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STARS ALIGNED: Some of the biggest names in racing will compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona

ryan pritt, the daytona beach news-journal
·6 min read

As one of the world’s most prestigious races, especially amongst endurance events, the Rolex 24 at Daytona has long attracted some of the best drivers on the planet.

This year's 61st edition is certainly no different.

That’s especially true among IndyCar drivers where 11 current competitors in the series are slated to take part in next weekend’s race. That includes several of the sport’s most accomplished wheelmen.

While there’s only one full-time NASCAR competitor in the field, it’s one that’s certainly had his share of success at Daytona International Speedway.

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With practice and qualifying sessions scheduled all weekend as part of the Roar before the Rolex 24, here’s a look at some of the biggest names locked into the field.

Helio Castroneves, No. 60 Acura ARX-06, Meyer Shank Racing (GTP)

Helio Castroneves has won two straight Rolex 24 at Daytona races.
Helio Castroneves has won two straight Rolex 24 at Daytona races.

Few drivers past or present have a resume that can match Castroneves, who has been part of the winning Rolex 24 at Daytona team in each of the past two years. Castroneves has won the Indianapolis 500 four times (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), one of just four racers to do that. The 47-year old was also the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series champion in 2020. About the only glaring hole in Castroneves’ career is the lack of an IndyCar championship, but he finished as the series runner up in 2002, 2008, 2013 and 2014.

Simon Pagenaud, No. 60 Acura ARX-06, Meyer Shank Racing (GTP)

Meyer Shank Racing driver Simon Pagenaud (60) puts in earplugs for the final GMR Grand Prix practice on Friday, May 13, 2022, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.
Meyer Shank Racing driver Simon Pagenaud (60) puts in earplugs for the final GMR Grand Prix practice on Friday, May 13, 2022, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.

Pagenaud will again team with Castroneves after both were part of the winning entry at the Rolex 24 at Daytona last year. The 38-year-old Frenchman has both an IndyCar Series title (2016) and an Indianapolis 500 (2019) to his credit, with 21 starts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series under his belt.

Scott Dixon, No. 1 Cadillac, Chip Ganassi Racing (GTP)

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) of New Zealand celebrates winning the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) of New Zealand celebrates winning the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022.

Dixon will make his 20th consecutive appearance in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and has won four times, claiming the overall title in 2006, 2015 and 2020 while earning a class title in a GTLM entry in 2018. The 42-year-old native of New Zealand is one of the most accomplished drivers in IndyCar history, having claimed six series championships (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020) with a victory in the 2008 Indy 500. His 53 victories are second only to A.J. Foyt (67) in American open-wheel history and he’s led more laps in the Indianapolis 500 than any driver.

Colton Herta, No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8, RLL Racing (GTP)

Herta became the youngest driver to win an IndyCar event at the Circuit of the Americas in 2019, just six days shy of his 19th birthday. He's piled up six more wins since then and finished third in the championship standings in 2020, his best showing to date. This will mark his fifth appearance in the Rolex 24 and he has been a part of two class victories, claiming the GTLM win in 2019 and finishing first in the LMP2 category last year. This will mark his debut in the premier class.

Josef Newgarden, No. 8 Oreca 07, Tower Motorsports (LMP2)

Josef Newgarden (2) reacts after winning an IndyCar auto race at World Wide Technology Raceway, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, in Madison, Ill. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)
Josef Newgarden (2) reacts after winning an IndyCar auto race at World Wide Technology Raceway, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, in Madison, Ill. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

With five championship finishes of first or second in his last six IndyCar seasons, including titles in 2017 and 2019, Newgarden has emerged as one of the sport’s top drivers. He will make his debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona this year. The 32-year old from Nashville, Tenn. has 25 IndyCar wins to his credit.

Scott McLaughlin, No. 8 Oreca 07, Tower Motorsports (LMP2)

Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin (3) of New Zealand celebrates finishing second in the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022.
Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin (3) of New Zealand celebrates finishing second in the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022.

McLaughlin picked up three IndyCar wins in his second full-time season in 2022, winning the season opener at the St. Petersburg street course and adding victories at Mid-Ohio and Portland, eventually finishing fourth in the point standings.

Austin Cindric, No. 51 Oreca 07, Rick Ware Racing (LMP2)

Austin Cindric lifts the Daytona 500 Trophy high in Victory Lane, Sunday night February 20, 2022 at Daytona International Speedway.
Austin Cindric lifts the Daytona 500 Trophy high in Victory Lane, Sunday night February 20, 2022 at Daytona International Speedway.

The lone NASCAR entrant in the field, Cindric has certainly already tasted his fair share of success at the World Center of Racing, having won last year’s Daytona 500 in his first race as a full-time Cup Series driver. The 24-year old will make his fifth start in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and second consecutive after finishing fifth in the GTD Pro Class last year with Proton USA.

Devlin DeFrancesco, No. 51 Oreca 07, Rick Ware Racing (LMP2)

Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport driver Devlin DeFrancesco (29) prepares to get into his car Saturday, May 21, 2022, during the first day of qualifying for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport driver Devlin DeFrancesco (29) prepares to get into his car Saturday, May 21, 2022, during the first day of qualifying for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

DeFrancesco will serve as Cindric's teammate and is looking for a second straight class-winning run in the LMP2 division after claiming victory alongside Eric Lux, Patricio O'Ward and Herta last year. Lux will be a third driver on the team with Pietro Fittipaldi filling out the lineup. Just 22 years old, DeFrancesco just finished his rookie season in the IndyCar Series driving for Andretti Autosport, notching a season- and career-best finish of 12th at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Rinus VeeKay, No. 11 Oreca 07, TDS Racing (LMP2)

Rinus VeeKay, of The Netherlands, prepares to drive during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Rinus VeeKay, of The Netherlands, prepares to drive during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

VeeKay returns for his third Rolex 24 start in the LMP2 class, looking to take one more step forward after taking part in a second-place class showing for Racing Team Nederland in 2022. The 22-year-old driver races for Ed Carpenter Racing and has one IndyCar win, coming at the Indy Grand Prix in 2021.

Romain Grosjean, No. 63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Iron Lynx (GTD Pro)

Romain Grosjean looks on from his pit box at Mid-Ohio.
Romain Grosjean looks on from his pit box at Mid-Ohio.

A long-time Formula One competitor turned IndyCar driver for Andretti Autosport, Grosjean will make his first appearance in a sports-car race in well over a decade, after running in the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010 as well as appearing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year. He finished third eight times in a nine full-time F1 seasons and finished second twice in the IndyCar Series in 2021.

Jan/Kevin Magnussen, No. 53 Porsche 911 GT3, MDK Motorsports (GTD)

Driver Jan Magnussen prepares to take the No. 3 Corvette on track during IMSA testing at the Roar Before The Rolex at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, January 3, 2014.
Driver Jan Magnussen prepares to take the No. 3 Corvette on track during IMSA testing at the Roar Before The Rolex at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, January 3, 2014.

The father-son duo will race together after pulling the trick at the 24 hours of Le Mans last year. Jan has four class wins to his credit at Le Mans (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009) and also was part of a class win at the Rolex 24 in 2015 (GTLM). Kevin currently drives for Haas-Ferrari in the Formula One Series. He finished 13th in points last year with a season-best finish of fifth place at the season opener at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Kyle Kirkwood, No. 12 Lexus RTC F GT3, Vasser Sullivan (GTD)

A. J. Foyt Enterprises driver Kyle Kirkwood (14) stands in his pit box Tuesday, May 17, 2022, during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A. J. Foyt Enterprises driver Kyle Kirkwood (14) stands in his pit box Tuesday, May 17, 2022, during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Kirkwood finished 24th in points in his IndyCar Series rookie season last year for A.J. Foyt Enterprises and will move over to Andretti Autosport in 2023. This will mark his third Rolex 24 start and Kirkwood picked up a pair of IMSA SportsCar Championship wins last year, taking part in victories at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in the GTD class and the season-closing Petit Le Mans in the GTD Pro class.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA: Some of the best in IndyCar and NASCAR to compete