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DAYTONA PROTOTYPE
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| The defending overall winners of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the no. 01 Riley/BMW of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, features drivers Memo Rojas, Scott Pruett, Joey Hand and Graham Rahal. |
The headlining class of the Rolex Sports Car Series is the Daytona Prototypes. Launched in 2003, Daytona Prototypes were designed to contain costs while promoting close competition and driver safety. The emphasis is not on developing new technologies – so you won't see the wildness of the Audi and Peugeot diesel prototypes. However, a stable rules set and a close eye on costs (the cars cost around $400,000) means that a team can race the same car, with updates for several seasons.
The series also keeps a close eye on equalizing the cars through minimum weight, engine speed, and transmission ratios.
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| The no. 10 Suntrust Corvette DP features the new Corvette bodywork, which is significant in that it marks an official involvement from Chevrolet in prototype racing. |
Each Daytona Prototype is of a tube-frame construction, which is low-tech but means easier repair and keeps costs down. The cars are powered by a variety of engines – 5.0 liter V8's from Porsche, Ford, BMW, Lexus, and Chevrolet are legal, as is a 4.0 liter flat-six from Porsche. Transmissions are from EMCO, featuring five or six speeds depending on the engine configuration. If a team has a Pro-Am driver combination (one professional driver, and one amateur) they may utilized a paddle-shift system, but all transmissions have a no-lift system.
2012 will see the biggest changes to the Daytona Prototypes since their introduction in 2003. Bodywork rules have been heavily revised, allowing for manufacturer branding and a much smaller greenhouse – which will go a long way towards making them look more like proper prototypes and less like a NASCAR Truck. Chevrolet will support five cars with their new Corvette bodywork, while Riley Technologies – the winningest Daytona Prototype chassis manufacturer – has also unveiled new bodywork for the season.
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| Compare the photos above of the new Riley and the Corvette DP with the older style bodywork, shown here on the no. 2 Starworks Ford Riley. |
