Justin is targeting a repeat victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona win by rejoining defending champions Michael Shank Racing for the fifth time.

Pit stop for #60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: A.J. Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri, John Pew, Justin Wilson
Pit stop for #60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: A.J. Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri, John Pew, Justin Wilson

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Together with full season drivers Ozz Negri and John Pew and former Champ Car team-mate AJ Allmendinger, Justin celebrated his first victory in the No. 60 Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype a year ago, and the same driver line-up is reunited again as the team prepares for the prestigious twice around the clock endurance event.

The defending champions could also be joined by a new face for the 24, as NASCAR pilot Marcos Ambrose is testing with the team this weekend at Daytona.

MSR’s lead pilot Negri suffered a leg injury in off-season training and the team has engaged Ambrose to possibly support the effort based on Negri’s progress back to full health. The team will monitor Negri’s condition, and will make a decision on the final line-up ahead of the race weekend.

The 2012 Rolex 24 also saw the team take third place in MSR’s No. 6 DPG2 Ford-Riley. This year the team will debut its new No. 6 DPG3 Ford-Riley machine with Michael Valiante, Chris Cumming, Gustavo Yacaman and Jorge Goncalvez.

Justin Wilson and Gustavo Yacaman
Justin Wilson and Gustavo Yacaman

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

“I’m really looking forward to being back with the team,” said Justin, who will be competing in his sixth Rolex 24. “We had a lot of fun last year and obviously got a good result and we want to do the same again.

We’re looking to repeat it and I think everyone is pretty hungry to get back at what we did last year.”

“I’m very proud of this driver line-up and I think we have another good opportunity to do well - with both of these cars,” offered team owner Mike Shank. “We’ll just focus on the same things that were successful for us last year.

I want to win every year. To repeat would be an oddity because I think it would be very difficult to do but we have very strong cars. Our drivers know us really well.

Almost all of my drivers have been with me for a long time now. We have what we think is the right combination to win the race, we just need to stay out of trouble. We have as good of a shot - or better - than a lot of people.”

Justin and the team are currently participating in the three-day Roar Before the 24 test at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the race itself (January 26-27).

Source: Just Wilson