64th Rolex 24 at Daytona Pre-Race Activities Take Center Stage
This year’s 64th annual Rolex 24 at Daytona begins the racing season in earnest. With a maximum entry list of 60 vehicles and more than 200 international driving stars at Daytona Internatiional Speedway (DIS) for the IMSA season starter for all of its myriad series, including the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, there are bound to be extracurricular activities that surround the 24-hour romp.
Last week IMSA held its “ROAR Before the Rolex 24” test session for its GTP, LMP2, GTD PRO and GTD classes. This week they’ll race in earnest, having given all teams and drivers an opportunity to get re-acclimated with their group, the track and their competitors. Only unknown: the weather. Thus far in the game, forecasts call for mild temps and partly cloudy skies. There is a weather system that’s going to hit the East Coast, but it’s not slated for as far South as Daytona Beach.
One thing for sure that competitors can look forward to seeing for a long time, and that’s the sight of Rolex watches for winners and for Rolex participation throughout the race’s length. Rolex announced it will remain the longterm title sponsor of this 24-hour winter classic, having been a DIS supporter since the 1950s! Rolex upped its participation in the twice-around-the-clock winter race in 1992, becoming the event’s title sponsor; this year the brand celebrates the 100th anniversary of its iconic Rolex Oyster watch. A similar Rolex Daytona watch is awarded to overall and class winners.
“Each race at Daytona is unique,” said Scott Pruett, who is a five-time overall Rolex 24 at Daytona winner. “To simply reach the checkered flag is a great achievement. Every driver dreams of earning the cherished Rolex Daytona timepiece with ‘winner’ engraved on the back – it’s all about the watch!”
One activity surrounding this race is an annual dinner for the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC), celebrating the prior season and announcing annual awards for its members and guests. One of two awards tendered during the annual meeting and dinner is the 33rd Phil Hill Award, named for the United States’ first Formula One champion, Californian Phil Hill. The 1961 world driving champion, who died in 2008, is always remembered as a gentleman and a supporter of auto racing, who was one of the first to get onboard with what is now the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The 33rd recipient of the Phil Hill Award from the RRDC is Alwin Springer, who rose from being a mechanic for Porsche stalwart Vasek Polak to starting and running ANDIAL, a prep service for Porsche racers that he started with Dieter Inzenhofer and Arnold Wagner, to running Porsche Motorsport on the North American continent. ANDIAL prepped race cars for competition and uprated Porsche street cars. ANDIAL also served as an engine-rebuilding facility for racers in the Western Hemisphere. Even at the age of 83, Springer continues to serve as a Porsche AG consultant (located in Weissach, Germany) and is consulting on the Porsche Penske 963 IMSA program.
“This is more than an honor,” Springer insisted after learning he was the 2026 recipient of RRDC’s Phil Hill Award. After seeing so many of his contemporaries earn this award, many of whom attended the Wednesday night festivities Springer noted, “The most important part of the RRDC are the champion racecar drivers who are members. And so I’m very nicely surprised that you picked me to receive the Phil Hill Award for this year.”
RRDC member and NBC sports commentator Leigh Diffey remarked about Springer, “This guy’s relationship with Porsche is like fish and chips. It’s like peanut butter and jelly. It’s just synonymous. His name and the brand and what he’s done in this sport is incredible.”
Ford’s Jim Farley, the president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company who is also a board of directors member of the firm, earned the 2026 RRDC Bob Akin Award, honored at the Daytona International Speedway alongside Springer. The Bob Akin Award is given for amateur, vintage/historic or semi-professional drivers who exemplify Akin’s on-and-off-track actions and his humanity. It’s chosen by Akin’s son Bobby, RRDC members Brian Redman and Judy Stropus, whose choice is approved by RRDC president Bobby Rahal. Akin lost his life in 2002 following a testing accident.
The Bob Akin Award was first tendered in 2003 to Sam Posey; there was no 2021 recipient so Farley is the 22nd such recipient. The Steuben Glass prize features etched names of each recipient and is displayed at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY. Each honoree receives a smaller replica of the prize, as Farley did Wednesday evening.
Farley’s day job has his prime objective of transforming the company he leads in both digital and electric evolution of the industry. With Farley at Ford’s helm, the firm has been transformed into threee distinct automotive segments: Ford Blue, for iconic gas and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, for its electric vehicles and the digital platforms and software for Ford’s entire production lineup. Prior too joining Ford in 2007, Farley was group vice president and general manager of Lexus. He was also group vice president of the Toyota Division.
Once he exits his office each day, Farley tends to his flock of vintage racing vehicles. It’s common to see him on tracks around the world, racing his 1965 Ford GT40, 1966 427 Cobra or his 1978 Lola 298. Those are his regular haunts; he has other Ford-based racecars. Farley also hosts a podcast, DRIVE, working to rekindle our love affair with cars, the influence they have on our lives and how those experiences drive us to succeed personally and professionally.
Bobby Akin explained the trio of rationales for each year’s award in honor of his father: “First, a passion for motorsports and driving at a high level. Multiple Le Mans Classics, finishing second in a GT40; countless Rolex Reunions; the Spa 6-Hour – these show his passion. A winner also must have a career outside of racing and lastly, most importantly, the winner needs to be a good human. I have known our winer for about 20 years, and I am proud to call him a friend.” Farley capitulated to Akin by remarking, “It’s incredibly humbling to receive the Bob Akin Award. As CEO of Ford, I don’t think there’s a bigger compliment in my career. It’s a recognition from car people and racers, and it’s more personal for me. It’s one of the most meaningful things that’s happened to me in my life!”
Qualifying took place on Thursday with the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen earning GTP pole, Inter Europol Competition’s No. 43 ORECA LMP2 07 earning that class’ No. 1 slot, Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R atop its GTD PRO class with the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo right behind the Corvette to earn GTD race-start honors. However, once tech inspections were completed following qualifying, the pole team was moved to the rear of GTP starters, elevating the No. 93 Meyer Shank Acura to lead the field to green. The No. 31 Cadillac from Whelen Engineering exceeded the allowable wear on the rear skid block, moving the car to the rear of the 11-entry GTP field. IMSA claims the field remains provisional.