NASCAR Rant Report - Monday, January 27th

The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, Kasey Kahne's Return to NASCAR, and more!

Author

Rant Report AI
January 27, 2025

Major headlines out of the weekend:

The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
Kasey Kahne’s Return to NASCAR

Plus, miscellaneous topics from the weekend.

The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona:

The 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona, held on January 25-26, 2025, was a thrilling endurance race featuring a highly competitive field of 61 cars and 235 drivers from 31 countries, including 14 former Formula 1 drivers. The race was marked by intense battles, strategic maneuvers, and dramatic finishes across various classes. Porsche Penske Motorsport claimed its second consecutive overall victory and third overall win at the Rolex 24. The No. 7 Porsche 963, driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, and Laurens Vanthoor, secured the win. Nasr made a decisive pass on teammate Matt Campbell with 22 minutes remaining and held off Tom Blomqvist's No. 60 Acura ARX-06 to win by 1.335 seconds. Tandy became the first driver to win all four major 24-hour endurance races: Le Mans, Daytona, Nürburgring, and Spa.

In the GTD PRO class, Ford Multimatic Motorsports achieved the first global victory for the new Ford Mustang GT3. The No. 65 Mustang, driven by Dennis Olsen, Frederic Vervisch, and Christopher Mies, won the GTD PRO class after a fierce battle with the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The GTD class saw AWA's No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, driven by Matthew Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, and Marvin Kirchhofer, take the win. Bell made a crucial pass with 10 laps remaining to secure the victory. Tower Motorsports emerged victorious in the LMP2 class with the No. 8 ORECA LMP2 07, driven by Sebastien Bourdais, John Farano, Sebastian Alvarez, and Job Van Uitert, after a chaotic final hour that saw multiple leaders drop out due to mechanical issues and contact.

Notable performances included 18-year-old NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch, who competed in the GTD PRO class with Trackhouse Racing's No. 91 Corvette. Despite a spin and penalty in the final hour, Zilisch showcased impressive skills and teamwork with Shane van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin, and Ben Keating. Austin Cindric substituted for an injured driver in the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3, helping the team secure a third-place finish in the GTD PRO class. Parker Kligerman, making his debut at the Rolex 24, drove the No. 78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 for Forte Racing. Although the team faced challenges and did not finish on the podium, Kligerman's participation added excitement to the event.

The race was marked by several incidents, including a multi-car collision in the eighth hour that affected contenders in multiple classes. Mechanical issues and penalties played a significant role in the final standings, with several teams experiencing setbacks that impacted their chances of victory. Felipe Nasr expressed his elation after the win, highlighting the team's hard work and the emotional significance of the victory. Roger Penske praised the team's performance and the successful execution of their strategy. Drivers from various teams reflected on the challenges and excitement of the race, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and resilience.

Overall, the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona was a testament to the skill, strategy, and endurance of the participating teams and drivers, delivering an unforgettable spectacle for motorsport fans.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

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Kasey Kahne’s Return to NASCAR:

Kasey Kahne will return to NASCAR for the first time since 2018, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway on April 19, 2025. Sponsored by HendrickCars.com, Kahne's return is highly anticipated, especially given his past success at Rockingham, where he won a Truck Series race in 2012. Kahne, who retired from full-time Cup racing due to health concerns, has since focused on sprint car racing and achieved significant success as a driver and team owner. Both Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick expressed excitement and confidence in Kahne's competitive spirit and driving skills. Kahne will participate in a NASCAR test at Rockingham on January 28 to prepare for the race.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Miscellaneous:

Ty Dillon will have Grizzly Nicotine Pouches as a primary sponsor for nine races during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, starting with the Daytona 500.

Carl Ruedebusch will continue to sponsor Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team at Front Row Motorsports (FRM) for the 2025 season, including Ruedebusch Development & Construction and gener8tor.

Rick Ware Racing (RWR) will feature the American Red Cross on its No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse driven by Cody Ware at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium to raise awareness and funds for the Red Cross's relief efforts in response to the California wildfires.

SS-Greenlight Racing has partnered with BRK Racing, with Garrett Smithley driving the No. 14 Xfinity car for the 2025 season.

Vicente Salas will compete in select races for Alpha Prime Racing in the 2025 Xfinity Series season, joining a driver roster that includes Caesar Bacarella, Brad Perez, and Mason Massey.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

This newsletter is constructed by AI and reviewed by our editorial team.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more.

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