The 24 Hours of Daytona is an automotive endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Styled after the even more famous 24 hour race in Le Mans, France, the purpose of the event is to determine which team of three drivers can take their car the farthest in a fixed time period (24 h), rather than the shortest time over a fixed distance as in conventional auto racing. Unlike the Le Mans event, the race is conducted entirely over a closed course at the speedway without the use of any public streets.

The event originally began in 1962 as a three hour long race. By the time 1964 came around, it had expanded into a 2,000km (~1,220 mile) race, and only in 1966 did the event become 24 hours long.

In recent years this event has been sponsored by the Rolex Watch Co. under a naming rights arrangement.

See Also

• 24 Hours of Le Mans

External Links

• 24 Hours of Daytona