ET.

The group of five Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona completed their three days of testing at Daytona

International Speedway on Sunday with the four teams focused ahead to next weekend’s twice-around-the-clock classic.
The Rolex 24 marks the start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the second season of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R program.
After claiming 11 race wins and the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturers Championship in GTD PRO during 2024, optimism is high heading into Daytona.

The five Corvettes combined to complete 980 laps for nearly 3,500 miles valuable track time considering there are only three practice sessions and qualifying across Thursday and Friday of the coming week before the green flag falls Saturday.
The gaps in both GTD PRO and GTD were razor-thin with all five of the Z06 GT3.Rs well entrenched in the top-10 of their respective classes.
Antonio Garcia set the pace among the GTD PRO Corvettes with the fourth-fastest time across the weekend 1:48.242 (118.401 mph) during Saturday afternoon’s running.

In GTD, AWA’s Matt Bell put the No. 13 Corvette fifth class with a 1:48.169 (118.481 mph) in Friday’s opening test for the quickest Corvette lap of the weekend.
GTD PRO Corvette Z06 GT3.R Weekend Fast Times
• No. 3 Corvette – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella – 1:48.242 (118.401 mph) – fourth-fastest in class
• No. 4 Corvette – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Nico Varrone – 1:48.515 (118.103 mph) – 10th-fastest in class
• No. 91 Corvette – Trackhouse by TF Sport – Ben Keating, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch – 1:48.435 (118.190 mph) – ninth-fastest in class

GTD Corvette Z06 GT3.R Weekend Fast Times
• No. 13 Corvette – AWA – Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Marvin Kirchhöfer – 1:48.169 (118.481 mph) – fifth-fastest in class
• No. 36 Corvette – DXDT Racing – Charlie Eastwood, Pipo Derani, Alec Udell, Salih Yoluc – 1:48.389 (118.240 mph) – 10th fastest in class
• This year’s group marks the largest number of production-based racing Corvettes in the race since 2007. The Corvette Racing brand has a deep history at the Rolex 24 and includes four GT class victories – one of those an overall win in 2001. In addition, Corvette’s successes at Daytona have bolstered Chevrolet’s impressive record of 122 wins at the circuit across IMSA and NASCAR’s national series.
• Corvette Racing performance and powertrain engineers made significant improvements to the Z06 GT3.R throughout its first season of competition. Much of the work focused on optimizing performance and enhancing the Corvette’s reliability. The outright pace of the Corvette GT3 is evident with 12 pole positions across three series in 2024, and the reliability took huge steps forward in the second half of the year.
• The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 25 with qualifying on Thursday, January 23. The race will feature live television segments on NBC and USA and flag-to-flag coverage on Peacock in the U.S., and IMSA.com for international viewers.

• JESSICA DANE, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

“From our side, things throughout the Roar were as positive as we could have hoped. All five Corvettes ran without any significant issue during the three days in a variety of conditions. The feedback from the teams has been good and valuable for our collective group.
Our goal now is to take that input and what we saw in the data to help the group be in the best possible spot for Thursday’s practice and qualifying, and then ultimately the race.”

• SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES

• ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“The most important thing from this weekend is definitely miles. You need miles and go toward your program for the race. For this race as always, it doesn’t really matter where you start. At some point, you’re going to cycle to the back of the field and then back to the front with the yellows.
Unlike Le Mans where you have to be up front from Lap One, here you can sit back a little bit and stay out of trouble.

But you need to know as much as possible your setups, how to react to track changes and different approaches.
That was the goal last year, and we learned more about that this year.

“The GT class splits will be something that helps the overall racing this year. It was always a strange feeling where you were mixing fights in two different classes. I don’t think the GTD cars wanted us in that, so it’s nice that we are split now so we can have our own race and not interfere with each other.
This is a good step forward.”

• TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“This is the first opportunity in the offseason after the guys have had a chance to look at everything, to come with some new setup options and ideas. There were things that can be tidied up through the experience of last year. It’s the first chance to prove those things. Then it’s about miles, getting all three guys in the car and getting new guys who are on the team comfortable in their positions.

You try to get yourself as prepared as possible not just for the Rolex but for the season. With Nico joining the team, it gives him a good chance to get comfortable again with the team and engineers, do some driver change practices and all that kind of stuff. It’s all a little bit of housekeeping things that you need to do and an opportunity to work on the car to make sure we have our Corvette as strong as we can have it coming into the race.”

• MATT BELL, NO. 13 SABELT / SONIC / PROJEKT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It’s like a different planet compared to last year. The team is a better spot, the Corvette is in a better spot and the team is in a better spot with the car. It’s hugely positive on that side of things. I feel like we feel as well-prepared as we have been coming here, even the year we won it. From a preparation standpoint, I think we are as good as you could possibly get going into the Rolex 24.”

• MARVIN KIRCHÖFFER, NO. 13 SABELT / SONIC / PROJEKT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’m still figuring out the car a little bit because it is still new to me. But I’m generally quite impressed with it. The team is really helping me along, and my teammates are giving great advice to help me get up to speed. Overall I’m very impressed by AWA. They are doing a great job giving me all the information and also from the operational side. From Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller,
I’ve found it very interesting and very professional. I’m not really used to that, having these kinds of meetings. It’s very good for the teams, very good for the brand and very good to have everyone on the same page. Obviously this gives you the best ingredients to have a strong Rolex 24.

“Confidence is one of the most important things – feeling confident with the car, feeling confident with the procedures. This race is about minimizing mistakes and errors. So it’s not ultimately about having the fastest car and fastest drivers. It’s about minimizing those errors and mistakes. I can see here that this is down to Chevy as the manufacturer, Pratt Miller and obviously the team side with AWA.
All these three are working very, very well together and the communication is very good.”

• CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 MOBIL 1 / SuCo CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“We’re on-track with things. DXDT Racing, although its their first full-season IMSA race, they’ve got a lot of great people that have done a lot of IMSA races, especially this one. One of our guys, this is his 42nd Daytona! But then we also have the likes of Bryan Sellers, who has been amazing to work with and is teaching us a lot.
We’re on top of the strategy side and are trying to put us on the right side of all the scenarios of what can potentially go wrong in the race or lose you the race whether that’s doing tricky pit stops, managing the tires and managing the race itself.

Twenty hours of the race will be making sure we have a clean car for the end. Hopefully we have enough pace to be there at the end.

“You definitely wouldn’t think this their first race in IMSA, I’ll guarantee you that. It’s a really, really nice bunch to work with, which helps because there are no egos or wrong-doings within the team. To have that attitude in that we’re all still learning in individual ways. Everything is going as well as it can at the minute.”

• PIPO DERANI, NO. 36 MOBIL 1 / SuCo CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Having the test in November was very useful for me so I got here knowing what to expect. It had been more than five years since I last drove a GT car. You don’t know what to expect. Then you have your first day in the car, then you second day and then things start coming back.
You tweak your driving a little bit and start getting better and better. We’ve gone through that phase now.

The team has been very supportive and especially Charlie with his experience in the Corvette. I got up to speed quicker than I thought I would, so that’s positive. It’s all about learning the maximum amount for next week.”

• SCOTT McLAUGHLIN, NO. 91 WEATHERTECH CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Things have been pretty simple so far. Learning the ABS and electronics has been the biggest thing. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve driven a car with electronics like this. Understanding and putting your trust in those is difficult, especially for myself. But you get into a flow reasonably quickly. So yeah, it’s all been good.

“The simulator session (before the Roar) was incredible. Having that opportunity to do that work, I’m very thankful for that now. The way that Chevrolet has integrated us from a part-timers perspective, they’ve treated us like we are full-time. They’ve been great and the Corvette drivers have been great.
I’ve texted back and forth with Dani Juncadella a couple of times, and he’s been awesome. It’s what I’m used to in IndyCar. The Team Chevy family is full of good people.”

• SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 91 WEATHERTECH CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“This event hasn’t changed a lot since I was here last. It’s still the same and has got a nice vibe. It’s awesome to be here with such a cool car.
The Corvette is really easy to drive, but of course we want to make it faster which makes it harder to drive.

So it’s been great to be back here. I wouldn’t say the race is about luck. It’s about getting all the little things right preparation, making sure all the drivers are comfortable, making sure the team gets everything right. There are so many factors that go into getting a good result at a race like this.
We just have to make sure everything is right.”

Qualify to be on Thursday 2:10 PM EST

No. 91 Trackhouse by TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Ben Keating/Scott McLaughlin/Shane van Gisbergen/Connor Zilisch
Justin Marks’ Trackhouse Racing, in partnership with sports car specialists TF Sport, may be a pre-race clubhouse leader for splashy guest entries. Keating only has one Rolex win to his name (2015, GTD) but his extensive sports car experience and championships have solidified his status as one of the pre-eminent Bronze-rated drivers racing globally.
Past Supercars title rivals McLaughlin and van Gisbergen have left their native land behind, learned America, and won races in their new full-time series of IndyCar and NASCAR (both Cup and Xfinity Series).

Then there’s Zilisch, who like van Gisbergen is part of the Red Bull family of athletes, and at age 18 assembled a banner 2024 campaign that included Rolex 24 and Sebring 12 wins with Era Motorsport in LMP2, a win in his NASCAR Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen, and other triumphs in ARCA and Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin. This is one of THE cars to watch.
No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Antonio Garcia/Alexander Sims/Daniel Juncadella

The Corvette brand has four GT class victories at the Rolex 24, including an overall triumph in 2001. In the team’s No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, it has another contender with the same trio of Garcia, Sims and Juncadella.
Garcia and Sims partnered to give the new car its first IMSA win at the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Garcia (three) and Juncadella (one) have Rolex 24 wins to their name, while Sims is yet to secure his first Rolex winner’s timepiece.

No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Tommy Milner/Nicky Catsburg/Nico Varrone
It’s hard to believe it’s nearly a decade since Milner’s lone Rolex 24 win, in an epic teammate battle against Garcia in the No. 3 car in 2016. Alas, nine years have passed since that date. But Milner racked up wins with the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R in additional GT3 competition in 2024, even as he and Catsburg’s best result in IMSA competition was second at CTMP in that Corvette 1-2.
Third driver Varrone is new to Corvette Racing’s IMSA program, but not new to winning with Corvette Racing: he, Catsburg and Ben Keating shared the last GTE AM class win at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans in the Corvette C8.R.

No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Salih Yoluc/Alec Udell/Charlie Eastwood/Pipo Derani
DXDT Racing enters IMSA with high potential and storylines peppered across its striking, blue-to-green gradient colored Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Having swept through the SRO World Challenge America season last year with eight straight wins at one point, including the first global win for the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R, DXDT shifts to IMSA for 2025 with many IMSA components already embedded in the program.

Two-time IMSA champion Bryan Sellers steps away from driving and serves as program manager, working alongside DXDT team owner David Askew and general manager Erin Gahagan (who also has extensive IMSA managerial experience).

Among the drivers, Yoluc and Eastwood have raced together before in other global programs, including a 2020 GTE Am class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Udell was part of that SRO sweep of wins last year and has had some IMSA success, including two GTD podiums in 2023.

Derani, a two-time IMSA prototype champion (2021, 2023) with Cadillac Whelen and Action Express Racing, appears set to spend most of his year doing development work with Genesis’ new LMDh prototype while making a GTD cameo at the Rolex 24. Robert Wickens will race with this team starting at Long Beach, with both his debut and that of his electronic hand-brake control system from Bosch one to watch later this year.

No. 13 AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Orey Fidani/Matt Bell (UK)/Lars Kern/Marvin Kirchhoefer
An intended two-car program for AWA dropped to the single, No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R after just two races, but that didn’t halt the momentum or progress this lineup achieved in its first year with the new customer car. Fidani and Bell posted four top-six finishes in the deep GTD class, with Fidani’s consistency clinching the Bob Akin Award and a trip to the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year.
As in past years, Kern completes the Michelin Endurance Cup lineup, while Kirchhoefer replaces Alex Lynn as the Rolex 24 fourth.

Corvette factory driver Nico Varrone says his three-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program is “more important” and carries “more responsibility” as he aims to help Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports chase the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro title.

Varrone will contest the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and Motul Petit Le Mans with the works-supported No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R this season alongside full-season drivers Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg after a partial 2024 IMSA campaign aboard the customer No. 17 AWA Corvette.

“Even if it’s three races, it’s three big ones that everyone wants to win,” Varrone told Sportscar365.
“So it’s more important and more responsibility, but with the lineup we have with Tommy and Nicky and with Pratt Miller to back us, I think we have a great chance of putting the Corvette Z06 [GT3.R] on top and to fight for wins.

“I think for every driver to drive in the factory car in IMSA, plus the Corvette with the fan base they have here in America, is great.
“It feels powerful to be in the yellow Corvette. You’re always in other cars watching it. When you see it on track, it’s like, ‘Wow! Maybe one day [I] will be there,’ so I’m enjoying it a lot.”

Varrone’s Corvette driving duties in the WeatherTech Championship will complement his recently-announced Hypercar class drive with Proton Competition in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The 24-year-old Argentinian driver helped Corvette Racing to the 2023 WEC GTE-Am title and contested last season’s Rolex 24 and Twelve Hours of Sebring in the GTD class No. 17 AWA Corvette before the program downsized to run only the sister No. 13 entry.

“I’ve been able to do it in WEC in 2023 with Nicky [Catsburg] and Ben Keating,” said Varrone, “but with it now in IMSA, it’s like another game, another step.
“I want to do a good job myself and help the guys to win races and hopefully be in a position to win the championship in Petit for them. It’s the overall [goal], and mostly do a good job and try to win races.”

Varrone feels his previous experience with Corvette and Pratt Miller in the WEC, a partial WeatherTech Championship season last year, and factory testing duties have helped him prepare for his new challenge.
“[It has helped] being able to work with Pratt Miller, with the Corvette factory guys, learn from them, and knowing everyone in the team, and doing a lot of the development on the GT3 last year,” he said.

“Even when I was not driving in IMSA or in WEC, I was doing a lot of testing with them and developing some stuff, so I feel prepared. I can’t wait to get rolling here in Daytona.

“I love IMSA. I love racing here in this series. It’s super fun, and there are a lot of great drivers, great teams, and great competition.
“Competition is tough, it’s rough, but that’s what racing is all about. I miss that, I enjoy it. I enjoy a lot of tracks here.”