Private test sessions at Daytona International Speedway have played a major part in helping the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) zero in on a technical package for the 2014 ‘Roar before the 24’ and Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The circuit hosted Action Express Racing‘s Corvette DP over the 10th and 11th of December alongside tests for the SpeedSource Mazda SkyActiv Diesel P2 and a number of Riley Daytona Prototype teams. Extreme Speed Motorsports and RSR Racing also joined the test on the 11th of December, bringing along their respective Prototype Challenge category machines.
The 17th and 18th of December saw a number of Corvette DPs and one Continental Tyre SportsCar Challenge Grand Sport category entry testing on the high banks of Daytona. The sessions marked the first time that DP and P2 machines were at Daytona since an IMSA-sanctioned test in November was suspended to allow for further analysis of on-track incidents.
“Through the collaboration of everybody involved, we believe that we have arrived at a package that will work for DP cars when we come back to Daytona for the Roar and the Rolex 24,” said IMSA Vice President, Competition and Technical Regulations, Scot Elkins. “Everybody pitched in to come up with a solution, and we are grateful to our teams and manufacturers, as well as our partners at Continental Tire, for all of their efforts.”
The private tests also helped IMSA define top-speed targets for the P class, which will also enable IMSA to set top-speed targets for the P, PC, GTLM and GTD classes. The next step for testing will be wind-tunnel testing for DP cars on the 28th and 29th to confirm the final Balance of Performance for Corvette DPs and Ford Ecoboost/Riley cars for the Roar and the Rolex 24. BoP for the P2 cars will be completed after the Roar.
