If you're a Fan of the Daytona Prototypes, then
Y'all better check 'em poundin' round Daytona's High Banks one final time -
Which presumably will be shown for at least a few hours on Fox Sports-1 before disappearing
off of most of Americres Cable TV Households to Fox Sports-2...
Pretty sure I touched upon I-T briefly here
at No Fenders somewheres', becoming aware of the impending demise of the
previous NASCAR owned Grand Am's Flagship Daytona Prototypes going away at the
end of 2016, but Alas, where'd I-T go; Hya!
Viola! Or SNAP! As Jeffie of My Name is IRL used to
say! As Racer's Marshall Pruet has just penned the following update...
PROTOTYPES
Already mentioned that this is the final year of
the DP's with Thy Rubber Match seeing Ford hoping to claim the final Rolex
crown vs. Chevrolet's multiple wins during the Grand Am's DP era, albeit the
first year saw Kevin Buckler's The Racer Group Porsche 911 GT3R win overall in
2003.
Pontiac powered chassis won twice (2004-05)
followed by Chip Ganassi's Lexus Hat Trick
stopped by Porsche propelled chassis "Double" 2009-10.
Ganassi returned to the podium's top step in 2011,
now with BMW power, followed by that Oh, So memorable (2012) 50th Daytona 24hrs
win by the late Justin B-I-G' UNIT Wilson & A.J. "Big Shot
Allmendinger for Michael Shank Racing's Riley Ford DP being the meat in
Ganassi's BMW's "M Power" Strudel "Double upon winning once
again in 2013.
Then Chevy returned to the "Winner's Circle"
in 2014 with Action Express Racing followed by Ganassi's Ford
"Eco-boost" lump' - For which No Fenders Poppa Bear Tomas Sr. fabulously
decreed: There AIN'T NO Economy in Motor Racing! As the Ford v Chevy scrum sees
the Bowtie leading 3-2 whilst Thy Cheepsters' squad leads overall with most
Rolex 24 victories with six...
Ford v Chevy'
For Mwah, the B-I-G' NEWS is that Chip
Ganassi Racing (CGR) will defend its overall victory last year by running their
Ford "Eco-boost" Daytona Prototypes for their final Rolex 24
eligibility, since wasn't sure if thy Cheepster', nee Chip Ganassi would be too
engrossed with his Ford GT "Works" program to run the DP's?
But fear not, as once again , defending Rolex 24 winners Scott Dixon, the reigning quadruple
IndyCar champion along with team-mate and Good Buddy TK
"follow-your-Schnoz" Kanaan will co-drive with Ganassi's Roundy-round
Taxi-cab Boyz Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson in the No. 02.
But the interesting CGR line-up is the second
car, the No. 01 featuring newly un-retired Sports Car Ace Alexander Wurz with
Team Willys' (Williams F1) latest "Simulator Jockey;" Err Development
Driver signatory, Canadian teenager Lance Stroll, who'll be making his Daytona
24 Hours and Sports Car debut at the "World Center 'O Speed."
Joining this unlikely Wine & Cheese set,
as the young Whippersnapper Stroll hopes to emulate elder Wurz's ascension into
Thy Pinnacle 'O Motorsports, nee Formula 1, where ironically Wurz drove for
Team Willy (Williams F1) in his latter years.
As the Team Willy "Duo" will be
joined by a highly accomplished pair of European racers with former triple WTCC
champion Andy
Priaulx aboard, as Priaulx is the only Touring Car Ace to have
ever won four consecutive titles! With reigning World Endurance Champion (WEC) Brendon
Hartley also at the Keyboard, as the Kiwi' Porsche factory Hotschue AIN'T NO
Slouch!
Meanwhile as previously scribbled here at No
Fenders, Scotty "Scooter" Pruett has made the switch to the reigning
two-times Prototypes champions Action Express Racing squad for endurance
events, where he'll co-drive with the formable JB', aka João Barbosa
and Christian Fittipaldi aboard the #5 "Mustang Sally;" Err Mustang
Sampling Corvette DP, whilst "Symone Pagenoe," whom No Fenders
'Offical Photographer christened "Pageantry," aka Simon Pagenaud will
Moonlight aboard the team's Seester' #31.
As Scott Pruett
will be a busy man this Rolex 24, being officially listed upon three separate
entries on both of Action Express Racing's Corvette DP entries plus the
aforementioned F Performance Racing GT Daytona class Lexus...
Less not forget the other two potent Bowtie's
flying the flag for Team Chevy, i.e.; Wayne Taylor Racing and Spirit of
Daytona, as thee No. 10 featuring the "Brother's Taylor" and Max
"The Ax" Angelli
posted the top time at The Roar Before whilst I've always
been a Gynormous Fan of Messer "Razzle Dazzle," aka Ryan Dalziel, with the
former Rolex 24 winner never getting a proper shot in Indy Cars due to
"the Split;" but I digress... As Dalziel & Company in the #90 definitely
shouldn't be overlooked as potential winners.
Having just learned that RHR', aka Ryan Hunter-Reay
will co-drive the No. 90 in four events including Daytona, along with Sebring,
Long Beach and Petit Le Mans.
While Rubinos' (Rubens Barrichello) addition to the
#10 Wayne Taylor Racing driver lineup has just been announced days prior to the
race.
And Scott Pruett's Lexus GT3 project has been
delayed slightly, with Pruett slated to go to Japan for talks after Daytona and
testing hopefully beginning in April...
Triple Shot of Diversity...
Three very different types 'O machinery will
make this year's Rolex 24 ever interesting, as one sports a Diesel, one's
uniquely shaped and the other's of unknown commodity.
The Diesel in Questione is the Mazda, but
this brace 'O Diesel's aren't Farm Tractors, as they're turbocharged and one of
my personal favorites, Tristan Nunez - My 2012 nifSTAR Trophy Winner will once
again be at Thy keyboards, this time piloting the "Double Nickel,"
aka #55 with rookie IndyCar driver Spencer Pigot as one of his co-drivers.
In deference to David Bowie's sad demise,
I'll christen I-T the Space Oddity now, as once again the Delta Wing will try
pointing its unique Flying V shape towards the front end of the grid, as that
other Rayhall, nee Shawn, NOT Graham; Hooah! Will partner Thy Leggy Juan', nee
Katherine Legge and Andy
Meyrick aboard the No. 0 Panoz Delta Wing Racing
entry.
Lastly, the Daytona Prototype Beast of
unknown commodity is SPM Racing's BR Engineering designed BR01 Nissan V-8
chassis comprising of 50% Russian racers, notably Mikhail Aleshin,
who'll be making his sophomore IndyCar campaign for Schmidt Peterson
Motorsports this year.
Update
After having visited Grab Bag Sports and
reading the Speedgeek's Prototypes preview, I discovered that Mazda has eschewed their Skyactive Diesel
racing motor in favour of an inline 2.0-litre four cylinder turbocharged lump'
to propel their Lola P2 derived chassis this year instead.
Others
Last but by NO means least are two other
teams of note, i.e.; Michael Shank Racing and Extreme Speed Motorsports, (ESM) with
both being powered by "Blown" Hondre' (Honda) lumps bolted to their
Ligier JSP2 backsides.
With NO disrespect to Shank's regular season
drivers Oswaldo
Oz' Negri and John Pew, I was drawn to MSR solely due
to the Justin Wilson and A.J. Allmendinger connection, as A.J. will be trying
to console himself with the absence of close friend Wilson during this year's
Daytona 24 Hours race.
ESM is ex-IndyCar racer Scotty Sharp's
concern funded by Ed Brown and his Tequila Patron patronage, as both of these
P2 Prototype derivatives shouldn't be discounted, albeit I don't expect them to
win.
Although I'd be
happy to see Scott Dixon, 'TK & Co grabbing another Rolex, along with one
of the Corvette Heavy Hitters, i.e.; #5 or #10 claim the win, I'll choose some
other deserving winners instead...
Hopeful Winner Picks
1) #01: Chip Ganassi Racing;
Riley-Ford DP
2) #90: Spirit of Daytona; Corvette DP
3) #31: Action Express Racing; Corvette DP
PROTOTYPE CHALLENGE
This is the class I know the least about, along
with not really caring much for, since it's the only truly 100% Spec category -
For which Indy Cars has made the lame ARSE attempt of distancing itself from
the Spec-chassis stigma with them vaunted AFX Aurora Aerokits; but I digress
again...
Two drivers of note in this class featuring
identical Oreca chassis with Chevrolet BOOMIN' big-block naturally aspirated
V-8's are Indy Cars Jack Hawksworth and ex-Open Wheel Racing Ace Martin
"Plowie" Plowman.
As Hawksworth, who's returning for his second
season with A.J. Foyt Enterprises this year will be co-driving the No. 8 Starworks
Motorsport car.
Meanwhile "Plowie," who has briefly
competed in Indy Cars, most recently doing the Month 'O May's "Double,"
the vaunted Grand Prix Road Race and Indy 500 ironically for 'Ol SuperTex, nee
A.J. Foyt in 2014 prior to Hawksworth's arrival will make up part of Cor
Autosport's #54 driver's roster.
For
the 2016 ROLEX 24 GT Le Mans class preview, see; ROLEX 24: All eyes focused upon the Shiny, New Factory Gran Tourismo Le Mans class in 2016...