Through Saturday night, there were 5 test sessions

The No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.R, in GTD class, encountered a clutch issue in the morning session, which was fixed by the afternoon.

5th session
The GTD class entry was 0.143 seconds quicker than
the GTD Pro pace-setting No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Nicky Catsburg.

Sunday’s action includes two final WeatherTech Championship sessions, from 9:45-10:45 a.m. ET and 2:30-4 p.m., with the final session for FIA Bronze-rated drivers only, as well as the fifth and final Pilot Challenge test session and Race 2 for VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, which gets underway at 1:20 p.m. ET with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA’s YouTube channel.

DXDT is back too, with factory driver Charlie Eastwood leading the line here in Florida. The Irishman believes the team is ready to reach victory lane for the first time in IMSA.

Why?
The team now has a season under its belt to build on and has assembled a line-up capable of fighting at the sharp end. The two Silver-graded drivers, Salih Yoluc and Mason Filippi, will benefit from the firepower of both Eastwood and IndyCar ace Scott McLaughlin.
If all goes to plan, they will form a dynamic duo, tasked primarily with taking the fight to the front-runners late in the race, should the crew emerge from the night hours unscathed.

“We think we have a really, really strong chance,” Eastwood told RACER. “We missed a bit of pace earlier in the year last year, which is fairly normal when you’re new to a championship. But by Petit, our pace was good. We’re leaving no stone unturned, and we’re as prepared as anyone at this stage.

“We actually went to Sebring two months ago to try the new Michelin GTD tire and back-to-back test it with the old one ahead of the season. Characteristically, it’s better; you get a bit more feedback from the front axle, and we feel we can load it a bit nicer. Lap time isn’t crazy different, but we found it faster. And that’s part of our drive to make sure we are ready to come here. We have a few items to check off during this weekend, and then we’ll be ready.”

McLaughlin, who briefly looked in the frame for a Porsche GTP drive due to his ties to Penske and his run in the Sanctioned Test, is energized by his late deal to join the Corvette concern.

“I felt I might get a chance with Porsche, and they went their own way with driver count,” he said. ”That was fine, but I just love this race and wanted to be a part of it. I have a pretty good relationship with GM and Corvette, and it worked out pretty well. I know the car really well, so I’m excited by what's ahead.

“We’re going to have to ask Mason and Salih to do a lot of fast times and long stints early on, then hopefully Charlie and I can push hard at the end.”

The wild card for Corvette is the newcomer to the customer stable, DragonSpeed. The U.S.-flagged team heads into 2026 off the back of a hugely impressive 2025 season in GTD PRO with Ferrari. The Elton Julian-led effort, partnered with Risi Competizione for technical support, was a title contender all the way to the end of the season with the 296 GT3.

Rather than stay the course with Ferrari for another championship push, though, DragonSpeed decided before the end of the 2025 season to switch manufacturers. Corvette and GM were chosen, and in the aftermath of Petit Le Mans, the team announced its new direction and got to work.

It’s a big change. The team is learning on the job during the Roar weekend, as the timing of its new chassis delivery meant only a short shakedown was possible before this week.
Driver Giacomo Altoe, back with the team, was positive after its first full day running the car on Friday, along with his teammates Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson and Matteo Cairoli.

“It’s amazing and a very different feeling than what I'm used to,” Altoe said after his first taste of the Corvette.
“Of course, I needed a few laps to adapt. Handling was different, but it's also very different from how I'm seated in the car with the seating position, the sound, and how the car works.

“I still need to go through all the systems, so there is a lot of homework to do. I just need to find out what the car needs, and we will keep progressing.

"I actually really liked being out there in traffic. The rearview camera works very well, it’s something I like.
Henrik is doing well, too, and is really happy with the car. It's a very positive start."

DragonSpeed’s strength is in its breadth of experience in sports car racing, operating at a high level in prototype and GT racing with a variety of cars. There’s also plenty of track time across this weekend and next week in the build-up to the race, which should allow the team enough time to get its teeth into the ins and outs of its new bit of kit.

Normally, you’d rule out a team making a switch in manufacturer just weeks out from the start of a campaign from being a force early on, but what DragonSpeed has proven in the past is that it is a fearless operation capable of springing a surprise.

The five Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set for the Rolex 24 At Daytona wrapped up three days of valuable and successful testing Sunday with the conclusion of the annual Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway.
A week ahead of the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships, the quintet of Corvette teams expressed satisfaction with the amounts of laps and data they accumulated around the 3.56-mile Daytona Road Course:

• No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Marvin Kirchhöfer – 1:47.775 (118.914 mph)
• No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone – 1:47.810 (118.876 mph)
• No. 13 13 Autosport – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Ben Green – 1:48.061 (118.599 mph)
• No. 36 DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Mason Filippi, Salih Yoluc, Scott McLaughlin – 1:47.805 (118.881 mph)
• No. 81 DragonSpeed – GTD: Giacomo Altoé, Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson, Matteo Cairoli – 1:48.087 (118.5671 mph)

(*Fastest drivers in bold)

Those results will give Corvette Racing and team engineers plenty to sift through before Thursday’s first official opening practice for the Rolex 24. One year ago, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R recorded a GTD class win (AWA’s No. 13 Corvette) and a runner-up finish in GTD PRO (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 3 Z06 GT3.R).

As a program, Corvette Racing has a deep and successful history at the Rolex 24 and includes five 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 125 wins at the circuit across IMSA and NASCAR’s national series.

The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24 with qualifying on Thursday, January 22. Live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC with full live coverage on Peacock in the United States and on IMSA.com for video outside the U.S. and global IMSA Radio coverage.

SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“We may have a couple of minor issues, but both our cars have run pretty much every lap that has been available. I’m happy with it and there is a lot of data to collect. We’ll put everything together from these days ahead of Thursday. We’ll have a few things to try then or validate as well. But things are going in the right direction for next week with what we have. We just need to wait and see, but I’m happy.”

MARVIN KIRCHHOFER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“So far, so good. It’s still early days to really understand where we are. But we had a smooth Roar so far to finish up.
There is some information and some tweaks that are getting us pointed in the right direction for next week.
I’m really enjoying the time with the team. This is basically like the first week back at school for me. So I’m enjoying the challenge.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“My overarching impression after these three days is that this is the best prepared we’ve been going into the Rolex, and it’s the best this car has felt going into the race.
We obviously have a lot of notes and knowledge on the GT3 Corvette now so we’re able to hone in on something that we like faster than previous. We started by showing up with a car that we were happy with balance-wise. We’ve continued to tune on it and make some improvements, for sure. There’s a lot of continuity between the driver lineup, crew and engineering
I feel like we’re in a great place going into this race.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“For me, it’s an honor to be here. I always say this, but it is true.
I’m really proud and privileged to drive with this team and with this group. Everything is really professional and for me, it’s one of the best teams in the world.
Another season in and I know the team that much better. I think we are working better than this time last year and that makes a big difference. Having Nicky and Tommy as teammates is great.
We were really strong to close last year at Petit Le Mans. So this is a great lineup, and we’re working through different things to get it right for next week. I think things will get a little more difficult on-track as the race gets closer. Right now everyone is doing their own thing so you really don’t have the amount of traffic. Once we get to next weekend, and we get into the start and restarts, there definitely will be more chaos.”

LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“What happened last year is always in the back of our minds. We did pretty alright here last year so we know what it takes.
But it’s a new year and a new game. We have Ben (Green) here with us and he’s doing a great job. So it’s a new combination but with a lot of known pieces.
The car is perfect with no issues so far. We’re really looking forward and ahead to next week.”

BEN GREEN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’ve really enjoyed my first laps here at Daytona.
Our Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R is feeling fantastic and everyone at 13 Autosport is doing a great job and getting up to speed quickly. We feel ready for the race next week and have done everything we need to do during the course of the Roar tests to prepare ourselves well for that. I’m really excited to get going and take on the Rolex 24!”

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

“The jump we’ve made this year is unbelievable. So many of the crew are the same, but there are a few key positions that have changed, and I think that’s really elevated it even further.
The Roar has probably never gone better for myself over the years. The Corvette feels unbelievable. We were chasing it all of last year for 10 days and to be honest never really found it.
We arrived for the first session here pretty close, and we’ve chipped away with it. My teammates were happy with it last night, and I was happy with it yesterday afternoon. Let’s see where the track goes.

This track sort of changes over the next week and the pace goes up too. But if you have a really good base here, it helps a lot. We definitely seem to have that at the minute. We’ve collected loads of data and have a lot to process over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because we’ve run through seven sessions in three days here. But I think we’re in really good shape.”

MASON FILIPPI, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Luckily we were able to get together and spend a few days in the shop to really get to know the team. These are my first few days in the Corvette, and it’s awesome. It’s really comfortable to drive and every single time you get back in you feel more comfortable, and you can knock down the laptime.
Everyone on the team has been awesome to work with.
Charlie (Eastwood) and Scott (McLaughlin) both know the car really well so it’s great to pick their brain and be a sponge to learn everything as I go.

“Under braking and understanding the tire a little. With the braking capability of this car, you have to utilize that, and I think that’s where I’ve been able to improve from my first few laps. We’re in a good spot. It will be a long 24 hours, but we’ll be ready to fight.”

GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It was a nice and smooth first session for us.
No issues at all, and that was the main target. It was my first ever laps in the Corvette. It’s amazing and a very different feeling than what I’m used to. Of course, I needed a few laps to adapt. Handling was different, but it’s also very different with how I’m seated in the car with the seating position, the sound, how the car works.
I still need to go through all the systems, so there is a lot of homework to do.
I just need to find out what the car needs and we will keep progressing.

“I actually really liked being out there in traffic. The rearview camera works very well and that was something that I like. Henrik did well and is really happy with the car. It’s a very positive start.”

CASPER STEVENSON, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It’s hard to know exactly where we are, but we’ve done a lot of laps; I think close to the most out of everyone.
The car has run faultlessly so I don’t see how it could have been more productive. I feel like we’ve made progress not just with the Corvette, but also the small things like seat belts, the seats and everything.

There’s still some work to do, driver change practice and all that kind of housekeeping stuff.
I don’t see any reason why we won’t be competitive next week. Matteo arrives next week, so I think we will be really strong. The biggest gains have been understanding how to drive the car.
We were lucky to do one test, and that gave me some things to think about for this time. I feel like I don’t fully know the Corvette, but I’m getting there, and it’s starting to feel more comfortable.”

No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R
Antonio Garcia/Alexander Sims/Marvin Kirchhoefer

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ longtime No. 3 car returned to the top of the GT mountain in 2025, claiming the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s first GTD PRO championship. Garcia now has a six-pack of championships, five since IMSA reunited in 2014, with Sims adding a GTD PRO title to his 2023 Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) crown.

New third driver Kirchhoefer is the only one of the trio with a recent Rolex 24 win, having been part of customer team AWA’s 2025 Corvette triumph in GTD. Garcia has three Rolex 24 wins (2009 overall, 2015 and 2021 class) while Sims seeks his first Rolex to add to his IMSA championships and dry yet biting British wit and humor.

No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R
Tommy Milner/Nicky Catsburg/Nico Varrone

Like Garcia, Milner’s record with Corvette stretches nearly two decades, though it’s now been a full decade since his only Rolex 24 win as part of an epic Corvette 1-2 battle for GT Le Mans (GTLM) supremacy in 2016.
His last IMSA win is more recent, but still already five years ago in 2021 at VIR, also in GTLM.
Catsburg, a sharp and speedy Dutchman behind the wheel, was part of Corvette Racing’s last Rolex 24 win in 2021 with Garcia and Jordan Taylor in GTLM. Varrone is the most recent Rolex 24 winner of the trio, having also been part of an AWA Rolex 24-winning lineup (Le Mans Prototype 3 in 2023).

Alexander Sims grabbed GTD Pro pole in the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, having reeled off a benchmark 1:45.106 lap time.

Sims’ time was 0.170 seconds quicker than second-placed Neil Verhagen in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which was second quickest in class but only sixth in the overall ranking.
The No. 59 Rahal Letterman Lanigan McLaren 720S GT3 Evo of Dean McDonald was third in class ahead of Maro Engel’s 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo in fourth.

GTD qualifying honors went to the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo of Zach Robichon, who was set the second-quickest time amongst the production-based cars.

The GTD Pro grid will be re-ordered ahead of the entire GTD field, a process that debuted last year.

Robichon recorded a best lap of 1:45.113 to edge out defending class champion Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG by 0.074 seconds.
The FIA Silver-rated Canadian will share the wheel of the Aston with Mattia Drudi, Tom Gamble and Eduardo Barrichello.

Robby Foley was third quickest in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW, with Charlie Eastwood (DXDT Racing Corvette) and Valentin Hasse Clot (Van der Steur Racing Aston Martin) completing the top five in class.

A final practice session is on tap for Friday morning before the start of the Florida endurance classic on Saturday at 1:40 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC and IMSA Radio, as well as IMSA’s YouTube channel for international viewers.

A Corvette Z06 GT3.R earned a class victory at the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona. But it wasn’t fielded by the factory supported Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team.

On Thursday, Alexander Sims took the first step toward winning this year’s twice-around-the clock classic at Daytona International Speedway by driving Pratt Miller’s familiar yellow No. 3 Corvette to the Motul Pole Award for the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class.

Sims turned in the pole-winning lap with a little under four minutes remaining in the 15-minute GTD PRO qualifying session. It was a businesslike performance that demonstrated the flagship Corvette team’s level of preparation for the opening round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

His time of 1 minute, 45.106 seconds (121.934 miles per hour) was well off the GTD PRO class record of 1:44.382 set by Seb Priaulx in 2024 as the 3.56-mile Daytona road course was graced with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. Warm conditions are expected to continue into the weekend.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports has earned four GT class wins at Daytona (2001, ’15, ’16, and ’21), including an overall triumph 25 years ago in 2001. Last year, a Corvette prepared by the team now known as 13 Autosport (formerly AWA) took the GTD class honors.

Five Corvettes are entered in this year’s Rolex 24, with the two Pratt Miller cars in the GTD PRO class joined by single 13 Autosport, DXDT Racing and DragonSpeed entries in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD). The five cars collectively completed 3,738 miles of testing in IMSA’s annual ‘Roar Before the 24’ at Daytona from January 16-18, with plenty of attention paid to the characteristics of Michelin’s new-for-2026 tires.

Sims and his co-driver Antonio Garcia are the defending GTD PRO class champions for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, which has won 15 manufacturer’s championships in American sports car competition since 2001.

“The Michelins seem to be working pretty well at the moment,” Sims said after notching his third pole position in IMSA competition, and first since Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2024.
He also won one of the Motul Pole Award 100 qualifying races at Daytona in 2021, which set the field. “There are small nuances between this year’s and last year’s tire. We’ve had cold conditions in the test and now warmer conditions today, and they’re behaving themselves nicely. It’s feeling good out there. Inevitably, you’ve got to adapt to the situation and the grip you have available.

“It’s just wonderful to do a low-fuel run here at Daytona on new tires,” he added. “The car just comes alive compared to the state that you drive in during practice where you’re focusing on race prep. The car is working well, and hopefully we can carry that into the race.”

Five Corvette GT3s collect significant miles, data ahead of Rolex 24

DETROIT (January 18, 2026) – The five Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set for the Rolex 24 At Daytona wrapped up three days of valuable and successful testing Sunday with the conclusion of the annual Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

A week ahead of the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships, the quintet of Corvette teams expressed satisfaction with the amounts of laps and data they accumulated around the 3.56-mile Daytona Road Course:

• No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Marvin Kirchhöfer – 1:47.775 (118.914 mph)
• No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone – 1:47.810 (118.876 mph)
• No. 13 13 Autosport – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Ben Green – 1:48.061 (118.599 mph)
• No. 36 DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Mason Filippi, Salih Yoluc, Scott McLaughlin – 1:47.805 (118.881 mph)
• No. 81 DragonSpeed – GTD: Giacomo Altoé, Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson, Matteo Cairoli – 1:48.087 (118.5671 mph)

Those results will give Corvette Racing and team engineers plenty to sift through before Thursday’s first official opening practice for the Rolex 24. One year ago, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R recorded a GTD class win (AWA’s No. 13 Corvette) and a runner-up finish in GTD PRO (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 3 Z06 GT3.R).

As a program, Corvette Racing has a deep and successful history at the Rolex 24 and includes five 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 125 wins at the circuit across IMSA and NASCAR’s national series.

The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24 with qualifying on Thursday, January 22. Live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC with full live coverage on Peacock in the United States and on IMSA.com for video outside the U.S. and global IMSA Radio coverage.

SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"We may have a couple of minor issues, but both our cars have run pretty much every lap that has been available. I'm happy with it and there is a lot of data to collect. We'll put everything together from these days ahead of Thursday. We'll have a few things to try then or validate as well. But things are going in the right direction for next week with what we have. We just need to wait and see, but I'm happy."

MARVIN KIRCHHOFER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"So far so good. It's still early days to really understand where we are. But we had a smooth Roar so far to finish up. There is some information and some tweaks that are getting us pointed in the right direction for next week. I'm really enjoying the time with the team. This is basically like the first week back at school for me. So I'm enjoying the challenge."

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"My overarching impression after these three days is that this is the best prepared we've been going into the Rolex, and it's the best this car has felt going into the race. We obviously have a lot of notes and knowledge on the GT3 Corvette now so we're able to hone in on something that we like faster than previous. We started by showing up with a car that we were happy with balance-wise.
We've continued to tune on it and make some improvements, for sure. There's a lot of continuity between the driver lineup, crew and engineering. I feel like we're in a great place going into this race."


NICO VARRONE, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"For me, it's an honor to be here. I always say this but it is true. I'm really proud and privileged to drive with this team and with this group. Everything is really professional and for me it's one of the best teams in the world. Another season in and I know the team that much better. I think we are working better than this time last year and that makes a big difference.

Having Nicky and Tommy as teammates is great. We were really strong to close last year at Petit Le Mans. So this is a great lineup, and we're working through different things to get it right for next week. I think things will get a little more difficult on-track as the race gets closer. Right now everyone is doing their own thing so you really don't have the amount of traffic. Once we get to next weekend, and we get into the start and restarts, there definitely will be more chaos."

LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"What happened last year is always in the back of our minds. We did pretty alright here last year so we know what it takes. But it's a new year and a new game. We have Ben (Green) here with us and he's doing a great job. So it's a new combination but with a lot of known pieces. The car is perfect with no issues so far. We're really looking forward and ahead to next week."

BEN GREEN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"I've really enjoyed my first laps here at Daytona. Our Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R is feeling fantastic and everyone at 13 Autosport is doing a great job and getting up to speed quickly. We feel ready for the race next week and have done everything we need to do during the course of the Roar tests to prepare ourselves well for that. I’m really excited to get going and take on the Rolex 24!"

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

"The jump we've made this year is unbelievable. So many of the crew are the same, but there are a few key positions that have changed, and I think that's really elevated it even further. The Roar has probably never gone better for myself over the years. The Corvette feels unbelievable. We were chasing it all of last year for 10 days and to be honest never really found it.

We arrived for the first session here pretty close, and we've chipped away with it. My teammates were happy with it last night, and I was happy with it yesterday afternoon. Let's see where the track goes. This track sort of changes over the next week and the pace goes up too. But if you have a perfect base here, it helps a lot. We definitely seem to have that at the minute. We've collected loads of data and have a lot to process over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because we've run through seven sessions in three days here. But I think we're in really good shape."

MASON FILIPPI, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"Luckily we were able to get together and spend a few days in the shop to really get to know the team. These are my first few days in the Corvette, and it's awesome. It's really comfortable to drive and every single time you get back in you feel more comfortable, and you can knock down the laptime. Everyone on the team has been awesome to work with. Charlie (Eastwood) and Scott (McLaughlin) both know the car really well so it's great to pick their brain and be a sponge to learn everything as I go.

"Under braking and understanding the tire a little. With the braking capability of this car, you have to utilize that, and I think that's where I've been able to improve from my first few laps. We're in a good spot. It will be a long 24 hours, but we'll be ready to fight."

GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"It was a nice and smooth first session for us. No issues at all and that was the main target. It was my first ever laps in the Corvette. It's amazing and a very different feeling than what I'm used to.
Of course I needed a few laps to adapt. Handling was different, but it's also very different with how I'm seated in the car with the seating position, the sound, how the car works. I still need to go through all the systems, so there is a lot of homework to do. I just need to find out what the car needs and we will keep progressing.

"I actually really liked being out there in traffic. The rearview camera works very well and that was something that I like. Henrik did well and is really happy with the car. It's a very positive start."

CASPER STEVENSON, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"It's hard to know exactly where we are, but we've done a lot of laps; I think close to the most out of everyone. The car has run faultlessly so I don't see how it could have been more productive. I feel like we've made progress not just with the Corvette, but also the small things like seat belts, the seats and everything. There's still some work to do driver change practice and all that kind of housekeeping stuff.

I don't see any reason why we won't be competitive next week. Matteo arrives next week, so I think we will be really strong. The biggest gains have been understanding how to drive the car. We were lucky to do one test, and that gave me some things to think about for this time. I feel like I don't fully know the Corvette, but I'm getting there, and it's starting to feel more comfortable."

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: GTD PRO Pole for Sims!

No. 3 Corvette leads strong effort from all five Z06 GT3.R in Daytona qualifying

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 22, 2026) – Alexander Sims sped to the GTD PRO pole position Thursday for the Rolex 24 At Daytona to lead a strong showing for all five Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs to start the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

Sims set a time of 1:45.106 (121.934 mph) in Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 3 Z06 GT3.R that he will share this weekend with Antonio Garcia and Marvin Kirchhöfer. A Corvette will start from class pole position in the Rolex 24 At Daytona for the first time since 2021 when Sims was part of a qualifying race win for Corvette Racing.

Prior to that, the last time a Corvette qualified on pole position was 2018.

On Thursday, three of the Corvette GT3s qualified in the top-12 of the combined GT category. Charlie Eastwood was fourth in GTD with DXDT Racing’s No. 36 Corvette that he will drive with Mason Filippi, Salih Yoluc and Scott McLaughlin. His lap of 1:45.274 (121.739 mph) was 0.161 seconds off the class pole time.

Giacomo Altoé was sixth in GTD and less than a half-second to pole position for DragonSpeed in the first team’s first race as a Z06 GT3.R customer team. He will team this weekend with Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson and Matteo Cairoli.

Nicky Catsburg went eighth-quickest in GTD PRO for the second Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports entry the No. 4 that he will drive with Tommy Milner and Nico Varrone.

Defending Rolex 24 GTD winner 13 Autosport qualified 16th in class, with Orey Fidani doing the honors Thursday. He will try to repeat with Matt Bell and Lars Kern plus team newcomer Ben Green in the No. 13 Corvette.

The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24. Live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC with full live coverage on Peacock in the United States and on IMSA.com for video outside the U.S. and global IMSA Radio coverage.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R - GTD PRO POLE-WINNER:

“It's really something special around here to be able to do a low fuel qualifying run with new tires. The car just comes alive. What a wonderful experience that was. Our Corvette was really nicely balanced, very nice lap, nice and clear with no traffic, but I had Nicky (Catsburg) up ahead, maybe punching a little bit of a hole for me. Yeah, brilliant, really, really brilliant.

(The race outlook and converting pole into a win) "There is a long time between now and then, but nevertheless, it's nice to start at the front of the field. Fingers crossed we can have a clean race because that's really the No. 1 goal at the moment - try and maintain the car in one piece, no issues through the first 23-and-a-half hours, be there in the race at the end and then be ready to fight.”

(More on qualifying) “Our Corvette was working pretty nicely in the qualifying session. It's honestly quite a privilege to be able to drive on low fuel. The car just comes alive compared to most of the states that you drive during practice where you're focusing on race prep. It was just nice conditions, I was able to get a nice gap and just focus on my own driving for all the laps and hook it all together. The Corvette is working well and hopefully we can carry that through to the race."

(Contending in this year's race after Corvette GTD win in 2025) “We had a decent race last year as well and finished second behind the Ford. It was great to see the AWA car get the class win last year. Our focus is pretty much on our program and what we're doing this year to try and optimize everything we've got. It seems like the car's in a decent spot right now. Qualifying pace versus race pace is a bit of a different story, so quite quickly our focus goes back to high-fuel runs and trying to get the car dialed in for that.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"Obviously not so good. The car was pretty good, I have to say. I just feel like I didn't execute well. I had a massive oversteer moment on my first push lap and then the second left, I kind of under drove it. So it was just not a clean run. I do feel like we need to work a bit on the car, but Alex showed what it's capable of. I do not think we are far away. We are already quite similar (on setup). I was expecting a bit more for myself. We just need to look at it, see what happens tonight and tomorrow, and take it from there."

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“For me, it's just more seat time. Every time I drive the car, I feel quicker and more familiar with it. The team's done an awesome job getting us set up and to this point. We just want to be consistent early, be in a good spot, and then watch Ben (Green) and Matt (Bell) take it to the front."

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

"What a difference a year makes. Last year's qualifying was probably one of the low points of the whole year, I would say... realizing that we were nowhere close. We're much and much better this year... barely two-tenths off pole in both GTD classes. I think we would still be second in PRO, as it were. So the Corvette felt great.
We did struggle with a few bits this morning on the new tire, but our deg was really good over a stint, so that was a bit of a surprise in that regard. We did have a really clean Roar and that translated into that qualifying session, The Corvette seems to have the best deg of the field. At the end of the session, we're still pumping in some strong times versus the competition that falls off.

So that's great when you do a lot of laps on every tire set, and you probably have to double about six sets. Yeah, we're looking good and still just chipping our way through it. I think going into it we were, and we were going to be happy with a top-eight there so top-four was a bit of a surprise, but that came together really nice, and now we're rolling off the second row for the 24."

GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

"Today was the first time that I could actually drive the car in a low-fuel, new-tire session.
Obviously we are focusing more on our race pace with such a long day coming Saturday and Sunday.
So we didn't know what to expect, honestly, and we are really happy with that result. Of course, I always want more. So I'm not really satisfied, but we still are early on in our learning process. I'll take it as we start this project, so I'm really happy."

Last practice session Friday and then race starts at 1:40 PM ET on Saturday