DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2017) – The Roar Before the Rolex 24 wrapped up a three-day run Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, preparing competitors for North America’s premier sports car event, the historic 55th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29.

Testing concluded Sunday with two practice sessions for teams in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Roar also was open to teams in the production-based IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, which will open its season on Jan. 27 at DIS with the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge.

Appropriately, the world will come to the “World Center of Racing” for the impending Rolex 24, further fulfilling the vision for the facility established by Bill France Sr. in the late 1950s. There was a reason the word “international” was in the Speedway’s title; France always envisioned the track’s annual schedule would include high-profile sports cars in addition to the iconic DAYTONA 500 stock car event.

The 2017 Rolex 24 will feature an all-star field of drivers from a variety of motorsports disciplines, including four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon; five-time Rolex 24 champion Scott Pruett, four-time Champ Car World Series titlist Sebastien Bourdais and former Indianapolis 500 champions Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.

In Sunday’s first Rolex 24 practice, Ben Henley posted the best time in the No. 81 DragonSpeed ORECA LM P2: 1 minute, 38.343 seconds. In the second – and final – weekend session, Sebastien Buemi had the fast lap of 1:38.408 in the No. 13 ORECA LM P2 of Rebellion Racing. Both entries will compete in the WeatherTech Championship’s headlining Prototype class at the Rolex 24.

Tickets and camping packages for the Rolex 24 At Daytona and all Speedweeks 2017 events are on sale by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.