MOTORSPORTS

Rolex 24 qualifying race updates: Wayne Taylor Racing to start on Rolex 24 pole

Zach Dean
The Daytona Beach News-Journal

The field for the 60th Rolex 24 will be officially set in just a few short hours. 

The qualifying race for Saturday's IMSA opener will go green at 2:05 p.m. today and last 100 minutes. All 61 cars in next weekend's field will be on hand, with the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac set to lead everyone to the green flag after posting the fastest lap in yesterday's qualifier. 

The defending champion No. 10 Wayne Taylor Acura was supposed to start second as that team begins its journey to a record fourth straight Rolex 24 win, but a post-qualifying technical inspection found the car out of compliance by failing to meet the minimum rear wing assembly angle. That team will now go off seventh in the DPi class. 

Live coverage of the Rolex 24 qualifying race is available on Peacock and IMSA Radio. 

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The no. 5 Cadillac leads a pack of DPi's through the bus stop, Saturday January 22, 2022 during Weather Tech Championship qualifying at Daytona International Speedway.

3:45 p.m. | Wayne Taylor Racing wins qualifying race, will start on Rolex 24 pole

The No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura will start this year's Rolex 24 in the same position they finished last year's race: the front. 

Ricky Taylor drove the defending champion DPi to the win in Sunday's Rolex 24 qualifying race, holding off a late push — literally — by Richard Westbrook in the No. 5 Cadillac. 

Westbrook attempted to dive low going into Turn 1 on the final lap to pass Taylor, but couldn't make it stick, getting into Taylor's bumper and sending the No. 5 spinning off the track. 

"I'm really excited, it was a tough weekend and the race certainly wasn't easy," Wayne Taylor said. "Westbrook was pushing really hard but Ricky kept him off and won the race. That's all I care about."

3:15 p.m. | Wayne Taylor Racing Acura leads with 30 minutes left

Defending champion Wayne Taylor Racing leads the Rolex 24 qualifying race with 30 minutes left.

The pole-sitting No. 5 Cadillac is second, followed by The No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing machine. 

2:30 p.m. | Mustang Sampling DPi continues to lead as pit stops begin

The pole-sitting No.  5 Cadillac DPi continues to lead the Rolex 24 qualifying race by 0.13 seconds over the No. 1 Chip Ganassi machine, currently being driven by Renger van der Zande. 

The No. 52 ORECA lead the LMP2 class, while Cameron Shield continues to pace the LMP3 field. The No. 9 Porsche 911 leads the GTD Pro class, while the No. 57 Mercedes paces the GTD field. 

2:05 p.m. | Rolex 24 qualifying race goes green at Daytona

Qualifying for the 2022 Rolex 24 is underway, with 61 cars taking the green flag for Sunday's 100-minute race that will set the field for Saturday's main event. 

The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac led the field to green in the DPi class, followed by the No. 02 Cadillac and No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing machine. 

1 p.m. | Rolex 24 qualifying race lineup

Here are the fastest laps and pole-sitters in each class from Saturday's qualifying:

DPi: Tristan Vautier (1:34.034)

LMP2: Ben Keating (1:37.296)

LMP3: Cameron Shields (1:42.182)

GTD Pro: Alexandre Imperatori (1:46.136)

GTD: Kenny Habul (1:46.313)