Roar Before 24 Thursday Notebook

***The two Ligier JS P2 chassis on site have two different looks this week for the test. While the Krohn Racing, Judd-powered entry features the full Le Mans aero kit, the Michael Shank Racing, Honda-powered entry does not, for the simple reason that the team doesn’t have it yet. Team principal Shank told Sportscar365 he expects it should be ready for the Rolex 24 at Daytona itself.

***As part of the Prototype aero updates issued earlier this week by IMSA, the Corvette DP teams are running without their rear diffusers for this test. Prototype class Balance of Performance adjustments are expected after the Roar, and before the Rolex 24.

***An IMSA Competition Bulletin will be issued after the Roar along with cumulative Sporting clarifications. Further details of this were outlined in a Competition Memo released to competitors today.

***Muehlner Motorsports America will have Marc Basseng, Matteo Beretta, Joel Camathias, Jim Michaelian, Darryl O’Young and Connor De Phillippi in its pair of Porsche 911 GT Americas for the test. The team is yet to confirm its race lineup, but will likely feature most if not all of these six somewhere between the team’s No. 18 and 19 cars.

***Turner Motorsport’s No. 97 BMW Z4 GT3 is not on site, and is not expected to test this weekend. Due to the lateness of the program’s confirmation, the Will Turner-led squad is opting to focus on the Rolex 24 itself.

***PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports will have Tom Kimber-Smith in the No. 52 car with Mike Guasch, Andrew Novich and Andrew Palmer for the test. The Prototype Challenge team also announced Cuttwood, a California-based e-liquids manufacturer, as the primary sponsor.

***The PC class has had a number of other entry list changes or additions besides the No. 52. Chapman Ducote will replace Lance Fenton in the No. 61 BAR1 Motorsports entry. Gustavo Menezes, who ran with RSR Racing last year, will test the team’s No. 11 entry. JDC-Miller Motorsports is expected to have Chris Miller and Rusty Mitchell make up the balance of the No. 85 car.

***Brandon Davis fills out the lineup in the No. 007 TRG-AMR Aston Martin Vantage GT3 alongside James Davison, Christina Nielsen and Cristoffer Nygaard. The team’s second car, the No. 009, is on site but does not have drivers yet revealed.

***The No. 49 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GTD entry will see Silver-rated Rui Aguas step into the lineup alongside Pasin Lathouras, Matt Griffin and Michele Rugolo. Aguas replaces Alessandro Pier Guidi, who would have been the third Gold-rated driver in the four-driver lineup.

***Despite all the entry changes, there are still a healthy number of drivers pounding the pavement seeking rides or making cameo appearances in Daytona. They include but aren’t limited to: Sean Rayhall, Guy Cosmo, brothers Justin and Stefan Wilson, fellow IndyCar veterans Josef Newgarden and Tristan Vautier, Gustavo Yacaman, Randy Pobst, Jeff Westphal, Daniel Morad, Stefan Rzadzinski and Remo Ruscitti.

***Konrad Motorsport is utilizing 8Star Motorsports’ IMSA Prototype Lites transporter for this test. However, neither Christian Englehart nor Klaus Bachler, two of Konrad’s listed drivers, are here in Daytona as both are at the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai. 8Star, as well, is a notable absence.

***This week’s Roar test will feature an open grid fan walk including both TUDOR Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge cars, Friday evening from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m. in the Daytona International Speedway pit lane, including an open house for the Boy Scouts.