SPEED announces comprehensive Rolex 24 Coverage
Familiar personality Bob Varsha, Voice of Formula One on SPEED, and Grand American play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey, will anchor SPEED’s broadcast booth. Former sports car racing veterans David Hobbs and Calvin Fish – both with extensive endurance racing experience – will provide color commentary. Pit road will be navigated by Brian Till, Chris Neville, Kelli Stavast and Justin Bell, each gathering the latest throughout pit road and the paddock.
SPEED will also feature and preview the twice around the clock classic with a programming special, Grand Am: 24 Hours at Daytona, starting at Midnight on Friday, Jan. 22.
“As always, we look forward to broadcasting one of the most impressive gatherings of auto racing talent in the world. It’s great to see them together so early in the season," said Rick Miner, SPEED SVP of Production & Network Operations. “This all star collection of drivers – coming from many different auto racing disciplines – once again showcases the race’s prestige and importance not only on the national, but international stage."
Last year, the No. 58 Brumos Racing entry driven by Indy Car’s Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner, and sports car stand outs David Donohue, Darren Law and Antonio Garcia wheeled their Porsche-powered Daytona Prototype (DP) to overall honors, a record-breaking 18th Rolex 24 victory for the German sports car manufacturer. It was also the ninth-straight year a U.S.-based team had taken overall brass.
Every Rolex 24 brings together some of the world’s greatest driving talent within the many disciplines of auto racing. Like its historical roots, drivers from Indy Car Racing, Formula One and NASCAR will square off against sports car racing regulars. Among those competing this year include four-time and defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte and current Cup standout and former multi-time Formula One race winner Juan Pablo Montoya. Among other NASCAR shoes Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears and A.J. Allmendinger, the 2004 Champ Car Series rookie of the year.
Open wheel stars include Dario Franchitti (Defending & Two-time Indy Car Series champion & 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner), Scott Dixon (two-time Indy Car Series champion & 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner), Ricardo Zonta (Formula One) and Jimmy Vasser (1996 CART Series champion.), while top-notch sports car racers Max Angelelli (2005 Rolex 24 Hours overall winner & 2005 Grand Am DP co-champion), Wayne Taylor (Two-time Rolex 24 Hours overall winner & 2005 Grand Am DP co-champion), Hurley Haywood (winningest driver in Rolex 24 history with five victories & three-time Le Mans 24 Hours overall winner), Andy Wallace (three-time Rolex 24 winner), Butch Leitzinger (two-time Rolex 24 champion & 1999 United States Road Racing Series champion), Jon Fogarty (2007 Grand Am DP co-champion) and Alex Gurney (2007 Grand Am DP co-champion) will also battle it out. Actor and race car driver Patrick Dempsey will also be returning to the endurance scene after a successful trip to LeMans last season.
SPEEDtv.com, the online motorsports authority, will expand its coverage from the 39th annual Rolex 24 at Daytona with its biggest ‘Ask the Drivers a Question’ offering yet, allowing SPEED fans to ask drivers a question while the race unfolds.
Viewers and SPEEDtv.com readers will be able to submit questions to the drivers from GAINSCO Racing (J. Johnson, Gurney, Fogarty and Vasser) and from Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (Franchitti, Dixon, J.P. Montoya, McMurray, Scott Pruett, Justin Wilson, Marino Franchitti and Memo Rojas) through an email to SPEEDtv.com (AsktheDriver@gmail.com). Also, Pruett, Gurney, Fogarty and Patrick Dempsey Racing driver Charles Espenlaub will each offer driver web blogs as well.
Along with the stats, race updates, technical discussions, in-car segments and storylines from Daytona International Speedway, SPEEDtv.com will be providing an online chat starting after 10:00 p.m. on Jan 24, as online Auto Racing Editor Marshall Pruett will be answering questions and providing race updates into the evening. Grand Am Communications Manager and author of popular book, Daytona 24 Hours, J.J. O’Malley will also answer email questions as part of the daily notebook.
Rolex 24 at Daytona Television Coverage: 2010 – Daytona International Speedway
(All Times Eastern)
Friday, January 22
Grand Am: 24 Hours at Daytona Midnight – 1:00 a.m. (Special)
Saturday, January 30
Rolex 24 at Daytona 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Live)
Sunday, January 31
Rolex 24 at Daytona 7 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Live)