The Roar Before the 24 weekend featured the opening rounds of the VP Racing Sportscar Challenge for LMP3 and GT4 cars. There were two races, Saturday January 20 at 2:05pm and Sunday January 21 at 12:20pm, with both races streamed live on IMSA TV.

There was a short list of Canadians in the VP Challenge:

 

#61 George Staikos - Ave Motorsports - Ligier JS P320

#87 Marco Kacic - FastMD Racing with Remstar - Duqueine D08 (late entry we originally missed, thanks to a follower for pointing it out...)

#21 Jesse Lazare - Motorsports in Action - McLaren Artura GT4

 

In VP Racing Sportscar Challenge Practice 2 from Daytona International Speedway Jesse Lazare went second fastest on the session in the Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura GT4 (after turning only six laps in session 1) and was just 0.150 off the top spot. This bodes well for the Canadian going into qualifying and the first two rounds of the series which take place this weekend.

 

IMSA qualifying results for race 1 of VP Racing Sportscar Challenge at Daytona International Speedway saw the LMP3 of George Staikos (Trenton, ON) starting inside row five in the # 61 Ave Motorsports Ligier, while in GSX, Jesse Lazare (Montreal, QC) will start from inside row six in the #21 Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura.

 

The first IMSA race of the 2024 season was Race 1 in the VP Racing Sportscar Challenge with Marco Kacic finishing P4 in LMP3, George Staikos was 8th in LMP3, while Jesse Lazare finished P13 in GXS

 

Race 2 of the IMSA season was the second race for the VP Racing Sportscar Challenge. LMP3 saw a podium finish for Kelowna BC's Marco Stacic in the #87 Duqueine taking third spot, while George Staikos finished P8 in the #61 Ligier but would be elevated to P7 following an immediate post-race penalty against the second-place finisher (Ware).

 

GSX saw a great run for Jesse Lazare in the Motorsports in Action #21 McLaren Artura moving up to P4 on a last lap shootout following a lengthy yellow. A terrific race for the team after earlier issues limited the number of practice laps they were able to turn.

 

In Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 2, TCR class, the #6 Honda Civic of the the Montreal Motorsports Group with LP Montour (w/Brian Ortiz) went P2 and the #93 Montreal Motorsports Honda with Karl Wittmer (w /DAI Yoshihira) end up P4. Robert Wickens was P6, Denis Dupont P8 and Mark Wilkins P10 all in Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantras (#33 / #76 / #98)

 

Qualifying for the Michelin Pilot Cup Challenge goes Thursday from 1:15 PM to 1:50 PM ET. Unfortunately there is no streaming available for qualifying. 

 

The Roar also saw qualifying for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

 

The session for GTD/GTD Pro was shortened due to a red flag and the cars had just under eight minutes to qualify.

 

Canadians finished as follows: (Q = Qualifying Driver)

P1 GTD / P3 overall - Parker Thompson  Q - #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus 

P4 GTD / P6 overall - Kyle Marcelli Q - Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti # 45 Lamborghini Huracan GT3

P5 GTD / P7 overall - Forte Racing #78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 (Goikhberg / De Francesco)

P9 GTD / P15 overall - #17 AWA Corvette (Anthony Mantell)

P14 GTD / P24 overall - #13 AWA Corvette (Orey Fidani)

P9 Pro / P26 overall - #65 Multimatic Ford Mustang

P13 Pro / P41 overall - #64 Mutimatic Ford Mustang

P17 GTD / P43 overall - #57 Winward Racing Mercedes (Morad)

P18 GTD / P44 overall - Mikael Grenier Q - #32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsports Mercedes

P22 GTD / P48 overall - Roman DeAngelis Q #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin (Robichon)

 

The #27 Heart of Racing Aston experienced early problems and would complete only 2 laps.

 

LMP2 Qualifying results (unofficial) for IMSA Weathertech Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway

 

LMP2 qualifying saw the #8 Tower Motorsports Oreca (John Farano) will qualify P13

 

Broadcast schedule for this weekends Rolex 24 at Daytona available in IMSA.tv, while the Rolex 24 itself will also be available on REV TV

Thurs Jan 25 - 4:10pm - 5:00pm - Mazda MX5 Cup Race 1 (IMSA.tv)

Fri Jan 26 - 10:10am - 11:00am - Mazda MX5 Cup Race 2 (IMSA.tv)

Fri Jan 26 - 1:40pm - 5:45pm - Michelin Pilot Challenge Race (IMSA.tv)

Sat Jan 27 - 1:30pm - Rolex 24 at Daytona (IMSA.tv and REV TV)

Burlington, Ontario — REV TV CANADA'S MOTORSPORTS & MOTORING DESTINATION 24/7 is excited to announce that the 2024 racing season starts this weekend with all twenty-four hours of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which is the first stop of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the first of well over a hundred live races that will be broadcast on the channel.

 

The racing season kicks off with the 62nd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which will feature a packed 60-car grid across four classes. Top brands like Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes, and Porsche, will battle it out over 24 hours to see who will win one of the crown jewels of racing.

 

“We are pleased to once again start the racing season off with one of the world’s greatest races from the ‘World Center of Racing’ Daytona Speedway,” said Ed Kanerva, Director of Marketing and Programming at REV TV. “The Rolex 24 is just the beginning of our live racing offerings, with the entirety of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship—including the always electrifying stop at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park—presented with limited interruption thanks to our incredible commercial providers.”

 

"It's great to have Leland Industries and WeatherTech Canada onboard for REV TV's flag-to-flag coverage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona along with our other sponsors and advertisers,” said Pat Gonsalves, Account Executive at REV TV. “This promises to be one of the most competitive Rolex 24 events at Daytona and I'm sure fans will be tuning multiple hours to follow the story especially with so many Canadian drivers and teams competing".

 

The Rolex 24 at Daytona begins at 1:35PM ET on Saturday, January 27th until its conclusion twenty-four hours later on Sunday.

 

YOUR MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION is available to over 8 million households across Canada and features hundreds of live races from around the world and right here at home. From two-wheels to four and so much more. REV TV showcases all forms of high-octane racing, such as MotoGP, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, World Supercross Championship, World Rally Championship, INDY NXT, WorldSBK, along with news coverage such as The Inside Line (F1), Winged Nation (winged sprint cars) and PASMAG’s Tuning 365. We also have a slate of original programming with REV Culture with Todd Lewis that features interviews with motorsports luminaries, All North Racing which focuses on grassroots racing, a slew of how-to and behind-the-scenes programs, and so much more. REV TV is your MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION 24/7.

Daytona Beach, Florida – Lexus Racing and Vasser Sullivan will lead the GTD class to green in the 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona after claiming their first pole position at the famed endurance race through Parker Thompson and the No. 12 RC F GT3. Lexus factory driver, Jack Hawksworth, just missed out on capturing pole position as well in GTD PRO, qualifying second in the class in the No. 14 RC F GT3, which begins its championship defense this weekend. Hawksworth and Thompson qualified second and third, respectively, out of 36 total GT entries.

 

The 25-year-old Thompson, now running full time with Lexus and Vasser Sullivan, captured his first career series pole with time of 1:44.494 on the 3.56-mile Daytona road course. Thompson’s time claimed the GTD pole by a mere four one-hundredths of a second. Thompson made his series debut last season serving as the endurance driver for the team, and now takes on the full IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship schedule in 2024.

 

Joining the young Canadian in the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan RC F GT3, will be Vasser Sullivan veterans Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz, along with first-timer and Toyota Gazoo Racing driver, Ritomo Miyata. Montecalvo enters his sixth full-time season driving the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 in the GTD class. Last season, he and Telitz finished third in the GTD class standings and captured victory at Watkins Glen. Telitz returns for his fifth season with Lexus and Vasser Sullivan, now as an endurance driver. Miyata is the final addition to the No. 12 entry for the prestigious endurance race, making his debut in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. The 24-year-old is the reigning Super Formula and Super GT500 Champion and will also be contesting the Formula 2 championship and the European Le Mans Series in 2024, along with serving as the reserve driver for the Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC Hypercar team.

 

Though he missed out on pole position by eight one-hundredths of a second, Hawksworth placed the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan RC F GT3 in prime position when the green flies for the Rolex 24. The Bradford, England native and fellow Lexus factory driver, Ben Barnicoat, begin their GTD PRO class championship defense after capturing the first full-season GT title for Lexus and Vasser Sullivan last season. En route to last year’s championship, Hawksworth and Barnicoat scored victories at Long Beach and Watkins Glen to partner with four pole positions and nine podium finishes in 11 races. Now in their third season together, they're focused on winning the biggest race in American sportscar racing after finishing third last January.

 

Hawksworth and Barnicoat will be joined by Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Mike Conway, along with INDYCAR racer and Florida native, Kyle Kirkwood for this year’s race. Both drivers also competed for Vasser Sullivan in the Rolex 24 last season in the No. 14 and No. 12 RC F GT3 entries. Conway brings extensive endurance race experience with him making his seventh start in the Rolex 24, including a third-place finish with Hawksworth and Barnicoat last year. For Kirkwood, this will be his fourth start in the endurance event with a best finish of fourth in 2022 with Hawksworth and Barnicoat.

 

Twenty twenty-four marks the eighth season Lexus Racing is fielding RC F GT3s in IMSA competition and the sixth season Lexus and Vasser Sullivan will race together in the GT categories. Over their partnership, Lexus Racing and Vasser Sullivan have amassed 13 wins, 39 podium finishes, 18 pole positions, the 2023 IMSA GTD PRO Driver, Team, and Manufacturer Championship, and the 2020 IMSA Sprint Cup titles.

 

The Rolex 24 at Daytona will be broadcast live on NBC starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 27 with additional television coverage throughout the race on USA Network. Live flag-to-flag coverage will also be streaming on Peacock for authenticated subscribers. To keep up with all the racing action, follow Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using #LexusPerformance.

 

 

“We feel like we’ve prepared well for the race with our Lexus RC F GT3. Obviously coming off the championship last year, we’ve kept the same people and crew on our Vasser Sullivan team to go along with good consistency in our driver lineup. Mike (Conway) did the Rolex with us last year and Kyle (Kirkwood) did a lot of endurance races, along with Ben (Barnicoat) and I coming back together again. We’ve continued to build since last year. We feel positive about everything, but the thing with this race is that you never really know until the last two or three hours. We’ll have to wait and see, but will give it our best from a good starting spot.”

 

“As a group for Lexus and Vasser Sullivan, it’s a great way to start off the year with a pole in GTD and a second starting spot in GTD PRO. From our side on the No. 14 RC F GT3, to start on the front row for a prestigious race as this is amazing. Jack (Hawksworth) has always done a super job in qualifying. On the 12 car side, so happy and excited for them with Parker (Thompson) getting the pole in his first GTD attempt. That’s very special and shows that even though we were champions last year, we’re not resting, and we’ve continued to work, especially the guys on the Vasser Sullivan team and Lexus. We’ve all worked extremely hard in the offseason to allow us to arrive here and start the year leading the field. Very excited to get to the race.”

 

"So far, so good for our No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 Vasser Sullivan team. Really happy with the performance of the car and team. Everything has been very smooth so far which is exactly what you want going into a 24-hour race. The fact that we have some pace gives us confidence and everyone on the team is gelling well. Things have happened at this race in the first lap over the years, so being at the front and staying up there to keep our nose clean will help us avoid those situations happening behind us. Super proud of Parker (Thompson) getting pole in the GTD class, and Jack qualifying P2 is great. Really excited for this weekend.”

 

“Great to be back with Vasser Sullivan in the Lexus RC F GT3, driving a championship-winning car. I knew the guys were doing a great job last year when I was with them, so to see them win the championship at the end was great. Getting back in the car and used to the nuances of going fast around here. Good qualifying overall, starting in the front of the field. Looking forward to race day.”

 

“One for one in GTD qualifying, getting pole at Daytona! Doesn't get much better than that. It's incredible to think I was spotting here two years ago and now I’m taking my first pole in a Lexus RC F GT3. I can’t thank the Vasser Sullivan team and Lexus Racing enough for the opportunity. Getting the first Rolex 24 pole for the team and Lexus is neat. I still have a lot to learn going into the race this weekend, but we’re starting from the best spot with the best driver lineup. There’s no reason we can’t compete for a Rolex watch on Sunday. Excited to see what we can make happen.”

 

“The team did a phenomenal job in a hectic qualifying, getting out in a hole after the red flag since it was basically a two-lap shootout. Both cars did a phenomenal job. Parker did an awesome job in his first qualifying effort in the No. 12 RC F GT3, putting us on pole for the Rolex 24, which is amazing. It'd be good to stay up at the front, away from all the hectic stuff in the back. Phenomenal start to the racing season that brings along some good points with the pole, so that will help us down the line considering to how many points it took for us to get third in the championship. We can take everything we can get early on. The Vasser Sullivan team has been firing on all cylinders this weekend. Our Lexus RC F GT3 keeps getting better and better, and the team keeps functioning as a complete family. I have complete confidence going into the race.”

 

“The Vasser Sullivan team is operating at such a high level just like we were all last season, carrying it over into 2024. The team has been working great. Ritomo (Miyata) has been awesome and is a great addition to the No. 12 RC F GT3 team. Parker (Thompson) sticking it on pole for the Rolex 24 has us on cloud 9. We’re really excited for this weekend.”

 

“My first time racing in the U.S. has been great. The Vasser Sullivan team and my teammates have been kind to me so far. I'm trying to take everything step-by-step with the difference in the RC F GT3 compared to what I’ve raced before. It's been very good overall. I've had a great time working with everyone at Vasser Sullivan and Lexus so far and the result from qualifying is great as well. Really proud of the team. It's all been very enjoyable.”

 

 

 

The Lexus RC F GT3 enters its eighth season in the GTD class, and third year in the GTD PRO category, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Over the last six seasons, Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have combined to earn 13 wins, 39 podium finishes and 18 pole positions with the RC F GT3. Lexus won its first full-season IMSA GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship on the strength of two wins and podium positions in nine of 11 races in 2023.

 

Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 244 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With eight models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers nine F SPORT models, one F performance model and one F model. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.

 

Daytona Beach, Florida – 2022 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winners Pfaff Motorsports returned to Daytona International Speedway for the ROAR preseason test and Daytona qualifying, officially launching the team’s new partnership with McLaren Customer Racing and the driveway.com-sponsored McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. 

 

The Canadian squad has an all-new, star-studded driver lineup including 2016 Indy 500 champion and Rookie of the Year Alexander Rossi (USA), former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe (CAN), 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 2022 IMSA DPi champion Oliver Jarvis (UK), and McLaren factory driver Marvin Kirchhöfer (DE) – with the latter two taking on full-season responsibilities with Pfaff in the GTD Pro category. 

 

This season marks the team’s sixth appearance at the famed event, in an all-new livery that combines traditional McLaren papaya and blue – a nod to the McLaren factory racing programs worldwide, including Formula 1 and IndyCar – with the team’s well-loved plaid pattern, ghosted onto grey-black surfaces of the car.

 

Following a successful test that saw the team progress well throughout the weekend, Jarvis qualified the driveway.com 720S GT3 Evo sixth in class to put the team in a strong position to fight for a repeat of its 2022 GTD Pro title. 

 

Oliver Jarvis (driver): “For us this weekend, it was as much a full rollout as it was a test, and we've been progressing every lap. We're gathering a lot of data and learning so much, so it's been a really good ROAR. I wish we had a bit more track time if I'm being honest, but it's good to finally get behind the wheel of the 720S and put in some solid laps. 

 

“Obviously I'd like to be a bit further up [after qualifying], but the way the qualifying worked with our shortened session, I really only had one lap to do the time. So ahead of the 24 Hours, it's not a bad starting place at all. We have a good car and we're learning every session, including myself. Every session we’ve been making positive steps, so we’re pointed in the right direction ahead of next weekend.”

 

Marvin Kirchhöfer (driver): “Showing up to this weekend with a brand-new car, we couldn't really get much prep in, so on that front this weekend has already been a success. Through all  the sessions we improved, and the 720S is getting better and better. The team has done a great job, and Ollie had a great run in qualifying. There's still a few things we need to work out, but it's all going in the positive direction, so I look forward to next week.” 

 

Alexander Rossi (driver): “Getting behind the wheel of the GT3 car has been a lot to learn, but it's all going pretty smoothly so far. For the team, it’s obviously an all-new car, but we feel good about what we're at and it should be a good weekend. Every lap gets easier, and it's certainly new, but we'll have plenty of time next weekend and in the race to sort everything out.” 

 

James Hinchcliffe (driver): “It's been a huge challenge for the team to get the car ready and I can't give them enough credit. A brand-new race car showed up mid-December and hit the track for the first time on Friday. I've been around this business a long time, as have my fellow co-drivers, and we were all expecting far more issues than we’ve had. That's credit to the team at Pfaff for preparing this car so well, including the help we've had from McLaren in the UK. So for us, I think we've all been pleasantly surprised given that we didn't get to do the December test. There’s still a lot of work to do, but now we've had some time on track to smooth out the kinks. Ollie did a great job in qualifying and we've got a few days to take a breath and really assess what we need to work on for next week and take a proper stab at it.”

 

Steve Bortlotti (general manager): “Overall it was a positive weekend for the team. It’s hard to see what everyone else is doing on pace, but it looks like we’ve got a good package. It's still early days working with McLaren, but we just have to keep focus on ourselves and our program to continue working through this as smoothly as possible. All in all, it's a very exciting start to our relationship, but we still have some work cut out for us to be where we want to be.”

 

The 62nd running of the 24 Hours at Daytona weekend will feature a packed entry list of 59 cars, including 36 GT competitors. The action kicks off with practice 1 on Thursday, January 25 at 10:05am ET, with the main event going green on Saturday, January 27 at 1:40pm ET. Viewers can catch the action live on NBC and Peacock in the USA, and on REV TV in Canada. For further broadcast details, including international coverage, please contact your local cable or streaming provider. 

 

Pfaff Motorsports has established itself as one of the most successful sportscar racing programs in North America over the past decade. A professional team in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), it has established long-term partnerships with premium brands such as Lithia & Driveway, Motul, the Automotive Owned Brands of Canadian Tire Corporation, and Hagerty, and is one of the top-performing teams in the sport.

 

Pfaff Motorsports’ competition résumé includes historic victories and championships across multiple series. Since joining the top-tier IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2019, the team has won the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona and twice at the 12 Hours of Sebring, in addition to being crowned the 2022 WeatherTech Championship GTD Pro class and 2021 GTD class champions. It has also won the 2018 GT World Challenge America championship and is a three-time Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada champion. For more information, please visit www.pfaffmotorsports.com.