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Can the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac, winners of
the 2018 Rolex 24 with it's All New Crew give JDC Miller Motorsports it's
Debutante Rolex 24 victory and keep GM's winning streak intact? Photo by
Cadillac Racing. (Image source: jalopnik.com)
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As the Sounds 'O Musak'; Err racing motors resumes
in Thee Panhandle State...
Per Tipicali, IMSA Rang in thoust New years
with its traditional, mandatory Roar Before Rolex 24 3-Day test session, which
reportedly saw 40 entrants participating between Jan 3-5.As the test serves as
thou Pre-cursor to the Weathertech SportsCar Championship's Season Opening 24
Hours of Daytona event, this year on Jan 25-26th.
As Y'all can catch
the first hour's television coverage on "Big NBC" beginning at
10:30AM Pacific, but Most Definitely Check Your local listings!
As the Pre-Roar Before Entry list comprised
of 8 Big Boy Daytona Prototype International (DPi) competitors, where the
Overall Winner should come from. Followed by a further 7 LMP2 "lower
tier" Prototypes entries. While the Tintop Saloons ranks saw 7 of the top
flight GT Le Mans (GT LM( cars listed, along with the largest category seeing a
robust 18 entries in the Uber Stout GT Daytona (GTD) class.
(DPi) Daytona Prototype International Class
Arse-sumedly IndyCar Fans are Wwonderin' how
Acura Team Penske will do at this year's Rolex 24? As El Capitano', nee Roger
Penske's two car Armada returns intact, led by the reigning Prototypes
Champions No. 6 entry of Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron, once again joined
by 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud.
Thee Seester' #7 Acura features HULIO', nee
Helio Castroneves & Ricky Taylor at its controls, plus 2016 Indy 500 Champ
Alexander Rossi, whom like Pagenaud will once again contest the endurance
events.
Meanwhile The Dude', aka Bully-Ray'; Err Ryan
Hunter-Reay has been announced as Mazda Team Joest's newest Endurance
Specialist, racing the four longest rounds this season, i.e.; Daytona, Sebring,
Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans.
Whilst Scotty Thee Iceman 2.0' Dixon reprises
his Enduro' Specialist role he's previously enjoyed behind the Decommissioned Ford GT's now with Wayne
Taylor Racing (WTR) alongside season regulars Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande.
With
K-Squared', aka Kamui Kobayashi looking to claim a second Rolex time-piece for his
other wrist, after winning last year's Rolex 24 at the controls of the #10 Caddy' once again
joining the WTR Drivers Quartet...
And Hunter-Reay picked a good chassis to race
aboard, as his Co-Driver Harry
Tincknell led the way aboard the "Double
Nickel" #55 Mazda RT24P in the test's first session. Followed by the No.
10 WTR Cadd "Oh-lacc' and that Montoyer' Feller third aboard his #6 Acura.
As All three DPi Marques took their respective
turns of being Quickest in practice with Mazda leading the majority of the test
sessions, followed by Acura, when Ricky Taylor set an unofficial lap record
during Sunday morning's test session. Before Cadillac finished on top of the
Time Sheets.
Meanwhile, former A.J. Foyt Enterprises
IndyCar Driver Matheus
Leist didn't begin his new Sports Car career off too
brightly, when he implanted his No. 85 JDC Miller Motorsports Cadillac VR DPi
Prototype's Nose into one of DayToners' Walls; YOUCH!
But I'm sure the
talented Brazilian ex-IndyCar driver will settle down, get comfortable aboard
his new racecar and quickly get up to speed!
While Sacked IndyCar Pilot Sealmeister B', le
Hamburgular', SeaBass or simply Sebastain Bourdais make's his Full-season
Weathertech SportsCar Championship Debut aboard the newly re-anointed No. 5
Mustang Sally; Err Sampling Caddy' with another driver seeking refuge in SportsCar-land'.
As JB', aka João Barbosa partners the Champ
Car Champion Fulltime aboard the lead #5 JDC Miller/Mustang Sampling Racing entry.
While former 24 Heurs du Mans winner Loic Duvall will Co-drive at Daytona.
As Bourdais unexpected Fulltime inclusion at
JDC Miller sees fellow Countryman and former IndyCar compatriot Tristan Turbo'
Vautier getting shuffled to Part-time Driving status, as he'll partner Leist
aboard the #85 for Daytona, and hopes for more outings.
Hmm, where'd I put
those Vautier Sunglasses 'Ol CARPETS' got at Mother Speedway for Mwah, since
it's so Bloody Damn Bright I gottz-tuh'
wear shades...
With No Disrespect intended towards the other
two DPi entries, ergo the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac with Mike
"Ice-Ice, Baby!" Conway as one of its chauffeurs. Or the second #77
Mazda, which Oliver Jarvis is always Bloody Fast! And Tristan Nunez is a
longtime No Fenders favourite!
(LMP2) Le Mans Prototype Class
Although I totally understand why IMSA is
loathe to enable these European "Second Tier" Prototypes having a legitimate
shot at winning Overall, especially since they're trying to promote Thar
Manufacturer Backed top flight DPi Brethren. But still, wouldn't it add intrigue
to the race a la 'Ol Roger Penske's Porsche RS Spyder Days of Knocking Off the American
Le Mans Series (ALMS) Big boyz', Eh? But I Digress...
And while this categories mandated to run the
(WEC) European Spec Gibson GK428 Naturally Aspirated V-8 lump', at least this
year features different chassis makes, as well known Riley seeks its way back
into Prototypes racing vs. the All Conquering Oreca marque.
As I'm most intrigued by the DragonSpeed
effort, which continues making it's Stateside Footprint larger. With Elton Julian's
IndyCar effort planning six races this season, with Ben Hanley announced for St
Pete, the 34yr old Englishman will also contest the Rolex 24 behind the team's
No. 81 Oreca/Gibson mount.
Hanley will be partnered by new team signing
Colin Brown, who may show up in Indy Cars at some point this year? along with Sweden's
HH' (Henric Hedman) and Harrison Newy, son of some Formula 1 Chassis Engineer Great
named Adrian!
'RASSCAR's Rick Ware Racing, which saw owner
Rick Ware as one of three NASCAR Team Owners Fined $50,000 for attempting to
manipulate the regular season finishing order last year!
Makes it's Sports Car Debut in the burgeoning
LMP2 class as the lone Riley Mk 30 chassis entrant with Indianapolis 500
Specialist, and current Jonathan Byrds Racing Chili Bowl racer James Davison as
part of the Driver Quartet alongside Cody Ware.
NOTE: Upon finishing this story, and just days
prior to going "Green!" I've learned that James Davison crashed the
#2 Rick Ware Racing racecar and it's subsequently been pulled from the upcoming
race...
Probably would be remiss to not mention 'Ol
Razzle Dazzle', aka former Champ Car and perennial Sports Car Ace Ryan Dalziel, who makes up
part of the fairly stout #8 Tower Motorsports by Starworks entry.
And I'm Arse-sumin' that the LMP2 Category
will now only field six competitors, since the previously announce PR1
Motorsports #51 entry with its Drivers listed TBA - presumably Didn't take part
in the Roar, and the team's confirmed it'll only be running one car, it's #52
at Daytona.
For
the Gran Torismo' (GT) Saloon' categories, see; ROLEX 24: Roar Before Daytona
Test Highlights Lamborghini Armada Chasing History at this year's Race