Packed Rolex 24 grid gives race "a survival feel" - Cameron
Former IMSA SportsCar Championship title winner Dane Cameron is predicting this weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona season opener will be a "wild one".

The Meyer Shank Racing Acura driver, who won the title with Juan Pablo Montoya and Penske in 2019, believes the increased number of cars for this year and the addition of the LMP3 class to the grid will result in more yellow-flag safety car periods and will change the dynamic of the race.
"It is going to have a different feel this year," said Cameron who has switched to the Shank team after the end of Penske's involvement in the Acura Daytona Prototype international programme.
"It's the most cars we've had here for a long time, a new category, new teams, new cars and new drivers to this event.
"Last year especially, with so few cars, the pace was crazy all day, with big stretches of green flag. I think this [year's race] is going to be pretty far from that — it is going to have more of a survival feel to it."
Read Also:
The 49 cars on the grid for the Rolex-sponsored 24 Hours at Daytona represents an increase of 11 cars on the 38 that started the race last season. It is the biggest grid at Daytona since 2018 when 50 cars started.
LMP3, which is making its debut in the main IMSA series this weekend, provides seven of the cars in the race.
The Rolex 24 was interrupted by only six safety cars over the course of the 24 hours last year and the 2018 event by just four. The 2019 edition, which was wet for much of its duration, included 16 safety car and a 90-minute red-flag period before the race was brought to a premature finish two hours early.
Montoya, who will race the Shank Acrua ARX-05 in the four IMSA enduros this year alongside full-season drivers Cameron and Olivier Pla, suggested that a cautious approach in traffic will be required this weekend.
"The 24 Hours is pretty unique in the way you spend so much time in traffic," he said. "This year they have added LMP3, so it is going to be even crazier in the way you catch them - just being patient and just being smart will make a huge difference."
AJ Allmendinger is the fourth driver in the Shank Acura this weekend.
The Daytona 24 Hours begins at 3:40pm local time in Florida. The grid has been set by a 100-minute qualifying race, which took place last weekend at the conclusion of the official pre-event Roar test.
Related video

Previous article
Remembering the 1990 Daytona 24 - Jaguar domination
Next article
Rolex 24: Nasr leads at start, trouble strikes key runners

About this article
Series | IMSA |
Event | Daytona 24 |
Drivers | Dane Cameron |
Teams | Meyer Shank Racing |
Author | Gary Watkins |
Packed Rolex 24 grid gives race "a survival feel" - Cameron
Trending
24 Hours of Daytona Video Recap
24 Hours of Daytona: Fourth Place for Ferrari
Watch the entire Rolex 24 in just over a minute
Why a Mazda IMSA Prototype title would bring bitter joy
Can Mazda win this year’s IMSA Prototype championship? Undoubtedly. But it will be the culmination of an achingly hard struggle, after which the brand has decided to quit. David Malsher-Lopez tells the story of a bizarre blend of heartache and positivity.
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.
Nine things to watch at the 2021 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
After a 100-minute sprint race to whet the appetite, the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship gets underway properly this weekend. With plenty of significant changes during the winter, here are the key points you need to keep an eye on
Why Magnussen is relishing a fresh start in sportscars
Having gone over seven years without a race win through spells with McLaren, Renault and Haas, Kevin Magnussen's departure from Formula 1 for IMSA with big-hitters Chip Ganassi Racing could give him what he craves most - a chance of success
Oliver Gavin's Corvette Racing highlights
Oliver Gavin has stepped down from the full-time Corvette Racing line-up after a stellar career with the team spanning nearly 20 years. He looks back on a stint that encompassed, among other successes, five Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
How Tandy joined an exclusive club of endurance legends
Victory at last year's Spa 24 Hours meant Nick Tandy had completed the unofficial sextuple crown of the world's six biggest endurance races, becoming the first Briton to do so. Ahead of his fresh start with Corvette Racing, he explains how he did it…
The 12 greatest Sebring 12 Hours ranked
The 2020 edition of the Florida sportscar classic is finally taking place this weekend, eight months after its traditional date in March. That meant there was plenty of time for Motorsport.com to pour over its previous 67 races and select the best.
Tony Kanaan’s top 10 races – in his own words
The 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan probably hasn’t yet driven his final IndyCar race, but we still asked him for the 10 most significant races of his career. He explained his choices to David Malsher-Lopez.