The 2021 edition of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona will see a unique change in qualifications. IMSA announced on Thursday the addition of the Motul Pole Award 100, a 100-minute qualifying race for the Rolex 24.
The qualifying race will feature two-driver lineups, a pit stop and will set the starting grid for the following week’s Rolex 24.
The No. 3 Corvette GTLM sits alone on pit lane at Daytona during the 2020 Roar Before the 24. (Picture Credit: Michael L. Levitt & LAT Images/IMSA)
All five classes (DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM and GTD) in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (WTSC) will participate during the January 22-24 Roar Before the 24 test. The 24 Hour race will be held on Jan. 30-31.
Broadcast information on the 100-minute qualifying race was not announced.
The 100-minute qualifying race will also be the first event to use the new WTSC championship point payout procedure announced in September. Pole winners will receive 35 points, 32 points for second-place, 30 for third, and etcetera. In addition, the winners of each class will be awarded their respective Motul Pole Award.
Despite only two drivers competing in the qualifying race itself, all four drivers signed up under that car for the Rolex 24 will be awarded the points, too. Any driver splitting cars “will be required to designate the car in which they will earn points prior to the qualifying race,” the series confirmed in a statement.
A traditional qualifying session on Jan. 23rd (for the Jan. 24th qualifying race) will be held. Those speeds will be entered into IMSA’s official record book for the Rolex 24 qualifications.
The 59th Rolex 24 at Daytona gets underway January 30th at 3:40pm EST. United States broadcasting will be on NBC Sports.
