International race teams and Pro-Am driver lineups have been part of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida throughout each event’s long and storied history.
Through a new incentive program today confirmed by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), the “36 Hours of Florida” may see an uptick in both categories in 2018.
Teams with Pro-Am driver lineups in the Prototype class at Daytona and Sebring will be eligible for the Trueman Pro-Am Team Endurance Award, recognizing the highest-finishing LM P2 Pro-Am lineup in each race.
The Trueman Pro-Am Team Endurance Award winners will receive Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches at the Rolex 24 to commemorate their achievement, and will receive specifically designed trophies for the Trueman Pro-Am Team Endurance Award at Sebring.
These teams also will compete head-to-head for overall race victories in the Prototype class against world class Daytona Prototype international (DPi) and LM P2 race teams*.
The season-long Jim Trueman Award, which recognizes the top-finishing Pro-Am team entrant in the Prototype class with an automatic invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, still applies.
The International Team Incentive Program is open to all new IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrants in the Prototype and GT Daytona (GTD) classes competing in the Rolex 24 and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
The program offers each eligible team the following:
- Discounted premium entry fees
- Fuel credit of $1,000 per event
- Continental Tire credit of two free sets for Daytona and one for Sebring
- Two free hospitality passes for each event (WeatherTech Paddock Club or equivalent)
- Travel benefits from IMSA partners and Chateau Elan Hotel Sebring discounted room rates
Eligible teams for the International Team Incentive Program include any internationally based team that did not enter and compete in 2016 or 2017 events at Daytona or Sebring.
“If you’re an international team or driver who regularly races an LM P2 or GT3 car, this program is tailor made for you.” said IMSA President Scott Atherton. “For those already considering the possibility of competing in the 36 Hours of Florida, which represents two of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, these new incentives could provide the additional boost needed to make that commitment.”