Daytona Saturday Notebook

Photo: Juergen Tap/Porsche

***Three LMP2 cars were assessed stop-plus 60-minute penalties at the start of Saturday’s first test session of the day at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 due to having run with unapproved sensors. The No. 8 Tower Motorsport Oreca 07 Gibson, No. 18 Era Motorsport entry and No. 73 Pratt Miller Motorsports machine all lost an hour of run time due to what Sportscar365 understands to have been the use of laser ride height sensors, which are illegal.

***In a statement provided to Sportscar365, IMSA said: “The penalty is being applied as a session-time loss to restore sporting equity and ensure all cars operate within the same technical framework.”

***The laser sensors, which help determine the optimal ride height, have also been used at Le Mans over the years, and also come with penalties, most notably in 2023 when six LMP2 teams were given 20-minute stop-and-hold penalties at the start of Free Practice 1 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans for using the devices during the test day.

***The No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo missed the afternoon session due to undergoing an engine change after an oil leak, while Heart of Racing’s Aston Martin Valkyrie also sat out the session due to an engine change. The No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, meanwhile, encountered a clutch issue in the morning session, which was fixed by the afternoon.

***TDS Racing’s Charles Milesi is coming off a run of three consecutive LMP2 victories in other championships heading into the Rolex 24, including the European Le Mans Series finale in Portimao and the first two races of the Asian Le Mans Series at Sepang, where he swept the weekend together with Antonio Fuoco and Roberto Lacorte for Cetilar Racing.

***Milesi says he hopes this form will be a good omen for his fourth Rolex 24 start, having placed no better than eighth in three attempts so far. “I’ve had a bit of bad luck the last couple of years at Daytona,” he told Sportscar365. “Every time I’ve done it I’ve been either out of the race or 80 laps down, so this time I want to fight for something.”

***While BMW has yet to put out a full list of its factory drivers for this year, Sportscar365 understands that Madison Snow is no longer part of the works roster. Snow, a longtime driver for BMW squad Paul Miller Racing, is part of Magnus Racing’s lineup for the Rolex 24 in its Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

***Toyota junior driver Esteban Masson is set for his first race outing at the wheel of a Lexus RC F GT3 since last year’s FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Imola, when he substituted for an injured Ben Barnicoat at Akkodis ASP and scored a third-place finish. He did however appear in the IMSA-sanctioned November test at Daytona International Speedway for his first laps in the car since then.

***Masson, who will return to full-time WEC duties this year with ASP, told Sportscar365: “I’ve always wanted to drive in these big IMSA races, they look really fun with a lot of action. It’s quite different to Europe, so I’m hoping I can learn something as well. I know the car is not exactly the same spec but it’s great preparation for the WEC season, which is starting quite soon.”

***Equipment from Iron Lynx’s now-defunct U.S. operations have gone to several teams in the IMSA paddock, including Manthey Racing, which has acquired the Italian squad’s transporters, and RS1, which has purchased the team’s pit equipment ahead of both squads’ WeatherTech Championship debuts next weekend.

***While Pfaff Motorsports is set to give the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 its global race debut in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, Sportscar365 understands that Lamborghini America is actively working on delivering more cars to prospective customers that could debut later in the season.

***In addition to Pfaff, it’s understood the initial batch of Temerario GT3s will go to Lamborghini’s DTM teams, Abt Sportsline and Grasser Racing Team, as well as factory-supported efforts in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, including its recently announced partnership with Rutronik Racing.

***It’s believed that Wayne Taylor Racing, which currently runs a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 in the GTD class, could be in the frame for a Temerario GT3 later in the season should the team make a long-term commitment to the Italian manufacturer in the WeatherTech Championship. WTR also runs a multi-car, World Finals-winning program in Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

***Operation Motorsport, a veteran-led and operated charity that supports the recovery of retired service members through motorsports opportunities, has added Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports to its teams hosting veterans this year. U.S. Army veteran Mike VanCour has been placed with the GTD Pro squad, while Nolan Yuke, U.S. Army veteran, returns to Acura Meyer Shank Racing in the GTP class.

***Four additional service members: Thomas Lescenski (KohR Motorsports), Jonny Salada (CSM), Haley Stokes and Ryan Joy (Random Vandals Racing) have been placed with Michelin Pilot Challenge teams for the 2026 season.

***Operation Motorsport co-founder Tiffany Lodder said: “There’s an energy around our programs right now that is so exciting to see. Our partner teams have been incredible. Some of our teams have been hosting veterans for many years now. They’ve helped us build a foundation for our veterans and a solid path toward the future that we’ve been able to expand on by welcoming new host teams and even more spots for veterans.”

***Lone Star Racing has again partnered with the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and its SPARK student education program for the third consecutive time at the Rolex 24. SPARK connects high school, trade school and college students to motorsports careers through mentorship, at-track experience and internships in the areas of engineering, technical operations, marketing, communications, logistics and administrative coordination.

***This year’s Daytona interns with Lone Star are Neil Troncoso, Daytona-based student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, earning his undergraduate degree, and Jackson Shirey, a University of North Florida in Jacksonville student working towards a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

***Night testing is the final session on tap for Saturday, scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on IMSA’s YouTube channel with commentary from Matt Yocum and Ryan Myrehn.

***Sunday’s action includes two final WeatherTech Championship sessions, from 9:45-10:45 a.m. ET and 2:30-4 p.m., with the final session for FIA Bronze-rated drivers only, as well as the fifth and final Pilot Challenge test session and Race 2 for VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, which gets underway at 1:20 p.m. ET with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA’s YouTube channel.

Jamie Klein contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John