Roar Before the Rolex 24 starts off the season in front of a whisper of fans - Speedway Digest

On Friday, January 22, under a foreboding sky, the 2021 IMSA season got off to a less than rousing start at the World Center of Racing – Daytona International Speedway. Dozens of high tech, high speed racing machines took to the high banks in front of what, at times, seemed like only dozens of fans to knock a few months of offseason rust off, and prepare for what has been argued as the most grueling 24 hours of motorsports in North America – the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

This round the clock extravaganza that pits man and machine against the most unfriendly of obstacles – time – takes on an even bigger challenge in 2021; Covid19! With extra protocols in place, including limited capacity, temperature checks, and more, the teams started their practice rounds knowing that this year was unlike any other.

Fans were not allowed into the garage area. The traditional cub and boy scouts were no where to be seen. In fact, all tent camping was eliminated for the event. It was a virtual ghost town in the UNOH FanZone, normally a hub of activity at the track.

All was not doom and gloom, however. Racers such as 7-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, Two-time defending Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Kamui Kobayashi, and even a member of a legendary racing family, Jarrett Andretti, each took their cars to the limit, and beyond.

Kamui Kobayashi opened the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with the fastest lap Friday during the first day of testing at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. His lap of 1 minute, 35.312 seconds (134.463 mph) around the 12-turn, 3.56-mile DIS road course in the No. 48 Action Express Racing Ally Cadillac DPi V.R was 0.385 seconds faster than the closest competitor. Two-time DAYTONA 500 winner Jimmie Johnson, returns for his eighth start, driving the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R alongside 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, two-time defending Rolex 24 winner Kamui Kobayashi and German sports car champion Mike Rockenfeller.

On Friday, Jarett Andretti, 28, fired up the No. 18 Andretti Autosport Ligier JS P320 for practice in the Roar Before the Rolex 24 with teammate Tristan Herbert. The team and car carry the influences of John Andretti, and his son is pleased to continue his father’s legacy.

For more photos of Friday’s action, check out the Speedway Digest Thursday Night Thunder Facebook page.

The Roar schedule finds WeatherTech Championship test sessions at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23. Live timing and scoring is available for each session on IMSA.com.

Motul Pole Award 100 qualifying starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 and streams live on IMSA.com. Following a 10 a.m. warmup on Sunday, Jan. 24, the Motul Pole Award 100 wraps up the weekend starting at 2:05 p.m. that afternoon.

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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.