IMSA – 2022 Roar Before the 24 At Daytona to Use Dirt Circuit

Posted on 1 April 2021 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on being an April FoolWhen the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns to Daytona International Speedway next January, there will not only be a “Roar,” but also a “Whoop!” IMSA said today. Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee Ricky Carmichael, who for the past 14 years has designed the course used for the annual Supercross event at Daytona International Speedway, has been enlisted to design an infield dirt circuit to be used by the WeatherTech Championship sports cars during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The circuit will be used for a special, 20-minute-plus-one-lap race featuring all five WeatherTech Championship classes which will take the green flag at 12 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 and will air live on NBC. Each car’s finishing position in the race will be used to establish its starting position for the Motul Pole Award 100, which is used to establish each car’s starting position for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Known as “The GOAT” among Supercross fans, Carmichael owns seven motocross titles, five Supercross championships and is a three-time X Games gold medalist. He’s also a five-time Daytona Supercross winner, tied for most all time, which makes him uniquely qualified to design the circuit to be used by the sports cars for the first-time next year.

“The Bus Stop is bumpy, sure, but we really want to test the downforce of the DPi class, so we thought a dirt infield section could be the ultimate test,” said Carmichael. “I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and providing IMSA with the most grueling race of the year to kick off the 2022 season. It’s going to be gnarly.”

Tickets for the race will be available at a later date. Actually, they won’t, because … April Fools!

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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One Response to IMSA – 2022 Roar Before the 24 At Daytona to Use Dirt Circuit

  1. Pingback: IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona – 61 Cars Entered | AutoInformed

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