This is going to be a very fun season of racing if the Rolex 24 at Daytona crowd is any indication of how excited fans are to be at the track. It is a nice day in Florida and weeks before NASCAR takes the track, IMSA has brought out a record audience.
There was word that this might end up being the best crowd ever for this event. However, it wasn’t until we saw it this morning and afternoon that it really sank in. There are thousands in attendance to see this 24-hour endurance race.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona is one of the best events of the year. Now, it has the best crowd in its history. There are fans all over the stands, and while it isn’t the size of a Daytona 500 crowd, it is a massive group in the seats for this IMSA race.
George Silbermann, president of ACCUS took a picture to try and give folks at home a general idea of the crowd size.
Approx 1 hour to green @IMSA @Rolex24Hours @DAYTONA .
— George Silbermann (@ACCUSmayor) January 27, 2024
Pano of the crowd on the tri-oval just before the intro of the GTP cars & drivers.
Overall, the largest crowd in the 62-year history of the event. This pic is only a portion. The infield is jam-packed. pic.twitter.com/x5BJy9CLHl
Pit road was covered with fans prior to the start of the race. Credit it to Drive to Survive, say it’s because of the overall wave of motorsports enthusiasm, or even blame it on the success of Garage 56 at Le Mans.
Whatever the reason, major motorsports in the United States are starting off with a bang. This only gets me more excited for the Daytona 500 in a few weeks. This is going to be a great year for racing.
The bad news, the safety car wrecked. Hours before the Rolex 24 at Daytona got going, the safety car took a hard hit on the track. It totaled the vehicle and fans took plenty of pictures of the aftermath.
Hot laps are a regular thing for the pace car to do before a race. It allows the track to be checked for debris or other issues. However, something went wrong this morning and the safety car ended up hitting a wall.
In the first hour of this 24-hour race at Daytona, we’ve already seen seven cars involved in incidents. That ranges from wrecks to mechanical and electrical issues. The 2023 GTD Pro champions of Vasser Sullivan wrecked hard and will not be able to defend their championship if they even get back on track at all.
Record-breaking crowd, chaos before and during the race – this is shaping up to be a great Rolex 24 at Daytona, folks. Make sure to tune in on Peacock or USA Network for coverage.
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Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following the troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
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With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
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