Tuesday January 31, 2012
Volume CXXXIII Issue 2
50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24
ANDREW ZABACK/AVION
Costas Sivyllis
Editor-In-Chief Saturday, January 28, began the 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. The 24-hour race got underway at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, with a large crowd both in the stands and in the infield deafened by the roar of some of the most famous sports cars. Michael Shank Racing went on to capture the historic win, as the team’s number 60 Ford-Riley Daytona prototype car crossed the finish
line after travelling an average speed of 126.300 mph, and drove 761 laps, which is the equivalent of 2709.16 miles. The Rolex 24 race brings teams from all over the world, who compete in this mechanically and logistically complex race. Throughout the day and night, fans came and went as they pleased. It was not uncommon to spot a race team crew at one of the local restaurants during the race, all of which had the race on television. As the sun set, more campfires started to light up as the infield became filled to capacity with large RV’s, pick-up trucks, and cars.
Fans grilled, cheered, and watched as dozens of cars raced around the whole course. In the infield, the road race next to the grandstands was a popular location to get close to the action. Being one of the nearest spots to the track, the infield brought the opportunity to hear and feel the sound of the high RPM’s and distinct gear shifts as each car passed by. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University junior Justin Dahan, an avid race fan, was very enthusiastic about the race. “The Rolex is a great race everyone needs to attend at least once,” Dahan said,
“You have to love the atmosphere, unlike any other race because it’s happening for an entire day. You can see racing anytime you want. I admire the teamwork, quality, and give a lot of credit to the crews who are working 24-hours to maintain numerous race cars, including mechanics, spotters, drivers, and coordinators, to name a few. The Rolex is definitely 24-hours of excitement!” Daytona International Speedway now gets ready for the arrival of Speedweek and the Daytona 500 NASCAR Race on Sunday, February 26.
ANDREW ZABACK/AVION
THREE PORSCHE GT SERIES cars run three wide around turn three at Daytona International Speedway during the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 race. Unable to draft, these high performance cars raced through the night for 24 hours during a test of extreme endurance, skill, and speed.