DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2011) – Race fans can gear up for the 49th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona by watching GRAND-AM: Rolex 24 At Daytona, an action-packed show previewing America’s premier sports car race, which will debut Saturday at 11 p.m. (ET) on FX.
The one-hour program, produced in association with PGA TOUR Entertainment and NASCAR Media Group, will also air four times on SPEED, including Saturday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. (ET), just prior to the network beginning 14 hours of live coverage of the Rolex 24, the season-opening event for the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.
SPEED will also air the program on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. (ET); and Friday, Jan. 28, at 10 p.m. (ET).
“This show illustrates the ultra-competitive nature of the Rolex Series,” said GRAND-AM Vice President Kevin Hindson, “while also highlighting the iconic allure of the Rolex 24 to drivers, teams and most importantly, the fans.
“What it also illustrates … is our commitment to inclusiveness and accessibility when it comes to fans.”
The show features interviews with many Rolex Series competitors while taking an in-depth look at Rolex 24 preparation, via visits to various race shops and preseason testing. Vintage sports car footage is also interspersed throughout the program, such as scenes from the original precursor to the Rolex 24 – the Daytona Continental, a three-hour event held in 1962 and won by Dan Gurney.
Another highlight of the program is an examination of the unique characteristics of Daytona International Speedway’s 3.56-mile road course from competitors’ perspectives, including insights regarding the new pavement on the oval portion of the DIS layout.
SPEED will have live coverage of the Rolex 24 with a pair of seven-hour blocks. The race broadcast begins at 3 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Jan. 29, running until 10 p.m. (ET), and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Jan. 30.
