Chase Elliott to Run Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona

Credit: Debbie Ross for Skirts and Scuffs

Chase Elliott will run the prestigious 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona next month. The reigning NASCAR champion will be the fourth driver in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Action Express Racing announced on Friday. 

Elliott will be joined by Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani and Mike Conway. They will drive the No. 31 Daytona Prototype international (DPi) entry. Elliott won at the 3.56-mile track Daytona Road Course in August.  

"The Rolex 24 is such a major event, and it’s a race that anybody across any type of motorsports really respects. I think everyone wants to win a (Rolex) watch before their career is over," Elliott said, referring to the prized timepiece presented to Rolex 24 winners in each class.

"It’s something different and a completely different element of racing that I haven’t tried before," he added. "I’m trying to branch out and be more diverse as a driver and this is another part of that experience. I appreciate Action Express giving me this opportunity and I am looking forward to learning and running my first Rolex 24 next month."

While this will be Elliott's Rolex 24 debut, the 25-year-old holds half of his NASCAR Cup Series victories at road-course circuits. His sole Camping World Truck Series victory came at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. 

Elliott will also once again be teammates with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, as Johnson is one of four drivers running a second entry with Action Express Racing. Johnson will run the No. 48 Ally sponsored car for the team alongside Simon Pagenaud, Kamui Kobayashi, and Mike Rockenfeller. 

The Rolex 24 at Daytona will take place January 29-31, 2021, after the traditional Roar Before the 24 the weekend of January 22-24.