Chip Harp, Valdosta Today Sports
DAYTONA — Daytona International Speedway has always billed itself as the World Center of Speed. That moniker will hold true again as for the second year the track hosts the Classic 24 Hours at Daytona.
Most fans immediately think of NASCAR when Daytona is mentioned. Though it is true that stock car racing prompted the France family to build the mammoth track in the late 1950’s, Daytona has also been world renowned for other “speed-related” events.
For years, in the early 20th century, Daytona’s beach was used by drivers from around the world attempting to break the world speed record. Prior to the use of the Bonneville Salt Flats and the growth and development of the beach, drivers utilized the smooth, flat, wide beach to run cars at incredible speeds.
See video of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s famous Bluebird run on the Daytona Beach:
That puts a new perspective on a cruise down the beach today.
Staying with this historic speed theme, the track plays host to the second running of the Historic Sportscar Racing Classic 24 Hour at Daytona race. The event, sanctioned by IMSA, will attract over 175 historic sports car racing machines from the 1960’s to present day. Drivers and owners from more than 15 different countries will ship their cars to Daytona for a weekend which will feature around-the-clock racing spanning all decades of cars.
Famous and historic machines such as the vaunted Ford GT40, which conquered Enzo Ferrari’s cars at Le Mans in the ’60’s, up to the 2000’s unbeatable Audi R9, winner of the World Endurance Championship, will not only be on display, but running race speeds. It’s like attending a concours event, but the cars are racing!
In addition to these beautiful cars, attendees will see some of racing’s greatest drivers in action. Sports Car and Formula One drivers such as Jochen Mass, Derek Bell, Brian Redman, Bobby Rahal, and many more will be vying for track honors.
The event takes place November 13-15 at the Daytona International Speedway. For more information, visit their website at www.classic24hour.com. You can also stay tuned for coverage of the event in Valdosta Today, as well.
