Roar Before the Rolex 24 Schedule to Feature Traditional IMSA Qualifying Format

The starting grid for the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona will be determined by a traditional qualifying format during the Roar Before the Rolex 24, the Jan. 20-22 test session at Daytona International Speedway.

For the past two years, the grid for the iconic IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener at Daytona International Speedway was set by the results of a 100-minute qualifying race that took place a week prior at the Roar Before the Rolex 24. Qualifications for the 61st running of the twice-around-the-clock endurance race will continue to be held on Sunday of “the Roar,” but will return to the structure used at other WeatherTech Championship events, with teams competing in 15- or 20-minute sessions separated by class.

Rolex 24 qualifying is set to begin at 1:25 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 22, wrapping up on-track activities for the weekend, with the fastest qualifiers in each of the five classes receiving Motul Pole Awards. The 61st running of the Rolex 24 takes place on Jan. 28-29.

The Roar Before the Rolex 24 is flush with on-track action throughout the three days, including five WeatherTech Championship test sessions that will feature the first fully public appearances of the hybrid-based cars competing in the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class.

Also on the schedule are five test sessions for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the debut of the new VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, the multi-class, sprint-race series for Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) and GT4 (GSX class) cars. A pair of 45-minute races are slated for the new series, at 2:20 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 and 1:20 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22.