Explore the Complete 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona Entry List Now

The 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona runs January 22–25, 2026, with a capacity 61-car field. IMSA’s flagship endurance race again blends prototypes and GT machinery at Daytona International Speedway.

Four classes shape the competitive order: 11 GTP, 14 LMP2, 15 GTD Pro, and 21 GTD. As North America’s opener, the event sets development benchmarks and reveals winter gains.

Porsche Penske fields two 963s featuring Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, and Felipe Nasr. The program targets outright pace and operational execution after hard lessons from recent 24-hour campaigns.

Cadillac’s effort spans Wayne Taylor Racing and Whelen Cadillac, with Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Jordan Taylor, and Colton Herta.

Aston Martin’s THOR Team fields a Valkyrie for Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis, adding fresh interest to the GTP manufacturer contest.

BMW M Team WRT turns to Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, and Dries Vanthoor in the M Hybrid V8.

Acura’s Meyer Shank Racing reunites Tom Blomqvist with Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, underlining the depth of elite lineups across the GTP field.

LMP2 assembles 14 ORECA 07s from United Autosports USA, CrowdStrike Racing by APR, and Tower Motorsports, among others. Expect Sebastien Bourdais, Pietro Fittipaldi, Ben Hanley, and Phil Fayer to headline.

The category’s Pro-Am structure rewards error-free stints, safety-car discipline, and low-risk overtaking. Several lineups remain provisional, keeping the pace spread difficult to forecast.

GTD Pro brings 15 cars, including Paul Miller’s BMW M4 GT3 Evo, Corvette Racing’s Z06 GT3.R, and Pfaff’s Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.

Vasser Sullivan fields Lexus RC F GT3s, while Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo entries come from Triarsi Competizione and Risi Competizione. Antonio Garcia, Jack Hawksworth, James Calado, and Daniel Serra headline.

The GTD field is the largest at 21 entries.

Aston Martin’s Heart of Racing and Magnus lead the Vantage GT3 Evo charge, joined by Ford Mustang GT3 programs from Gradient and Ford Multimatic.

Additional Ferraris, Corvettes, and Porsches broaden the mix. Veterans like Ben Barker and Romain Grosjean share space with prospects Kenton Koch and Esteban Masson as rosters finalize.

Daytona’s layout blends high banking with a technical infield. Night running, temperature swings, and traffic management often dictate fortunes more than peak one-lap speed.

Operational execution remains decisive: pit stop discipline, caution timing, and stint length optimisation. The event also anchors IMSA’s calendar and showcases expanding manufacturer commitment and broadcast coverage.

Expect volatile strategy windows and changing leaders as conditions evolve. Reliability, adaptable setups, and clean night running should decide class honours by Sunday afternoon.

Visual Summary

James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.