Class of 2025 assembles!
It’s a frigid day at Daytona International Speedway. After an overnight shower, the full field of 61 cars in the Rolex 24 At Daytona assembled for the group photo.
At the head of the class are the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, and the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, the reigning GTD, GTD PRO, and GTP champions leading the way.
Karen Gaillard reaches the next level with Iron Dames
Iron Dames’ newest GTD driver, Karen Gaillard, is joining the experienced trio of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, and Sarah Bovy for her first IMSA event at Daytona.”It’s amazing to be here and part of this team, and this race,” said the young French woman. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity, and also to join Rahel, Michi and Sarah. I’m sure I will learn a lot from these three, excellent drivers and I can’t wait to see what we can do here in Daytona,
Gaillard steps up from the Michelin Le Mans Cup to join the Dames as they rejoin Porsche in 2025 across all levels of GT racing. While new to IMSA, she does have previous endurance racing experience.
“It’s not though my first time in a 24 hour race, I raced at Dubai and Barcelona a few years ago, but I’m not used to it,” she said. “I’m just at the beginning. I have everything to learn, especially here, it’s my first time racing in the USA.
“I think on such a long race, the important is to bring the car back in good condition every time. I hear from them all the time that everything is important in the last hour. Before that, we just have to bring the car back and stay on the leading lap and be there for the fight at the end!”
Double Dragon At AO Racing
Pretty much everyone in the Rolex 24 Hours paddock would be delighted if Spike the LMP2 Dragon would warm things up with a dollop of fiery breath. It’s absolutely freezing today.
And AO Racing are here in full force with the title-defending #77 ‘Rexy’ Porsche 911 GT3 ‘Rawr’ in GTD PRO and ‘Spike’ the LMP2 Dragon in (funnily enough) LMP2!
And the dragon has a brother, with a full spare LMP2 ORECA 07 car visible behind the team’s hauler in the paddock today in full livery.
João Barbosa – Back In The Paddock
Two-time IMSA Champion and three time overall Rolex 24 Hours race winner (plus a class win!), João Barbosa was back in the Daytona paddock today chatting to friends and colleagues.
Joao lives locally in Ormond Beach with a newly established business, Turbo Fix, now operational, diagnosing, rebuilding and refurbishing turbochargers.
The now 49-year-old has not called time on his racing career just yet, still active with driver coaching and awaiting the results of the current efforts of Sean Creech Motorsport’s efforts to return to action to see whether there might be a slot available to a somewhat successful ‘old boy’!
More good news comes as it seems that Joao’s long-time gentleman driver at SCM, Dr. Lance Willsey, might be looking for a return too, so watch this space…
No injuries from afternoon paddock fire
During Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 1, a fire broke out adjacent to the refuelling station next to the Daytona garages.
DSC understands that as a result of an issue with a golf cart being charged, the fire spread to the roof of the building and required intervention from the on-site first responders and multiple fire trucks from the Daytona Beach Fire Department.
It was a substantial fire, but put under control quickly with no injuries.
