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25 Daytona Prototypes will start the 46th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway tomorrow. That should give some comfort to NASCAR fans who are nervous about the future competitiveness of the Racer Formerly Known as CoT.
Daytona Prototypes were introduced to skeptical sportscar racing fans in 2002 by, basically the same folks who are force-feeding you that other car. The field for the 2002 Rolex included only a handful of DPs - and they weren't very fast - or very pretty.
The Grand Am Series' new-at-the-time stewards - that would be the Family France - said many of the same things about DPs back then as they have been telling NASCAR fans about CoTs. They'll save teams money. It's a safer car. We won't permit any cheating. You'll grow to think they're cute.
Whether or not the new NASCAR-car makes for better racing is up in the air. Way up there, in fact. But there is really no argument that the DP saved big league sportscar racing in this country. That field tomorrow is big, competitive and - with the sponsor decal-friendly broad sides, hoods and tops - colorfully NASCAR-like.
And....and.... it will be a real race - Finally
Picture credit: John Raoux/Associated Press
I am definitely hyped for this. If the #01, #10, #99 and #61 cars are all on the lead lap with about an hour to go in the race, that should be one heck of a finish. The Ford Mustang's debut in the GT class, with Boris Said on both teams, should be interesting to watch, as well as Corvette's entry into the Rolex Series. (I know, they've been racing in ALMS for years, but I think this is their first time in a while in the Rolex Grand Am Series. However, I think the #07 Pontiac GXP/R with Paul Edwards, Kelly Collins, Jan Magnussen, and Andy Pilgrim will take the GT class this year.
Posted by: RevJim | January 26, 2008 at 05:17 AM