For most folks, the calendar says January. But for those of us with high-octane in our veins, this is the month where the world starts spinning again. We are currently standing in the shadow of the world’s most famous 31-degree banking, waiting for the first great roar of the year.
While the “Great American Race” — our beloved Daytona 500 — is still a few weeks out, the real ignition switch for the 2026 season happens this weekend. I’m talking about the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: “That’s sports car racing. Where are the stock cars?” If you’re a NASCAR fan and you aren’t watching the Rolex 24, you’re missing the prologue to one of the greatest stories in American sports.
The Rolex 24, which is a part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, is the only time of year you’ll see the best of the best from every discipline forced into the same arena. This isn’t just about “exotic” machinery, it’s about our guys showing the world how it’s done. (RELATED: Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay’s Death Under FBI Investigation: REPORT)
Look at the entry list for 2026. You’ve got AJ Allmendinger and Connor Zilisch, for example — men who know how to wheel a Cup car — taking on Formula 1 vets and Indy 500 winners. This is the ultimate test of versatility. When a NASCAR driver hops into a GTP prototype and starts clicking off faster laps than a European specialist at 3:00 AM, it’s a point of pride for every one of us Americans in the stands or watching from home.
We wouldn’t even have this race if not for the vision of Bill France Sr. Big Bill didn’t just want a track for stock cars, he wanted a “Mecca of Motorsports.” He saw the value in bringing Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW to the Florida coast to prove that Daytona — America — is the center of the racing universe.
The Rolex 24 honors that history. It’s a 24-hour marathon of American grit and global engineering. When you see those headlights cutting through the darkness on the backstretch, you’re looking at the realization of a dream that started in the 1960s.
Time to set the clock. #Rolex24 pic.twitter.com/MjH09oZuKk
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 22, 2026
In an era where participation trophies are far too common, the Rolex 24 remains refreshingly old-school. There is no points-chasing “playoff” logic here. You race for 24 hours, and if you’re the best, you get a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
Ask any driver — from seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson to the rookies — and they’ll tell you: the watch is the one thing they want more than anything else. It’s a symbol of surviving the most grueling day in sports. It represents precision, endurance, and the fact that you conquered the clock.
The Rolex 24 is the appetizer that makes you hungry for the main course. It gets the fans back into the speedway, the smell of burnt rubber back in the air, and the “roar” back into our hearts. (RELATED: Rogue Tennis Reporter Tries To Ruin Australian Open With Anti-American Questioning)
When the checkered flag waves Sunday afternoon, the countdown to the Daytona 500 officially hits high gear. The momentum is real, and it starts right now.
The Rolex 24 isn’t just a “sports car race.” It’s a 24-hour festival of speed, a test of American endurance, and the true kickoff to the racing year.
Grab a beer, slap some burgers on, and get ready. The season has officially begun.
