The 53^rd Rolex 24 At Daytona takes place over the weekend of 24-25 January 2015. Endurance racing’s top drivers will once again go head to head on the 3.56-mile circuit within the Daytona International Speedway, a track that combines a tight infield section with the famous high banked turns of the tri-oval speedway.

The race starts at 14.30 ET on the Saturday, and the winning car will travel some 2,500 miles (4,000 km) in the ensuing 24 hours – similar to crossing the United States coast to coast. Just over half the race will be driven in darkness adding another layer of difficulty to an already complex challenge.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona is North America’s equivalent of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The connection between these two legendary endurance motorsport events stems from the central tenet of each test: two laps around the clock. Both races attract the very best drivers and teams, and both require passion, skill and determination to succeed. With their long, proud histories, it is little wonder that both races are supported by the Swiss watch-maker Rolex.

A partner of track racing in Daytona Beach from its beginnings in the late 1950s, Rolex has been Title Sponsor of the Rolex 24 At Daytona since 1992. For the winner of this motorsport myth there is more than just the trophy and adulation of the crowd at stake.

Each driver in the winning team is presented with the Rolex chronograph dedicated to racing drivers. Launched in 1963, the Cosmograph Daytona was baptized to mark the enduring connection between Rolex and the Daytona International Speedway.

The traditional test session – the Roar Before The Rolex 24 – takes place this coming weekend (9 – 11 January) and has an entry list of 53 cars, made up of: 16 Prototype, including the 2014 Action Express Racing winning line-up of Christian Fittipaldi from Brazil, Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais and Portuguese native João Barbosa; 8 Prototype Challenge; 10 GT Le Mans and 19 GT Daytona.