DAYTONA BEACH — Friday provides a nice Rolex 24 appetizer.
At four hours, the BMW M Endurance Challenge will set the tone ahead of this weekend’s twice-around-the-clock marathon. The season opener for IMSA’s second-tier series, the Michelin Pilot Challenge, will get the green flag at 1:45 p.m. at Daytona International Speedway.
That comes after the morning’s Mazda MX-5 Cup race at 10:45. Twenty-year-old Noah Harmon, a UCF student, won the first one Thursday evening.
Watch BMW M Endurance Challenge on Peacock
And of course, the WeatherTech Championship cars will hit the track for their third and final practice before the Rolex 24.
Check back for updates throughout the day.
Rolex 24 at Daytona live updates today
Keep scrolling for the latest updates from Daytona
Jeremy Fletcher wins Mazda MX-5 Cup race in late flurry
The Mazda Cup races at Daytona rarely disappoint.
Even when the majority of the event takes place under caution, as it did Friday.
In the end, Jeremy Fletcher emerged late and held off a whole group of challengers for the victory in his No. 22 Mazda. He beat runner-up Tyler Gonzalez, third-place Ruben Caceres and fourth-place Ethan Lampe. All three crossed the line within 0.197 seconds of Fletcher.
The drivers completed 17 laps after finishing 20 on Thursday.
Watch Mazda Cup cars race through Daytona road course
The second Mazda MX-5 Cup race is airing live on YouTube and IMSA TV. But here’s a glimpse.
Mazda Cup race leads off Friday’s Rolex 24 schedule
Friday’s first racing of consequence is underway.
The second of this week’s two Mazda MX-5 Cup showcases went green at 10 a.m. At 10:08, Ethan Lampe in the No. 31 has the lead under a yellow flag.
What channel is BMW Endurance Challenge on today? TV streaming info
The BMW M Endurance Challenge will stream live on Peacock, an NBC subscription service.
It will also air globally on YouTube and IMSA TV, as will the Mazda MX-5 Cup race.
IMSA schedule at Daytona today
Why did Rolex 24 lineup change after Thursday qualifying?
The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac qualified first Thursday afternoon but was stripped of pole position after the evening’s technical inspection. The car’s rear skid block had been ground down too much.
As a result, the No. 93 Meyer Shank Acura will lead the field to the starting line of the 64th running of the Rolex 24 Saturday.
The No. 31 will move to the back of the GTP class.
The No. 1 Paul Miller BMW also received a penalty. It will fall to the back of the GTD Pro group due to a tech violation relating to its chassis.
24 Hours of Daytona weather update
As of Thursday afternoon, here is the National Weather Service forecast for the next few days through Sunday’s checkered flag.
When is Rolex 24 at Daytona? Start time, end time
How to watch Rolex 24: TV channel, streaming info
Watch Rolex 24 live on Peacock
When it comes to traditional network television, the 24 Hours of Daytona will air live on NBC from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Coverage will resume from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.
The entirety of the event, from 1:30 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday, will stream on Peacock, though. It will also be available globally on IMSA TV and YouTube.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rolex 24 updates: Daytona highlights, BMW Endurance Challenge results
Reporting by Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
