This weekend is the start of the 2023 racing season in the United States. The 24 Hours of Daytona, the best endurance race this side of the Atlantic, and the first round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship are happening this weekend. In four lower classes, about 50 more cars will race for a chance to win a trophy, while the top four classes, Acura, Cadillac, Porsche, and BMW, race for the overall win in the challenging race. In Daytona Beach, Florida, automakers show off their newest sports cars and the races. Here are this year’s “must-see” cars at Daytona’s 24 hours. New Race Car Corvette In addition to the fact that Chevrolet’s Corvette C8.R GTD is already competing in this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, the automaker is making use of the race to demonstrate an updated model of the race car. The new track rocket is called the Corvette Z06 GT3.R. It was first shown off in 2021 and will race for the first time at the 24 Hours of Daytona the following year. It follows the rules set by the FIA for GT3 cars. The power comes from a flat-plane-crank DOHC 5.5-liter V-8 engine built on the same assembly line in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as the road-legal Z06 engine and shares more than 70% of its parts. The Z06 GT3.R also has new cooling, aerodynamics, suspension, and a more robust crash structure. The bodywork of the race car is like that of a regular Z06. Acura Integra Type S When we put the 2024 Acura Integra Type S through its paces in Japan the year before, it was only a prototype; nonetheless, it will make its debut in the North American market at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Even though it is still covered in beautiful camouflage, the Type S will be the first car to start the race. Its back will be on display in the paddock at Daytona International Speedway. Even though the Integra Type S will be shown this summer, it will have a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with more than 300 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, and a limited-slip differential. BMW CS M3 This week, BMW showed off the M3 CS, a more extreme version of the classic sports sedan. At Daytona’s 24 hours, BMW will debut the M3 CS and participate in the top GTP class with the M Hybrid V8 and the lower GTD class with the M4 GT3. The M3 CS weighs about 75 pounds less than the M3 Competition and has 40 more horses. Other great things about the limited-edition M3 are the free high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and the eye-catching Signal Green paint. Of course, the race! Most people are interested in the race itself. For the 2023 racing season, the top class of race cars, which is now called GTP, will have to follow new rules. There will be a race between nine GTP cars for the top prizes. Acura, Cadillac, and newcomers BMW and Porsche will all be there. Four other classes come after them. The GTD Pro and GTD classes use touring cars, while the LMP2 and LMP3 classes use prototype cars. Austin Cindric, who won the Daytona 500 last year, is also in the race. So are Scott Dixon, who has won six IndyCar championships, Josef Newgarden, who has won two, and ex-Formula one driver Romain Grosjean. Starting tomorrow at 1:40 p.m. ET, the event will be shown on NBC, USA Network, and Peacock until Sunday at the same time.
