Andretti Drivers Prepare to Fight for Class Wins in Rolex 24

There is never a shortage of IndyCar representation at the Rolex 24, and the 61st running this weekend is no exception. More than one-third of the Indianapolis 500 field will take part in this event, with ten full-time drivers in a seat. That number was 11 but reigning series champion Will Power had to drop out to support his wife who is recovering at home.

Five IndyCar teams will be fielding entries in the race this weekend, including Andretti Autosport, who just recently partnered with Wayne Taylor Racing. Michael Andretti's four IndyCar drivers will be racing in five different cars this weekend, but all with different teams.

Colton Herta will be pulling double duty in the endurance event, driving for both BMW Team RLL cars in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. Andretti's top driver will be aiming for his third Rolex 24 watch after winning in 2019 (GTLM) and 2022 (LMP2). While it sounds like a daunting task, the young driver will have plenty of opportunity to rest between stints.

"I’ll do a little bit in both cars, but in theory they’re both the same car," Herta said. "They may have minor setup changes, but nothing I shouldn’t be able to get adjusted to quite quickly. It’s going to be a true endurance race. I think it’s going to be more about taking care of the car and making sure nothing breaks than about being the outright fastest. I have two chances because I’ll be driving both cars. I’m looking forward to it."

Before his sophomore season begins in St Petersburg, Devlin DeFrancesco will compete in the LMP2 class with Rick Ware Racing in the No. 51 ORECA entry. He is part of a unique blend of accomplished drivers. He and Eric Lux won the LMP2 division last year with DragonSpeed. Formula One reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi and defending Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric will certainly provide this team with a roster capable of winning on Sunday.

Kyle Kirkwood returns to his familiar seat at Vasser Sullivan Racing. The young driver will lead the trio of Aaron Telitz, Frankie Montecalvo, and Parker Thompson in the No. 12 Lexus in the GTD category. "Kyle played a huge role in two of our 2022 IMSA wins, and the time is right to give him an opportunity to help lead the No. 12 Lexus to a Rolex 24 victory," said team co-owner Jimmy Vasser. "We’ve been laser focused on building a roster that’s a favorite to win it, and with an all-star line-up, we’re ready for it."

The most interesting storyline with these four drivers is that of Romain Grosjean. The veteran Formula One driver will make his first start in the Rolex 24 as a member of the Pro Lamborghini entry with the Iron Lynx team. Grosjean signed as a factory driver for Lamborghini and is helping them transition into LMDh racing, in addition to the GTP class in IMSA. After a difficult first year at Andretti, he is hoping to rebound with a solid 2023 campaign.

That begins this weekend, where he is eager to hit the iconic track. “Daytona is a big deal on its own, and obviously we’re entering a new era with the LMDh coming with Lamborghini joining in the future for this event. But I’m looking forward to being part of it. I’ve been watching it on TV for a long time. It’s one of those big races in the world. You have the Monaco GP, the Indy 500, Le Mans, and the Rolex 24. It’s one of those races that you really want to be participating and even better try to win.”

Grosjean has raced at Indianapolis, Monaco, and Le Mans, but this is first time at Daytona. "I’ve never driven the Daytona track. I’ve never driven the Huracan GT3 Lamborghini either. We are the slowest class on track, so we have to look for the traffic. Everyone is going be looking after traffic. It is a challenge, but I like challenges."

Four drivers, four classes, four opportunities await the Andretti drivers this weekend in Daytona. Live broadcast for the Rolex 24 begins at 1:30 PM ET on Saturday across the NBC Sports App, NBCSports.com, USA Network, and Peacock, which will provide flag-to-flag coverage.