After receiving greater than 70 entries from groups wishing to compete within the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29, IMSA officers confirmed a capability 60-car area for the season-opening spherical of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“Greater than 70 whole entries and a 60-car area as we kick off a brand new period for WeatherTech Championship competitors speaks volumes for the curiosity in worldwide endurance sports activities automobile racing and our IMSA platform,” mentioned IMSA President John Doonan. “Arriving at this 60-car entry checklist for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona required a considerable effort from our staff at IMSA. We’re proud to current one of many strongest and best fields we now have seen and can’t wait to placed on an incredible present for a worldwide viewers of racing followers subsequent month.”

Of these 60 entries accepted, 56 have dedicated to the whole, four-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, with 45 vehicles deliberate for full-season packages. Whereas 61 vehicles began final yr’s 24, the brand new LMDh vehicles in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) require barely bigger pit packing containers than their predecessors, decreasing capability. Entries that weren’t chosen have been positioned on a reserve checklist and should change any present entries that withdraw previous to the occasion.

9 of the entries might be GTP machines — two every from Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche, plus a 3rd Cadillac that’s probably a one-off for Daytona. That area might be again to 9 or extra later within the season as buyer 963s from Porsche are delivered. GTD would be the largest class with 24 entries. 9 producers are represented, together with a number of new GT3 machines — the 992 911 GT3 R, the Ferrari 296 GT3 and the Evo2 model of the Lamborghini Huracan. These vehicles might be represented within the GTD PRO class as properly, which has eight entries from seven producers.

Each Professional-Am prototype courses additionally will function full fields within the Rolex 24. The LMP2 class boasts a 10-car area of ORECA 07 machines. The LMP3 class features a nine-car entry consisting of 4 Duqueine D08 race vehicles and 5 groups fielding the Ligier JS P320.

A number of groups new to, or just lately absent from, IMSA competitors are represented on the entry checklist, which doesn’t title drivers. That features IronLynx/Iron Dames with Lamborghini in GTD PRO and GTD, Penske Motorsports fielding vehicles for Porsche in GTP, Triarsi Competizione with a brand new Ferrari in GTD, and a trio of Porsche newcomers in GTD — AO Racing, MDK Motorsports and Kellymoss with Riley.

The total entry checklist with drivers named might be out there in January previous to the Roar Earlier than the 24.