DragonSpeed Secures Last-Minute Rolex 24 Entry

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

DragonSpeed has been confirmed a LMP2 entry for next month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, replacing MDK Motorsports’ second Porsche 911 GT3 R on the capacity 60-car grid.

The Elton Julian-led effort will make its return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition under its own banner for the first time since the 2022 season, when it won the Rolex 24 in class for the third time in a four-year span.

Both Julian and and an IMSA spokesperson confirmed to Sportscar365 of the last-minute entry for the Florida endurance classic.

Eric Lux, who was part of the 2022 winning lineup, has been confirmed in the team’s Oreca 07 Gibson alongside 2023 Rolex 24 class winner James Allen, with the remainder of the lineup set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Julian, whose U.S.-flagged team was placed on the reserve list for the 2024 European Le Mans Series season, is set to re-focus its efforts on North America next year, with consideration of entering the five-round Michelin Endurance Cup in addition to Daytona.

DragonSpeed’s entry comes at the expense of the No. 53 MDK Porsche, which appeared on the provisional Rolex 24 entry list in November with no confirmed drivers.

MDK team owner Mark Kvamme explained to Sportscar365 that the entry was pulled after it was unable to put together a full season effort for that car, despite coming “very close” to a deal.

The Ohio-based team will instead focus on its No. 86 Porsche for Kerong Li and Anders Fjordbach, as well as its new partnership with High Class Racing, which is fielding a LMP2 car for Seth Lucas and Dennis Andersen.

Sportscar365 understands that DragonSpeed has essentially taken over the entry allocation from another LMP2 team that was first on IMSA’s reserve list but has been forced to back out of its Daytona plans.

An updated entry list from the sanctioning body is expected to be released early next month.

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