The last preseason test before the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Roar Before the Rolex 24 continued on Saturday, before concluding on Sunday.
CORVETTE STAYS ON TOP, FERRARI RISES ON SATURDAY – As on Friday, Corvette topped the DP time sheets throughout testing on day two of the Rolex Series' Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway. SunTrust's quick time on Friday was eclipsed by Action Express's No. 5 entry at 1:41.338. Drivers in that car include Darren Law, David Donohue and Christian Fittipaldi.
SunTrust and Action Express' sister car were next. The biggest issue of the day involved the Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 01 BMW Riley, which sustained suspension and left-rear damage from contact with a GT car. That incident has caused the team to withdraw from the rest of the weekend due to a lack of spares.
After Camaro led the morning session on Friday, with Porsche pacing the afternoon session, Ferrari came to the fore in GT on Saturday. Risi Competizione's Grand-Am spec 458 led the charts (1:49.239) with another Ferrari third, this one from AIM Autosport Team FXDD. Stevenson's No. 57 Camaro that was quickest on Friday, timed in second, in between the two Ferraris.
ROLEX TV STAYS ON SPEED – TV coverage of the Grand-Am Rolex Series continues on SPEED, with 10 of its 13 races planned to be shown live. The Rolex 24 at Daytona will feature 15.5 live TV hours with live video shown online in the hours it's not on the television.
Races at Barber Motorsports Park (March 31), Indianapolis (July 27) and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Aug. 18) are scheduled for same-day tape delays.
The full broadcast schedule is below:
Jan. 28-29 Daytona International Speedway 2:30 p.m. on Jan, 28; 9 a.m. on Jan. 29.
March 31 Barber Motorsports Park 4 p.m. (SDD)
April 29 Homestead-Miami Speedway 1 p.m.
May 13 New Jersey Motorsports Park 1 p.m.
June 2 Detroit Belle Isle 5 p.m.
June 9 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 4:30 p.m.
June 23 Road America 12 p.m.
July 1 Watkins Glen International 11 a.m.
July 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 4:30 p.m. (SDD)
Aug. 11 Watkins Glen International 6 p.m.
Aug. 18 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 7 p.m. (SDD)
Sept. 9 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 3 p.m.
Sept. 29 Lime Rock Park 3 p.m.
Note: All times shown are ET; Times subject to change
SDD - Same-day delay
OTHER LINEUP NEWS AND NOTES – It was all but confirmed Friday when they began testing in Michael Shank's No. 6 entry, but the team made its young gun lineup official on Saturday. Felipe Nasr, Gustavo Yacaman and Jorge Goncalvez join Shank holdover Michael McDowell in the team's second-generation Ford Riley DP.
Paul Miller Racing, which finished second in GT at the 2011 Rolex 24, has announced its four-driver lineup to the No. 48 Porsche. Rob Bell and Bryce Miller return, and will be joined by Sascha Maassen – Miller's usual co-driver in the 2011 ALMS season – and Mark Wilkins, a fellow veteran with solid endurance race experience.
The GT grid may still add one or two more Porsche GT3 Cups before the Rolex 24, which have not appeared on the official rundown for this test.