IMSA Practice/Qualifying Report - Rolex 24 at Daytona

January 24, 2020


Track:    Daytona International Speedway
Race:      Rolex 24 at Daytona
Date:      January 23, 2020


No. 6 Acura Team Penske ARX-05 DPi – Dane Cameron/Juan Pablo Montoya/Simon Pagenaud

Practice 1           
Position:                     1st
Time / Speed:             1:49.917 seconds / 116.597 mph

Practice 2                           
Position:                     8th
Time / Speed:             N/A seconds / N/A mph

Qualifying                          
Position:                     2nd
Time / Speed:             1:34.154 seconds / 136.117 mph
 
Practice 3                           
Position:                     4th
Time / Speed:             1:35.889 seconds / 133.654 mph
 

No. 7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05 DPi – Helio Castroneves/Ricky Taylor/Alexander Rossi

Practice 1
Position:                     5th
Time / Speed:             1:51.226 seconds / 115.224 mph

Practice 2                           
Position:                     1st
Time / Speed:             1:34.904 seconds / 135.041 mph

Qualifying                          
Position:                     8th
Time / Speed:             1:44.065 seconds / 123.153 mph

Practice 3                           
Position:                     6th
Time / Speed:             N/A seconds / N/A mph


Fast Practice 1 Time:         1:51.226 seconds (No. 6 – Montoya) 
Fast Practice 2 Time:         1:34.904 seconds (No. 7 – Taylor)
Fast Qualifying Time:        1:33.711 seconds (No. 77 – Oliver Jarvis)        
Fast Practice 3 Time:         1:34.914 seconds (No. 31 – Felipe Albuquerque)


Recap: Damp and overcast conditions awaited the teams of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as they entered the gates of the Daytona International Speedway for the first day of Rolex 24 at Daytona practice. As such, the speeds were down considerably on the wet surface from where they were earlier in the month for the Roar Before the 24 test session. Still, Juan Pablo Montoya was able to pace the field in the first session with a lap of 1:49.917 seconds in the No. 6 ARX-05, the only driver to dip below 1 minute and 50 seconds. Ricky Taylor finished the first practice with the fifth-fastest time in the No. 7 Acura ARX-05. Rains persisted through the second session, but Taylor was able to persevere to score the fastest lap. The No. 6 ARX-05 did not make an official lap due to the weather.

Montoya briefly held the top spot in qualifying before relinquishing it to the No. 77 Mazda entry. He would hold on to the second starting position. Unfortunately, Taylor contacted the tire barrier and the wall in the “bus stop” chicane during his hot lap and received heavy damage to the front of the No. 7 Acura. He will start eighth on Saturday. The No. 7 team had to go to work repairing the car in hopes of making a few laps during the final session on Thursday night, and they were able to do just that thanks to strong teamwork and determination, but they did not take an official time. This will put the team in a better position heading into the final practice tomorrow morning at 9:50 am ET.


Race: Coverage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will begin Saturday, January 25 at 1:30 pm ET on NBC before moving around the NBC family of networks and finishing back on NBC from 12:00 pm to the checkered flag. Please use this link to access the full schedule. Coverage can also be heard on IMSA Radio, Sirius 138 and XM 202.