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Daytona Calls Indy Stars to Enduro Racing

Photo: ShaunPayneIRL

Six Indy 500, Four Brickyard Champs in 24Hour Field at Daytona

“This race is so hard to win,” warns Dixon

From Indy Racing League Media Reports

Tuesday 23 January 2007

IndyCar Series Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, driving in the Number 02 Target/TELMEX Lexus Riley Daytona Prototype, head a field of stars and regulars from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s present and past into this weekend’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race.

Wheldon, Dixon and Casey Mears are once gain partnered in the DP1 sportscar category, the same in which they drove to overall victory for the TCGR with Felix Sabates team in the 2006 Rolex 24 Hours event.

“For a race to start off the year, for myself, it couldn’t be any better,” said Dixon. “You get to catch up with a lot of people that you’ve raced with over the years. The competition is like nothing else.”

Defending co-champion Dan Wheldon said his goal is to add another race winner’s Rolex watch to his trophy case.

“We know what we did last year to win the race,” he said. “The competition is going to be determined to beat us. We’ve got to up our game. I think that’s obviously what we’re going to try to do is maximize everything we have. If we do that, I think we’ll have a good chance.”

The combined six Indianapolis 500 winners and four Allstate 400 at the Brickyard victors lead a large group of drivers with major-event starts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway competing this weekend in the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, the traditional opener of the North American auto racing season.

Winners of each of the last three Indianapolis 500 and Allstate 400 at the Brickyard races are competing this weekend at Daytona. Recent Indy winners include Sam Hornish Jr. (2006), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Buddy Rice (2004). Recent Brickyard winners are Jimmie Johnson (2006), Tony Stewart (2005), and Jeff Gordon (2004).

Other Indianapolis 500 winners racing in the endurance classic are Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Eddie Cheever Jr. (1998) and Juan Pablo Montoya (2000). The other Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winner racing in the Rolex 24 Hour race is Bobby Labonte (2000).

There are 26 drivers entered in the field this weekend at Daytona with at least one Indianapolis 500 start, seven who have started the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and three with United States Grand Prix starts.

Here’s a breakdown of the field by previous event participation:

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