Now that the provisional entry list for this month’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, North America’s most prestigious sports car race, has been released, it’s time for the return of the IMSA.com Team Tracker.

Introduced leading into the 2022 season, the Team Tracker compiles and updates official announcements teams have made for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – be they declarations for the full season, IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) events or the Rolex 24 only.

The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA is the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and skill for world-class competition at the World Center of Racing. The world-wide “twice-around-the-clock” iconic event will open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a 1:40 p.m. ET start. The event will mark the debut of the much-anticipated Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class on the 3.56-mile road course. The GTP class combines internal combustion engines with cutting-edge technology in an electrical support powertrain.

Fans are encouraged to reserve their place in history at The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA by logging onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.  New in 2023, garage access will now be included for all 2-day infield and single-day customers, enhancing the experience for guests by providing close access to the incredible cars and teams. Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE to the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA.

With the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at the World Center of Racing just three weeks away, here’s the first installment of the 2023 season Team Tracker, broken down by class and listing known drivers.

Grand Touring Prototype (GTP)

• No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-LMDh: Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande for full season, Scott Dixon for Rolex 24.

• No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-LMDh: A Rolex 24-only entry with Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook.

• Nos. 6 and 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963s: The team is running two full-season cars each in the WeatherTech Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Specific driver assignments haven’t been set but those already named to the program are Dane Cameron, Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, Kevin Estre, Mathieu Jaminet, Andre Lotterer, Fred Makowiecki, Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy and Laurens Vanthoor.

• No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06: Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor for full season, Louis Deletraz for IMEC and Brendon Hartley for Rolex 24.

• Nos. 24 and 25 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8s: Specific assignments are to be set but full-season drivers are Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly piloting one car and Philipp Eng and Augusto Farfus paired up in the other. They will be joined at the Rolex 24 by Colton Herta, with Sheldon van der Linde and Marco Wittmann on board for Daytona and Sebring.

• No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-LMDh: Returning with Whelen Engineering Racing sponsorship, Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims are in for the full season, with Jack Aitken on board for the Rolex 24.

• No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun for full season, Helio Castroneves for IMEC and Simon Pagenaud for Rolex 24.

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)

• No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA LMP2 07: Entered for IMEC rounds only with Ben Hanley, George Kurtz and Matt McMurry, along with Esteban Gutierrez for Rolex 24.

• No. 8 Tower Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07: Entered for the Rolex 24 only with drivers John Farano, Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden and Kyffin Simpson.

• No. 20 High Class Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Dennis Anderson and Ed Jones for full season, Anders Fjordbach for IMEC rounds and Raffaele Marciello for Rolex 24.

Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3)

• No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsports Ligier JS P320: Joao Barbosa and Lance Willsey for full season.

GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO)

• No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD: Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor for full season with Tommy Milner for IMEC rounds.

• No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Klaus Bachler and Patrick Pilet for full season with Laurens Vanthoor for IMEC rounds.

• No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3: Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth for full season.

• No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3: Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas for full season with David Pittard for Rolex 24.

• No. 63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2: Joining IMSA for the IMEC rounds with Romain Grosjean, Andrea Caldarelli and Mirko Bortolotti.

• No. 64 TGM/TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3: Ted Giovanis, Hugh Plumb, Matt Plumb and Owen Trinkler for Rolex 24 only.

• No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella for full season, Maro Engel for IMEC rounds and Cooper MacNeil for Rolex 24.

GT Daytona (GTD)

• No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3: Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz for full season.

• No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen and Zacharie Robichon for IMEC rounds, with Dennis Olsen joining for the Rolex 24.

• No. 19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2: Car will compete in the Rolex 24 with drivers to be named.

• No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3: Roman De Angelis and Marco Sorensen for full season with Ian James and Darren Turner joining for the Rolex 24.

• Mo. 53 MDK Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R: Mark Kvamme and Jan Magnussen for the IMEC rounds, with Kevin Magnussen joining for the Rolex 24.

• No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3: Brendan Iribe and Frederik Schandorff for full season, Ollie Millroy for IMEC rounds and Marvin Kirchhofer for Rolex 24.

• No. 77 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman for full season, Max Root for IMEC rounds and Kevin Estre for Rolex 24.

• No. 80 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): PJ Hyett and Seb Priaulx for full season, Gunnar Jeannette for IMEC rounds and Harry Tincknell for Rolex 24.

• No. 83 Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2: Car will compete in IMEC rounds with drivers to be named.

• No. 91 Kelly-Moss with Riley Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): A full-season entry with drivers to be announced.

• No. 92 Kelly-Moss with Riley Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): IMEC rounds only with Jeroen Bleekemolen, David Brule, Andrew Davis and Alec Udell.

• No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR Acura NSX GT3: Danny Formal, Ashton Harrison and Kyle Marcelli for IMEC rounds, joined by Ryan Briscoe for Rolex 24.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway via www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.

Andretti Global and General Motors, two American powerhouses in the automotive and motorsport sectors, have announced their intent to pursue the opportunity to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship. GM would be represented by the Cadillac brand. The Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the U.S. with a support facility in the U.K. 

This reunites two iconic American companies with deep motorsports pedigrees and provides the opportunity to build on previous racing accomplishments while expanding international reach for both brands. F1 has seen consistent growth globally and most recently in the U.S. with 2023 races in Austin, Miami and Las Vegas. The Andretti Cadillac team is planning to submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA opens the formal process. If selected, the team is seeking to compete as soon as practical with at least one American driver.  

Cadillac V-Series has a legacy of success on the track in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Pirelli World Challenge. Since 2017, Cadillac has been competing at the forefront of American sports car racing in IMSA, achieving numerous wins, podiums, and championships with the Cadillac DPi-V.R. Cadillac will continue in sports car racing with the all-new hybrid Cadillac V-LMDh, which will compete globally in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship.  

Andretti Global is a global racing enterprise and parent company to Andretti Autosport and other Andretti racing ventures. Andretti racing teams currently compete in seven different top-tier series worldwide and have found success in each avenue of competition. Andretti and GM last paired for the return of Chevrolet to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012, together capturing nine wins across two seasons. The pairing additionally claimed the Driver, Team and Manufacturer titles in 2012.  

Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Global:
“We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next. I feel that we are well suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans. I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.  

“Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula One contender.” 

Mark Reuss, President, General Motors:
“General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing. We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport. 

“Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.” 

 The entry list for the 61st Rolex 24 At DAYTONA (Jan. 28-29), North America’s most prestigious sports car race, will include – appropriately enough – 61 cars.

IMSA officials today announced that the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG has been added to the entry list in the GT Daytona (GTD) class, bringing the class car count to 25. The car is also expected to compete in the full IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, which features an eye-popping 57 entries for the four-race season in 2023.

“Having 61 cars for the 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona seems only natural,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “After we previously announced a 60-car capacity for the field last month – and knowing that we received more than 70 entries – our IMSA team regrouped and eventually determined that we could accommodate one more entry to match our field size from last year. This is shaping up to be a Rolex 24 and a 2023 IMSA season for the ages.”

With 25 entries from nine different manufacturers, the GTD field will be the largest of the five classes competing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The race also features the much-heralded debut of the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) hybrid-powered prototype class, which will feature nine entries from four manufacturers.

The factory supported GTD PRO class will include eight entries from seven manufacturers, with 10 cars slated to compete in the LMP2 class and nine cars competing in the LMP3 class.

The full entry list of teams and cars is available HERE. An entry list that includes driver names is expected to be released next week.

The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA on the 3.56-mile road course is the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and skill for world-class competition at the World Center of Racing. The world-wide “twice-around-the-clock” iconic event will open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a 1:40 p.m. ET start.

Fans are encouraged to reserve their place in history at The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA by logging onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.  New in 2023, garage access will now be included for all 2-day infield and single-day customers, enhancing the experience for guests by providing close access to the incredible cars and teams. Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE to the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway via www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.

The Formula & Automobile Racing Association (FARA) announced today its new ownership structure and new executive management team as a sure sign the championship will retain its innovative and competitive foundation for the foreseeable future.

The new ownership structure composed of Jose De las Casas & TLM Racing have appointed as Chief Race Director, renown professional race car driver, racing instructor and coach, Gerardo Bonilla, who will be supported by a team of Competition Directors formed by David Leira, Paul Ronie, and Derek Granison. Bob Ricker will take the role of Deputy Race director working alongside Gerardo during race weekends.

Gerardo Bonilla has been a master instructor and director of operations for premier race schools and served as series driver coach and race steward for the USF2000 National Championship (more info below). The Competition Directors joining him, David Leira (TLM Racing), Paul Ronie (RSR Racing), and Derek Granison (Extreme Velocity) add their decades of race experience and knowledge across several organizations. 

Mario Cader-Frech, through KC Social Impact Lab LLC, has been hired to act as role of Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships. Increasing fan engagement and experiences with the brand on and off track, taking FARA to new and more diverse audiences, and bringing exciting new opportunities to competitors and spectators alike.  

With the new ownership and management changes in place, FARA plans to keep improving driving conditions to continue offering a safe, exciting, competitive environment for everyone. Additional changes will be announced at the organizational and operational levels to enhance efficiency, promote innovative learning & development experiences, increase the number of events, improve turnout, elevate sponsorship opportunities, and encourage participation at the highest possible level. 

After five incredible seasons building its partnership with Team Honda HRC, Wiseco Performance Products is proud to expand its relationship to include collaboration with Honda’s 250SX program in addition to its existing 450SX relationship. This technical partnership focuses on piston development for the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship seasons, which have joined forces to create the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship.

With over eight decades of performance and racing experience, Wiseco’s first-hand knowledge designing, developing, and manufacturing USA-made performance is a powerful complement to Team Honda HRC’s elite legacy in Supercross and Motocross racing. Wiseco will continue to work closely with the team on piston and engine package research and development services, now expanded to both the Honda CRF450RWE and CRF250R platforms for 2023.

“Team Honda HRC are very excited and proud to have Wiseco become a ‘complete’ team sponsor to include the 250 program as well the 450. Together we have had many successful years already on the 450, and we are ready to take that same success to the 250 class, where a high-performance, high-quality piston is extremely important.”

Coming off a pair of 2022 championships in AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, now three-time title earner Jett Lawrence is campaigning the 250SX West Class while his brother, Hunter Lawrence will be campaigning the 250SX East Class, where each will be hunting for number one plates aboard their CRF250R machines. Additionally, proven amateur rider, Chance Hymas, will be campaigning select AMA Supercross 250SX West region rounds before competing in his first AMA Pro Motocross season.

Team Honda HRC’s 450SX class efforts are led by Chase Sexton, who has entered his third AMA Supercross season aboard the CRF450RWE and is coming off a season filled with championship-contending performances, as well as riding for the winning Team USA effort in the 2022 Motocross of Nations. Also backed by Wiseco, alongside Sexton, will be 2021 250SX East Region Champion Colt Nichols, making his debut in the premier class aboard his number 45 Honda.

“Wiseco is thrilled to be evolving our relationship with Team Honda HRC entering the 2023 season,” explained Wiseco’s Director of Marketing, Scott Highland. “It’s an honor to combine resources for piston development with one of the most recognizable teams in the global powersports industry. Last season showed great success in mutual development with the CRF450R platform, and we are looking forward to building upon that with the CRF250R platform as well.”

Find the complete 2023 Supercross schedule here, and check out Team Honda HRC’s official announcement here.

Supremacy Games from Helsinki, Finland announces a licensing deal with legendary American supercar manufacturer Saleen Automotive. Company’s original vehicles can be collected and driven in Apex Kings NFT Racing game.

Saleen is an American car manufacturer that is known for its high-performance sports cars and muscle cars. Founded by Steve Saleen, the company has a long history of building some of the most iconic and sought-after cars in the world.

One of the key features of Saleen cars is their impressive performance. Many of the company's vehicles are equipped with powerful engines and advanced suspension and brake systems, which allows them to deliver agile handling and impressive acceleration. This makes Saleen cars a favorite among car enthusiasts and performance driving enthusiasts.

Among the many real car brands and models available in the game, players can now find three exciting vehicles from Saleen: the S1, S5S Raptor, and S7. For a limited time, everyone can participate in a giveaway of a Saleen S7 car, further details in Apex Kings Twitter @ApexKingsNFT

Apex Kings NFT Racing is a new web3 racing game that allows players to collect and trade unique cars using digital collectibles based on real car brands and models. This feature adds an extra layer of strategy and depth to the game and provides players with several benefits. One of the main benefits of collecting NFT cars in Apex Kings NFT Racing is the added value that they provide. Just like in the real world, certain cars are more rare and valuable than others, and these cars can be more difficult to obtain or have better performance on the track.

A unique feature is the game’s natural scarcity feature, where the number of digital collectibles dropped corresponds to the actual production number of the cars. By collecting and trading NFT cars, players can build a valuable and powerful collection that can help them win races and earn rewards. First Apex Kings NFT Racing cars will be available in blind packs of 3 cars by the end of March 2023. The game will be available for a limited audience to play soon afterwards.

“We are thrilled to be able to add official Saleen cars to the game. All the Saleen models are very rare and will be a very valuable addition to anyone’s collection and formidable opponents on the racetrack. One lucky winner will get a free Saleen S7 supercar in our giveaway,” commented Supremacy Games CEO Jari Pauna.

More info
www.apexkings.io
https://twitter.com/@ApexKingsNFT

Andersen Promotions today announced a multi-year partnership with the Dallara Research Center to further prepare drivers on their rise through the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires ranks. The final step on the ladder – USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires – will now offer the top-three finishers in the championship simulator time at the renowned Speedway, Ind.-based facility.

Built in 2014, the Dallara USA simulator is one of only three Dallara simulators in the world. The state-of-the-art unit features a full motion platform with post lifts, movement, vibration, simulated G-force, immersive audio and 180-degree video. It is the most precise simulator dedicated to professional racing and has been utilized by top drivers and teams across the globe.

Alongside the USF Pro 2000 champion’s scholarship valued at $664,425 to advance to INDY NXT in 2024, Dallara will provide a full day of simulator testing with half-days awarded to second and third in the final finishing positions. All will drive an INDY NXT car at a track(s) mutually agreed upon.

“We have had a great working relationship with Dallara for many years including developing the Dallara IL-15,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “I want to thank Bryce Moore [Dallara Commercial and Business Development] and his team for reaching out to us and offering this great award package to assist our drivers in taking their next steps.

“I have seen the Dallara simulator in action and the amount of accurate, realistic set-up changes that can be made in a short amount of time coupled with the physical aspects and live data will definitely help to accelerate a driver’s learning curve. It truly is revolutionary as to what can be accomplished in one day in the simulator versus several days trackside. As always, our goal is to train drivers to advance and this is another benefit to our ladder system thanks to Dallara.”

“We have always had such a great relationship with Dan and his team and feel that, as the sole chassis supplier for the pillar series up the ladder, this is a way that we can continuously help and improve the abilities of the younger generation of drivers moving on to the next levels,” said Moore. “We are thrilled to have this partnership and are excited about what it can bring.”

USF Pro 2000 will be trackside February 27/28 at Sebring International Raceway for Spring Training followed by the season-opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., March 3-5 in support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

With excitement already brewing surrounding the start of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series at the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, eight Top Fuel stars are already planning for a memorable weekend at historic Gainesville Raceway.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout returns in 2023, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique specialty race that takes place on Saturday, March 11. It’s a marquee, can’t-miss attraction to help kick off the new season, and a definite highlight of famed Gatornationals.

Reigning world champion Brittany Force, defending callout winner Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, Mike Salinas, Doug Kalitta, Josh Hart, Austin Prock and Clay Millican make up the eight-car field for the one-day shootout with a distinctive callout format that promises big money and major bragging rights, along with a special broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout’s format was introduced in 2022, with the top-seeded driver – which is Force this season – getting the first selection to call out her first-round opponent. Torrence gets the next selection, going down the line until the first-round matchups are set. After a sure-fire dynamite first round, the driver who makes the quickest winning run will select their semifinal opponent, locking in the other matchup as well.

It makes for a thrilling Saturday duel leading into Sunday’s eliminations, also setting the stage for a terrific way to open the 2023 season. Last year’s Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout was finished in Indy due to weather, with Torrence going 3.692-seconds at 329.02 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to slip past Force in a stellar final round. Torrence, who won four straight world championships from 2018-2021, will look for back-to-back specialty race wins and the chance to do it for the first time in Gainesville, while Force will look to start her second career championship defense with a callout victory. The speed dynamo made a track-record run in Gainesville last year, scorching the track with a run of 337.75 en route to her world title.

Standouts Ashley and Salinas, who each had the best seasons of their careers in 2022, advanced to the semifinals in the shootout last year, while the veteran Kalitta was a participant last year and is no stranger to specialty races in his storied career. Millican and rising stars Josh Hart and Austin Prock will make their first appearances in the callout. Hart started his Top Fuel career with a victory at Gainesville at his first career race in 2021, while Prock came on strong to end 2022, winning two playoff races and finishing third in the points standings.

With three rounds of the specialty race set to take place on Saturday, it adds another thrilling attraction to the kickoff of the NHRA’s 72nd season. For more than five decades, Gainesville Raceway has served as hallowed grounds for drivers eager to leave their mark at the storied facility. The first event of the year will also celebrate the 2022 world champions with a ring ceremony, along with a pre-race kickoff party in Gainesville to help set the tone for an incredible opener.

In 2022, Tripp Tatum (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up victories during a record-breaking weekend in Gainesville. Hagan earned the first-ever victory for Tony Stewart Racing, and Karen Stoffer made the quickest pass in Pro Stock Motorcycle history at 6.665 seconds en route to the win. Tatum earned his first career victory, as a first-time winner picked up the victory for a second straight year in Top Fuel.

Action will start with qualifying on Friday, final qualifying and the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday, and eliminations on Sunday as the NHRA stars will aim to open their 2023 season in standout fashion.

To purchase tickets to the 2023 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general-admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. 

2023 Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout Final Standings

1.   Brittany Force

2.   Steve Torrence

3.   Justin Ashley

4.   Mike Salinas

5.   Doug Kalitta

6.   Josh Hart

7.   Austin Prock

8.   Clay Millican

(Note: Force will get the first selection for the opening round, followed by the next-highest seeded driver until matchups are set.)

(Courtesy of NHRA Communications)