2020 Roar Before the Rolex 24 - Jan. 3-5

[Nick Woodbury]

YES! It is that time again...It is nearing the end of December, and that means only one thing, the ROAR is right on our doorstep!

Below are some necessary resource links for the 2020 ROAR, including the IMSA Competitor's Portal, which is an excellent resource for some in-depth information in regards to race weekends.

Official ROAR Schedule
https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...oar_121819.pdf

The weather looks divine for the upcoming weekend, with it cooling off significantly by Sunday. Slight chance of rain on Friday the 3rd.

Thanks to Racecast weather for the forecast.
https://www.facebook.com/RacecastWx/
http://www.racecastweather.com/?fbcl...7fxI58VMqCLhTw



Track Map
https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...rack_map_1.pdf

Facility Maps
https://www.daytonainternationalspee...isit/Maps.aspx

Live Timing
https://livetiming.alkamelsystems.com/imsa/

IMSA TV
https://imsatv.imsa.com/ - For the Prototype Challenge race during the weekend.

IMSA News Links
http://www.racer.com/imsa

http://sportscar365.com/category/imsa/


Twitter Pages
@IMSA
https://twitter.com/IMSA

@IMSA Radio
https://twitter.com/IMSARadio?lang=en

@Rolex24Hours
https://twitter.com/Rolex24Hours

@DISupdates
https://twitter.com/DISupdates

IMSA Competitors Portal
https://competitors.imsa.com/


ENTRY Lists

Weathertech - https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

Michelin Pilot Challenge - https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

Prototype Challenge - https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/d...entry_list.pdf

ROAR Event Page on the DiS Website - https://www.daytonainternationalspee...-Rolex-24.aspx

Rolex 24 Event page on the DiS Website - https://www.daytonainternationalspee...t-Daytona.aspx

[MaskedRacer]

1. The ROAR is coming up pretty fast eh? I forgot it was this weekend almost. That is because I'm typing this in 2019 still I guess.

2. Love that the Scouts has made this event their own and attends the event. This WILL generate new fans for sure.

3. Been discussed but I think the ROAR should only be required for full season and NAEC entries in the future. For one offs it should be optional. Still have the pit lane/garage space time trials. Any one off that elects not to attend the ROAR will have to accept that consequence and have a bad pit stall or garage space, but that's ok I think. I bet we could gain 5 or so more entries if this adjustment was in place.

4. Can't wait to get some cool youtube videos from this event come Friday evening. If any of you guys are reading this who take the videos. Lets get some vids that are over 20 minutes each :-)

[skycafe]

Thanks for the posts. I missed that this was happening so soon! (likely too much holiday whiskey...)

[joeb]

Great thread start! I'm really looking forward to the Roar this year, well I guess I'm looking forward to Daytona more, but this lets me know it is right around the corner!

[MaskedRacer]

S365 article posted says that WRT is going to run Sebring this time. So at least one good thing is that there will be fewer Daytona one-offs in comparison to Sebring. Of the 40 cars on the entry list for Daytona. I can only see at most 3 not being at Sebring..62 Risi Ferrari, 98 Aston Martin, maybe the 2nd PR Matheson P2 as well.

[Nick Woodbury]

If you want to watch the Prototype Challenge race during the Roar, you'll have to purchase NBC's new Trackpass thing which you have to pay for to watch, blech. Not that it's an arm and a leg by any means though.



I hope this doesn't mean we will have to pay to watch Pilot Challenge, Porsche Cup or Prototype Challenge throughout the season from now on.

[seanyb505]

Pilot challenge and prototype challenge will both be behind the paywall this season.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Pilot challenge and prototype challenge will both be behind the paywall this season.

That pretty much ends the interest in them for gentlemen in the PCs and businesses on the Pilot Challenge cars doesn't it? They already were airing much later on NBCSports but now live has a fee and NOT the fee with Gold Pass where at least you could get Indy stuff as well. How dumb is management exactly?

[seanyb505]

Went and reread the announcement article. Sounds like Prototype and Pilot challenge races will still air on cable packages and youtube delayed as they did last season. This only impacts live coverage.

I briefly thought about it since $20 a year isn't that bad and you would get weathertech activity as well. Then I realized it's probably the NBC broadcast feed. For all the crap RLM receives, I still prefer their commentary and lack of ads so I'll continue using the vpn for international feeds again this year.

[broadrun96]

Did I miss a new livery for Mazda for 2020?




I missed the US, Japanese and German flags on the front before. German to be peeled off after Sebring?

[skycafe]

Interesting. Was Idemitsu on the cars at all in previous years?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Did I miss a new livery for Mazda for 2020?




I missed the US, Japanese and German flags on the front before. German to be peeled off after Sebring?

Looks good to me. The cars were incredibly hard to tell apart before, so this will make it stand out a bit.

Also had to look up that new sponsor and it says:

Idemitsu Gorup is a Japan originated energy company that enriches your life.

I've never thought of a oil company enriching my life, but i guess it's true

[Lanky Turtle]

Thanks for the thread and links Nick, you're the man!
I'm excited to get the racing season started again, though it seems like Petit Le Mans just happened.
Not real excited about the weather. Local forecasts showing it uncomfortably warm Friday and rainy most of the day Saturday. Could be worse though and things should be real nice for the Saturday night session.

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Maybe I missed something, but where’s the GTD McLaren on the entry list? I thought they were just doing the sprint races last year and a full season this year? As lately I’ve only been attending Sebring and Petit I was hoping to see it for the first time in March.

[broadrun96]

RWR has appeared and are targeting adding a second car for their LM program, and more LMP2 races this season.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/r...e-mans-effort/

[Damian Baldi]

I'm a bit surprised for the low coverage of the roar this year. Only SC365 have put pictures and news.

Maybe this year the roar is too close to new year.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Damian Baldi

I'm a bit surprised for the low coverage of the roar this year. Only SC365 have put pictures and news.

Maybe this year the roar is too close to new year.

Hasn't really started yet though.
IMSA Radio is doing three special programmes (one each night), as in previous years.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

RWR has appeared and are targeting adding a second car for their LM program, and more LMP2 races this season.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/r...e-mans-effort/

I have been pretty skeptical that this team would materialize, but they have shown up and that if more than i thought would happen. They seem to be open to using a variety of machinery too, Ligier in Asia, Riley stateside, and possible a different Ligier in Le Mans.

[broadrun96]

Well one LMP2 down already, no budget for second PR1/Mathiasen car, sadly I think that was expected by most.

And as per the usual lately, Tincknell fastest out of the gates in the Mazda at 1:36.027. Renger running second with WTR 7 tenths back.

For the GT fans, Tandy in the Porsche topped the charts at 1:44.271, little over a half second ahead of baby Herta in the BMW. Corvette turned at 1:45.563 with Milner (5th)

Session 1 results charts

Originally Posted by joeb

I have been pretty skeptical that this team would materialize, but they have shown up and that if more than i thought would happen. They seem to be open to using a variety of machinery too, Ligier in Asia, Riley stateside, and possible a different Ligier in Le Mans.

They turned 2 laps without a time, but a few others did as well (Performance Tech and the Dalla Lana GTD Aston)

[MaskedRacer]

Well as far as the PR Matheson entry goes. Its not a big loss despite the entry list size. We know LMP2 class is where the most risk for safety car periods are going to be.

Lap times should not be a big deal right now. Maybe some will go for it during the pit garage/lane time trials. So that should be interesting. Still think one of entries should not be required to go. Maybe IMSA could even make that change for this year. Could get a GTD entry or two out of it yet.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Well one LMP2 down already, no budget for second PR1/Mathiasen car, sadly I think that was expected by most.

And as per the usual lately, Tincknell fastest out of the gates in the Mazda at 1:36.027. Renger running second with WTR 7 tenths back.

For the GT fans, Tandy in the Porsche topped the charts at 1:44.271, little over a half second ahead of baby Herta in the BMW. Corvette turned at 1:45.563 with Milner (5th)

Session 1 results charts


They turned 2 laps without a time, but a few others did as well (Performance Tech and the Dalla Lana GTD Aston)

Thanks for posting the results, I forgot there was a session already today. While looking at the GTD times I was wondering if there is an FIA requirement to name your car "Make Model GT3" because every single car on the list has GT3 in its name. Shouldn't we already know it is a GT3 if it is in the GT3 class?

[fieldodreams79]

That's a sizable gap in the two Joest Mazdas....Tincknell ain't that faster than Pla.

A respectable first session for the C8s...

[canaglia]

no doubts mazdas could get the pole, race will be another story of course and as usual will lack of pace with the AER that will blow soon or later.
Stupid IMSA that doesn't let publish top speeds anymore...

[joeb]

Originally Posted by canaglia

no doubts mazdas could get the pole, race will be another story of course and as usual will lack of pace with the AER that will blow soon or later.
Stupid IMSA that doesn't let publish top speeds anymore...

Mosey on over to results.imsa.com and you can find your top speeds and much more information than that.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by joeb

Mosey on over to results.imsa.com and you can find your top speeds and much more information than that.

yeah I mean the IMSA alkamel results site...
can't remember well because have past more than 6 months, as far I remember top speeds are not published anymore because last year at road america penske and/or mazda drivers at the end of main straight, used deliberately to brake before the ST marking unlikely lower top speeds.

Some teams checked the top speed sheet .pdf and complained about that behaviour, so IMSA decided that marked top speed would remain classified for everyone from the very next race...