Hunter-Reay set for Mazda drive in Rolex 24

NTT IndyCar Series driver Ryan Hunter-Reay is set to return to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January after being named on the entry list for the pre-race Roar test.

Hunter-Reay, 39, has dipped his toe into sports car racing over the past decade alongside his IndyCar commitments, making his most recent appearance in the Rolex 24 at the 2018 running when he was part of Wayne Taylor Racing’s line-up.

Hunter-Reay did not feature in last year’s Rolex 24, but still made one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship appearance when he joined Mazda Team Joest for the Mid-Ohio round in place of Harry Tincknell, who was ruled out by a schedule clash.

Hunter-Reay is now set to race alongside Tincknell and Jonathan Bomarito in the #55 Mazda DPi car at Daytona International Speedway, as per an updated version of the entry list for the ‘Roar Before the 24’ test that will take place next week. The team is yet to make any formal announcement regarding its race plans, though.

Mazda will once again run two cars at Daytona, with the #77 entry featuring Oliver Jarvis, Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla.

Hunter-Reay has twice finished on the podium at Daytona: once in the GTLM class with SRT Motorsports back in 2014, and most recently in 2016 with Visit Florida Racing in the Prototype class.

The 2012 IndyCar Series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner is set to focus on IndyCar duties again through 2020 as part of Andretti Autosport’s full-season line-up, having finished eighth in last year’s overall standings.

The 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona takes place on January 25-26.