Rolex 24 at Daytona: Introduction

My introduction to the Rolex 24, revisiting a great narration by the racing legend as a driver and broadcaster, Sam Posey, along with current racing broadcaster, Bob Varsha.  

"It is a freak of nature, a beach endlessly long, and as hard, and wide, and flat, as a great slab of stone.  The big Atlantic rollers end their journey here, their energy fanning out across the gray sand, and sinking into it.  Daytona Beach.  A magic place for cars to run as fast as they can, as long as they can, with only the horizon to stop them.  Almost as soon as there were cars, they were drawn to Daytona Beach.  1903 saw Ransom Olds race Alexander Winton here.  For the next 30 years, this is the place where men came to run for the world land speed record.  In 1927, Englishman Henry Seagrave broke the 200 mile per hour barrier, here, at Daytona Beach.  The following year, American driver Frank Lockhart died after his car swerved in the sand, and cartwheeled on the beach. 

In 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell went 276 miles per hour with his great Bluebird streamlined race car, the fastest anyone would ever run at Daytona Beach.  The record breakers would go on to the Bonneville salt flats in Utah.  The Atlantic rollers continued to carry their unspent energy up onto the sand.  It wasn't long before a new kind of racing broke out on Daytona Beach.  Stock car racing.  In 1948, the world of NASCAR was born, with men such as Red Byron, Tim Flock, Paul Goldsmith, and Lee Petty becoming the new heroes of the beach.

In 1959, NASCAR moved inland, to a speedway that was as wide and as smooth as the beach, only it had banked turns, which meant you could go as fast as you wanted, as long as you wanted, around and around.  Sports cars began racing on the new track in 1962 with Dan Gurney winning.  Four years later, in 1966, the first 24 hour race was run.  Though they no longer race on the beach, when the wind is just right, you can still hear the waves breaking in the distance, out there on the beach, where the sand is as wide and flat, as a great slab of stone."

"Daytona's annual sports car classic, the Rolex 24 is unlike any other event in motorsports.  The days can be sunny and warm, but with spring officially seven weeks away, the nights are long and very cold.  The track is a Jekyll and Hyde mix of flat, twisting, infield road course, and high speed stock car banking, producing tremendous demands on the machinery, and on the drivers.  This year, Action Express Racing will try for their fourth Daytona 24 crown.  Yours truly, is following the team, and their journey, as well as the race itself.  37 other competitors also look for glory at Daytona, and a chance to reach the hallowed ground of victory lane. 

This race is one of stamina and endurance.  But more than the conditions, more than the track, more than the traffic, they key factor at Daytona, is time.  24 hours.  The clock will not quicken it's pace, and it will not wait.  Nor will we.  There's lots to talk about, as we prepare, for the 58th renewal of one of the crown jewels in all of sports car racing, the Rolex 24 at Daytona."