Dalziel: “Surreal” to Tackle 20th Consecutive Rolex 24

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

IMSA veteran and thee-time Rolex 24 at Daytona class-winner Ryan Dalziel celebrates his 20th anniversary of racing in the Florida Endurance Classic at this year’s IMSA WeatherTech Championship season opener.

The 42-year-old Scottish driver will make his 20th start at the Florida endurance classic next weekend, in his 21st year of sports car racing competition, having made his debut in both the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in 2005.

Dalziel is commemorating his two-decade-long stretch of Rolex 24 appearances with a custom-painted helmet for this year’s 63rd running of the event.

“It’s a little bit surreal, to be honest,” Dalziel told Sportscar365. “I remember my first time, like it was yesterday, driving here.

“My first time at Daytona was with some friends on vacation and we wanted to come and do the whole Daytona tour. It was a couple of years after that before I got to do my first one, but yeah, it’s a special place.

“[It’s a] home race for me. I live in Orlando, so it’s cool to think I’ve done it this many times and even cooler to realize I’ve won it a few times too.”

Over the past few decades, Dalziel has driven to victory lane three times in the Rolex 24, including securing the overall win in 2010 with Action Express Racing alongside Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller and Mike Rockenfeller in a Riley-Porsche DP.

While Dalziel has contested the twice-around-the-clock events with multiple teams in the past, his most recent four attempts have been in Era Motorposrt LMP2 machinery, yielding a pair of class wins in 2021 and 2024.

“I’m very blessed to be with Era and [I’m in] year five with them, so hopefully, we can get to year ten,” said Dalziel.

“A lot of people ask you, ‘When do you retire as a driver?’ and everybody will give you the “I’ll decide when it’s the right time,” [answer], but realistically, most drivers retire when they’re unemployed.

“Will I see a 25? Will I see a 30th anniversary? Twenty is pretty cool.

“For me, I still love doing it. I can’t see me not being involved in this world. I just turned 42. I’m not what I would consider old, I’m in good shape, so I want to keep doing it as long as I’m competitive and in a good program.”

Despite being on the grid for every running of the race since 2006, Dalziel says racing at Daytona continues to feel “special” year after year.

“I think honestly every year I do [this race], it gets a little bit more special for me,” he said. “I think the success we’ve had the last few years is very cool, and it’s great to see also the 20 years I’ve done it, how much bigger the events got.

“Everybody talks about Sebring and Le Mans, but  I don’t think there’s a sports car race that’s had as much growth as the Rolex. So for me, it’s cool. I’ve also had a lot of friends and family come to this one, so it’s a good start to the year.

“I think last year was fantastic, so I’m excited to see this year.”