DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Keeping true to its name as the sanctioning body of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the International Motor Sports Association will spotlight a robust contingent of international drivers, teams and manufacturers on the world stage for the 53rd Rolex 24 at Daytona on Saturday and Sunday.
What's that translate to? It's all about the race cars. It's about endurance.
Global television coverage of the Rolex 24 will be available in more than 300 million homes across more than 130 countries. In addition to television coverage, IMSA TV on IMSA.com will offer worldwide streaming of TUDOR Championship qualifying, as well as the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season-opening BMW Performance 200 on Friday.
A broadcast stream for all 24 hours of the Rolex 24 will be available to viewers outside of the United States with audio from the new IMSA Radio, via a partnership with Radio Show Limited.
IMSA Radio also will provide live audio coverage of each practice, qualifying and race session on IMSA TV and RadioLeMans.com. Domestically, viewers can stream IMSA Radio and on-board cameras throughout the race, as well as access the broadcast stream during the overnight hours from 10 p.m. ET through 7 a.m. ET.
"The Rolex 24 At Daytona is truly one of the world’s most iconic endurance sports car racing events, as evidenced by the melting pot of drivers, teams and manufacturers entered for this year’s event," said David Pettit, IMSA VP of Marketing.
"More than half of the Rolex 24 field was born outside of the United States, each bringing its own unique fan base. We are proud to give fans from those countries the opportunity to follow all of the action from Daytona International Speedway, whether it be practice, qualifying or the race itself via worldwide television distribution and IMSA TV."
Of the 196 drivers entered for the Rolex 24, 117 drivers from 27 different countries were born outside of the United States.
In addition, eight of IMSA’s 10 official automotive partners have world headquarters outside of North America. The Rolex 24 At Daytona also is the opening round of the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.
The Patrón Endurance Cup allows international competitors the opportunity to race against full-time TUDOR Championship teams and drivers in a four-race competition that includes the series’ four marquee endurance events: the Rolex 24, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida (March 21), Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen (June 28) and Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta (Oct. 3).
More than 15 hours of live FOX Sports coverage will be available to viewers in the United States beginning with a two-hour FOX broadcast network beginning at 2 p.m. ET Saturday.
It is the second consecutive year that the Rolex 24 telecast has opened on the broadcast channel, which is available in approximately 115 million homes in the U.S.