Tequila Patrón ESM’s 2015 Worldwide Season Starts at Home and the Rolex 24 - Speedway Digest

Tequila Patrón ESM begins a new motorsports chapter this weekend. Set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup races of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Tequila Patrón ESM kicks off its 2015 season in its home state during the 53rd Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Tequila Patrón ESM is headquartered approximately three hours south of the famed Daytona International Speedway. The twice-around-the-clock endurance race is the season-opening TUDOR Championship event and opening round of the four-race Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.

“We are all excited to debut our new Honda coupes at the first Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup event,” stated owner/driver Scott Sharp. “The Rolex 24 At Daytona has always been one of my favorite events because of the huge field of cars, great drivers from all disciplines of the sport and a challenging 24 hours to persevere through. There is nothing quite like jumping in the car at three or four in the morning! It’s electric!”

This weekend marks the competition debut of the two Tequila Patrón-sponsored Honda Performance Development (HPD) ARX-04b coupes. The Florida-based team has worked non-stop assembling and testing the new machinery since the close of the 2014 season. Armed with six drivers, two coupes and new liveries, Tequila Patrón ESM is ready to race in one of the most prestigious events on the motorsports calendar.

Tequila Patrón ESM seeks its first overall win at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The team’s best finish came in 2014 with an eighth-place run for the No. 2 team. In addition to attempting for its first overall team win, Tequila Patrón ESM will attempt to drive its Honda-powered prototypes to the engine manufacturer’s first overall win at Daytona.

“I cannot believe that it’s race week for the Rolex 24 At Daytona! I’m super excited to start the 2015 season in the new HPD coupe with Johannes and our new teammate Jon,” stated Ed Brown.

Two Tequila Patrón ESM drivers have won the endurance classic. Owner/driver Scott Sharp won in 1996, and has two runner-up finishes (2002, 2003). Co-driver Ryan Dalziel was the 2010 champion and earned runner-up honors twice (2007, 2012). Sharp, Dalziel and Tequila Patrón ESM newcomer David Heinemeier Hansson will share driving duties of the No. 1 Tequila Patrón HPD.

“Daytona is going to be a huge weekend for us – new car and new teammates, so we are really excited to show everyone what our new HPD can do,” Dalziel interjected. “We haven’t had the No. 1 car for very long and the crew has worked ridiculous hours to get us ready for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.”

Last year, Ed Brown and Johannes van Overbeek were half of the No. 2 Tequila Patrón ESM team that finished eighth. Van Overbeek has started the Rolex 24 from the pole twice (2004, 2011), has four podium finishes (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010) and seeks his first overall win this year. Two-time sportscar champion Jon Fogarty brings one Rolex 24 pole (2007) and podium finish (2008) to the team as he joins Brown and van Overbeek behind the wheel of the No. 2 coupe.

“The Tequila Patrón ESM crew has done an incredible job getting the new coupes prepared and ready for the event,” van Overbeek added. “We, collectively, have our work cut out for us but everyone is looking forward to seeing the Patrón coupe on the high banks this weekend. We’re hoping for 24 hours of non-stop running and if we’re lucky, a good result at the end of it all. I can’t wait to get started.”

The four-race Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup events include the Rolex 24 At Daytona at the end of January, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in June and Petit Le Mans in October to close the TUDOR Championship season.

The season opening Rolex 24 takes place on the 3.56-mile road course at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 24-25. The 12-turn circuit utilizes portions of the track’s tri-oval and infield road course, and is the first round of the TUDOR Championship. Qualifying for prototype cars is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 22.

The FOX family of channels will provide complete live coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Saturday, Jan. 24
2-4 p.m. ET FOX Network
4-8 p.m. ET FOX Sports 2
8-10 p.m. ET FOX Sports 1

Overnight (Jan. 24-25)
10 p.m. – 7 a.m. ET IMSA TV on IMSA.com

Sunday, Jan. 25
7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET FOX Sports 1

For audio coverage of the race, internet listeners can tune into IMSA Radio commentary throughout the race at www.imsa.com.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.