The 2021 Rolex 24 at Daytona looks set to have a grid of 50 cars taking part, the highest number of entries since 2018.
IMSA has released the entry list for the Roar Before the 24, the traditional test weekend ahead of the season opener for the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.
The list includes seven DPi entries, ten in LMP2, seven in the new-for-2021 LMP3 class and six in GTLM. GTD has the highest number of entries by far, with twenty teams set to take part in the Florida endurance classic. No driver line-ups are listed on the entry list, which are to be included at a later date.
The DPi field features no major surprises. Mazda Motorsports and JDC-Miller Motorsports have both scaled down to a single car, with the JDC-Miller entry running under the Mustang Sampling Racing banner.
The new Acura DPi entries for Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing are joined by the single Chip Ganassi Cadillac, with Whelen Engineering completing the full-season field of six cars. They are joined by the second Cadillac from Action Express at Daytona, which is entered under the Ally Cadillac Racing banner.
LMP2 has seen its number doubled from five in 2020 to ten entries in 2021. The class’ numbers are significantly boosted by a number of European teams from WEC and ELMS entering the race.
These include Cetilar Racing, High Class Racing and Racing Team Nederland. Tower Motorsport return to the grid, as do Era Motorsport and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsport.
They are joined by two cars from Dragonspeed and the lone RWR-Eurasia Ligier. New to the grid is WIN Autosport, which also field a single ORECA 07-Gibson.
LMP3’s debut in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship is set to take place with seven cars. Five teams are fielding Ligier machinery, while two have entered a Duqueine M30-D08.
Previously confirmed entries from CORE Autosport and Riley Motorsports are joined by former LMP2 squad Performance Tech Motorsports. New to the championship are Muehlner Motorsports America and Forty7 Motorsports (both Duqueine entries) as well as Sean Creech Motorsport.
In GTLM, Corvette Racing and BMW Team RLL both returns to enter two cars each, joined by a lone Porsche 911 RSR-19 from WeatherTech Racing and Risi Competizione’s Ferrari 488 GTE Evo.
Finally, GTD features twenty cars from nine manufacturers. New entries include NTE Sport with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, Winward Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
Also new is Team Hardpoint EBM’s Porsche 911 GT3R, a partnership between Rob Ferriol’s Team Hardpoint and Earl Bamber Motorsport, with the double Le Mans winner set for driving duties alongside Ferriol.
The Roar Before the 24 will take place on January 22-24, followed by the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 30-31.
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