Hunter-Reay in Mazda DPi Effort for Rolex 24

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Ryan Hunter-Reay is set to complete Mazda Team Joest’s lineup for next month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, having been confirmed as the team’s third driver in the No. 55 entry.

Revealed on the updated version of the entry list for this weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24, the IndyCar star will join returning full-season drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Harry Tincknell in the Multimatic-built Mazda RT24-P.

Hunter-Reay made his team debut in this year’s round at Mid-Ohio as a substitute for Tincknell, who was on FIA World Endurance Championship duty with Ford that weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

He effectively replaces former Porsche factory driver Timo Bernhard in the lineup for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener, although with Olivier Pla moving over to the No. 77 entry alongside the returning Oliver Jarvis and Tristan Nunez.

It’s currently unclear if Hunter-Reay, who drives a Honda-powered IndyCar for Andretti Autosport, will contest the remaining Michelin Endurance Cup races for Mazda.

Despite appearing on the entry list, Mazda has yet to formally announce its driver lineup for the season or acknowledge the contractural situation that will see Team Joest end its involvement with the manufacturer following the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

As expected, both cars are entered under the Mazda Team Joest banner for Daytona.

A Mazda spokesperson confirmed to Sportscar365 that an announcement has not yet been made on the team’s 2020 drivers.

Mazda started on pole for this year’s Florida endurance classic after Jarvis smashed a 26-year-old track qualifying record. 

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