Daytona is known for two things – the beach and racing!
This year was the 58th Running of the Daytona 24. It started in 1962 at just three hours in length, expanded to 2000 km, then 24 hours in 1966. The 1972 race was shortened to six hours, and the 1974 race was cancelled due to the fuel crisis in the Middle East. Since 1975, it has continued as a 24-hour event, under the auspices of IMSA sanction (although for a time it was under Grand-Am, who bought IMSA in 2014).
In what has now become an annual tradition, the ‘IMSA old timers’ dinner on Tuesday of race week this year featured an all-star cast! From the left: Brad Kettler, John Doonan, John Shapiro, Michael Colucci, Wolfgang Hustedt, Mark Raffauf, Roger Bailey, Gary Cummings, Steve Charsley, Alwin Springer, Martin Raffauf (partly obscured), Dan Binks and George Silberman. As Roger Bailey proclaimed at the end of the night, “Well I think 95% of the stories were true!”
The race always runs at the end of January and the weather usually plays a part, it is sometimes wet, sometimes cold, or sometimes hot. Historically a lot of cars start this race and in years gone by, upwards of 80 cars have started. This year there were only 38, but they were very good cars as the quality of the cars, teams and drivers was superb. Of the 38 starters, only six failed to finish.
