History UsefulNotes / UnitedSportsCarChampionship

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1966 (The first 2 runnings in 1962-63 were 3 hours, and the next two 2000 miles). The organization originally bore some resemblance to the various Le Mans series run worldwide, initially using SRPs(Sports Racing Prototypes, a general term and division for Le Mans Prototypes), the GTS and GT classes among others, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003(known as Daytona Prototypes).

* '''Daytona Prototype International (DPi)''' - The top class in the series. Cars used here are Modified LMP2s (see below) that have custom bodywork and engines, both of which are manufacturer-associated.
* '''Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)''' - Prototypes that adhere to the ACO LMP2 regulations, with a spec Gibson V8 engine and any one of 4 chassis.

* '''GT Daytona (GTD)''' - A former merger class, which combined the GT and GX[[note]]as the "X" in the title indicates, cars from this class utilize experimental technologies such as diesel engines; this was actually a new class for 2013 in the Rolex Series[[/note]] classes from Rolex with the GT Challenge class from ALMS. It was gradually consolidated into only consisting of FIA-homologated GT3 cars.

The series was sponsored by Tudor, a "discount" watch brand owned by Rolex, which has sponsored the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1991. Current sponsorship comes from car floor mat manufacturer WeatherTech. The schedule consists of various events carried over from both the previous series, including Daytona, The 12 Hours of Sebring, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen (carried over from Rolex) and the 10 hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (carried over from ALMS),[[note]]during the ALMS era, this race was run to either the aforementioned time limit or a distance limit of 1,000 miles (394 laps); only the rain-shortened 2009 running failed to reach 1,000 miles[[/note]] which together comprise a sub-championship called the Michelin Pilot North American Endurance Cup (MPNAEC). While all classes are run together at the endurance races, most of the sprint races will exclude a class.

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1963 (The original 1962 running was only 3 hours). The organization originally bore some resemblance to the various Le Mans series run worldwide, using the GTS and GT classes among others, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003(known as Daytona Prototypes).

The classes for the 2019 and 2020 season are as follows:

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1963(The original 1962 running was only 3 hours). The organization originally bore some resemblance to the various Le Mans series run worldwide, using the GTS and GT classes among others, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003(known as Daytona Prototypes).

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted the 24 Hours of Daytona The organization originally bore some resemblance to the various Le Mans series run worldwide, particularly in the Prototype classes, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003(known as Daytona Prototypes).

The two organizations announced the merger in late 2012, and revealed the class structure for the new series in March 2013 at Sebring. The classes are as follows:

* '''Prototype (P)''' - A class that merges the former Daytona Prototype class from the Rolex Sports Car series with current LMP2 Prototypes found in series counterparts World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series, and Asian Le Mans Series.
* '''GT Le Mans (GTLM)''' - Also carried over intact from ALMS, this is the GT class found in that series' 2013 schedule, which complies with the GTE Pro class from the World Endurance Championship, with mostly the same cars and different Balance of Performance regulations.
* '''GT Daytona (GTD)''' - Another merger class, in this case combining the GT and GX[[note]]as the "X" in the title indicates, cars from this class utilize experimental technologies such as diesel engines; this was actually a new class for 2013 in the Rolex Series[[/note]] classes from Rolex with the GT Challenge class from ALMS. It currently has FIA-homologated GT3 cars.

* ''' Prototype Challenge (PC)''' was single spec that used the Chevrolet-powered Oreca [=FLM09=] chassis formerly used in [=LMP2=] as well. This class was carried over intact from ALMS, and was run from the start of the series until 2017, when dwindling entries caused it to be retired.

The series was sponsored by Tudor, a "discount" watch brand owned by Rolex, which has sponsored the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1991. Current sponsorship comes from car floor mat manufacturer WeatherTech. The schedule consists of various events carried over from both the previous series, including Daytona, Sebring, the Six Hours of Watkins Glen (carried over from Rolex) and the 10 hour long Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (carried over from ALMS),[[note]]during the ALMS era, this race was run to either the aforementioned time limit or a distance limit of 1,000 miles (394 laps); only the rain-shortened 2009 running failed to reach 1,000 miles[[/note]] which together comprise a sub-championship called the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC). While all classes are run together at the endurance races, most of the sprint races will exclude a class.

Champions of the inaugural season are as follows:
* P: Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa shared honors as co-drivers of the Action Express #5; they (and Sebastian Bourdais, who returned for Sebring and Petit Le Mans) were the inaugural overall race winners of the series as well, taking the first Rolex 24 under USCC sanctioning, and snagged the overall win at Indianapolis and Road America as well.
* PC: Jon Bennett and Colin Braun, co-drivers of the #54 CORE Autosport team. The squad also took three of the four endurance events in PC (with James Gue also co-driving them, and Mark Wilkins additionally on board for Daytona), missing only Petit Le Mans. They also won the PC-only races at Kansas.
* GTLM: Kuno Wittmer took sole honors in this class, driving the #93 SRT Motorsports team until the finale, when he drove the #91 of the same team. The team didn't win any endurance races, but won at Indianapolis and Circuit of the Americas.
* GTD: Dane Cameron took sole honors here, driving Turner Motorsport's[[note]]unrelated to the now-defunct NASCAR team Turner-Scott Motorsports[[/note]] #94, which took the class wins at Watkins Glen, Laguna Seca, Road America and VIR.

=]

Sponsorship comes from Tudor, a "discount" watch brand owned by Rolex, which has sponsored the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1991. The schedule consists of various events carried over from both the previous series, including Daytona, Sebring, the Six Hours of Watkins Glen (carried over from Rolex) and the 10 hour long Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (carried over from ALMS),[[note]]during the ALMS era, this race was run to either the aforementioned time limit or a distance limit of 1,000 miles (394 laps); only the rain-shortened 2009 running failed to reach 1,000 miles[[/note]] which together comprise a sub-championship called the North American Endurance Cup (NAEC). While all classes will run together at the endurance races, some of the shorter events will exclude one or more classes.

* P: Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa shared honors as co-drivers of the Action Express #5; they (and Sebastian Bourdais, who returned for Sebring and Petit Le Mans) were the inaugural overall race winners of the series as well, taking the first Rolex 24 under USCC sanctioning, and snagged the overall at Indianapolis and Road America as well.
* PC: Jon Bennett and Colin Braun, co-drivers of the #54 CORE Autosport team. This squad also took three of the four endurance events in PC (with James Gue also co-driving the NAEC events, and Mark Wilkins on board for Daytona), missing only Petit Le Mans. They also snagged the PC-only races at Kansas.
* GTLM: Kuno Wittmer took sole honors in this class, driving the #93 SRT Motorsports team until the finale, when he hopped to the same team's #91. The team failed to win any endurance races, instead winning the class at Indy and Circuit of the Americas.
* GTD: Dane Cameron took sole honors here, driving Turner Motorsport's[[note]]unrelated to the now-defunct NASCAR team Turner-Scott Motorsports[[/note]] #94, which took the GTD class at Watkins Glen, Laguna Seca, Road America and VIR.

Currently America's premier series for sports car endurance racing, formed in 2014 from the merger of two rival sanctioning bodies - the Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series.

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted a 24-hour endurance race since 1962. The organization originally bore some resemblence to the various Le Mans series, particularly in the Prototype classes, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003.
* American Le Mans Series (ALMS) also began in 1999 by Don Panoz, in partnership with Automobile Club de L'Ouest, the sanctioning body for the UsefulNotes/TwentyFourHoursOfLeMans, which allowed it to use the exact same cars as used in that race, although some classes were dropped or modified at various points in the series' existence. During its existence, the series played host to one of America's oldest endurance races, the 12 Hours of Sebring, run since 1952.

* '''Prototype (P)''' - A class that merges the former Daytona Prototype class from the Rolex Sports Car series with Le Mans Prototype Class 2.
* '''Prototype Challenge (PC)''' - A single-spec class that uses the open-cockpit Oreca [=FLM09=] chassis also found in [=LMP2=]. This class was carried over intact from ALMS.
* '''GT Le Mans (GTLM)''' - Also carried over intact from ALMS, this is the GT class found in that series' 2013 schedule, which complies with the GTE Pro class from the 24 Hours of Le Mans (and by extension, the World Endurance Championship).
* '''GT Daytona (GTD)''' - Another merger class, in this case combining the GT and GX[[note]]as the "X" in the title indicates, cars from this class utilize experimental technologies such as diesel engines; this was actually a new class for 2013 in the Rolex Series[[/note]] classes from Rolex with the GT Challenge class from ALMS.

%%!!Tropes as portrayed in fiction:

* Rolex was founded in 1999 under the auspices of the Grand-Am Road Racing Association, which was run by members of the {{NASCAR}} community and was eventually purchased outright by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 in an effort to more efficiently run both racing bodies. Even without this, it was always heavily tied to NASCAR due to the use of a special road course setup at Daytona International Speedway, which has hosted a 24-hour endurance race since 1962. The organization originally bore some resemblence to the various Le Mans series, particularly in the Prototype classes, but diverged significantly starting with the introduction of its own unique prototypes in 2003.

!!This series provides examples of the following tropes:
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Besides the car numbers, every car carries an LED display which shows its position in class. These numbers display in red for the two "all-pro" classes, Prototype and GT Le Mans, and blue for the "pro-am" classes, Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona.
* {{Expy}}: Some of the media coverage surrounding the initial news of the merger treated the Rolex/ALMS period as one similar to the infamous [[UsefulNotes/IndyCar Open-Wheel Civil War]], as the two series combined to supplant the former IMSA GT Championship, with a crippled version of IMSA under the control of ACO and Panoz running ALMS while breakaway members of the group with ties to NASCAR ran Rolex. Ultimately, though, NASCAR's stake in this fight may have led to the resolution of the war and reunification of the sport, under the sanction of a fully resurrected IMSA which was now owned by the holding company that also owns NASCAR. (which makes the bond even tighter than when Big Bill France helped John and Peggy Bishop found IMSA in the late 60's)
* GoldenSnitch: Averted. While it's both the longest and the biggest race of the season, the Rolex 24 doesn't count extra for the championship, nor do the other endurance races. The NAEC does award a monetary bonus[[note]]$100,000 for P and GTLM, and $50,000 for PC and GTD[[/note]] for the winning team in each class, however.
* [[InvincibleHero Invincible Heroes]]: As of the 2015 12 Hours of Sebring, the Action Express #5 is the only team to have completed every lap of competition under USCC sanctioning. More to the point, with their win in that above-mentioned race, they're now halfway towards nabbing all four of the major endurance events (technically, three-quarters, as they won the last two Watkins Glen races under Rolex sanctioning, with 2013 sporting their current full-time line-up of Fittipaldi and Barbosa), and they also netted the inaugural championship.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: A natural effect of having at least two drivers per car in a series that, when all four classes run together, puts over ''sixty'' cars on the track.
* MarathonLevel: The season begins with these back-to-back at Daytona and Sebring, and ends with another one at Petit Le Mans. Watkins Glen counts to a lesser extent.
* MyHeroZero: The Deltawing team runs #0, and their car, originally designed as a possible UsefulNotes/IndyCar successor, is [[http://www.racintoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Delta-wing-2014.jpg completely unlike]] any other sports car in existence, with a significantly narrower front wheel-base than the other Prototypes. Unfortunately, it's also a subversion of the trope as the Deltawing is never very fast and usually drops out with mechanical issues.
* NoOneCouldHaveSurvivedThat:
** It took less than three hours for the series to produce its first crash of this nature, after the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari, being driven by Matteo Malucelli at the time, stalled on the infield portion of the track, in a spot where the cars were driving directly into the sun. The #99 GAINSCO-Bob Stallings Corvette DP, driven at the time by Memo Gidley, pulled out of line to pass a GT car, not realizing that said GT was trying to dodge the stalled GTLM of Malucelli. As a result, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFu2vmJKIE Gidley rear-ended Malucelli at nearly full-speed]], shredding both cars to bits and sending the #62 flying across the track. Both drivers were subsequently carted off to Halifax Medical Center and put under observation while the race was stopped for an hour to clean the track. Malucelli amazingly ended up with no major injuries of any type, and later returned to the circuit for Sebring. Gidley was a bit less lucky, as he suffered back and leg fractures and is still not recovered enough to race as of the 2015 Rolex 24.
* PowerCreepPowerSeep: To have the [=LMP2=] and Daytona Prototypes compete against each-other in the one class they increased the downforce on the Daytona Prototypes and gave them better brakes while the [=LMP2=] cars were given more weight. So far, it's skewed the Prototype class too far toward the [=DPs=], who easily won the first three races,[[note]]the Action Express #5 at Daytona, and the Ganassi #01 at Sebring and Long Beach[[/note]] causing officials to shrink their air restrictor by about a millimeter to reduce their horsepower starting at Laguna Seca. However, while Laguna Seca was won by a [=P2=] chassis[[note]]the #2 out of Extreme Speed Motorsports[[/note]] only one race out of the next four[[note]]Mosport, won by OAK Racing's #42[[/note]] has gone to them, with three more races being taken by [=DPs=][[note]]Wayne Taylor's #10 at Belle Isle, the Spirit of Daytona #90 in the Six Hours of Watkins Glen, and Action Express #5's second victory of the year at Indinapolis[[/note]], indicating that more work needs to be done to balance the Prototype class.
* SpecialGuest: The Rolex 24 has a long history of attracting {{NASCAR}} drivers due to its placement prior to the start of their season. This goes double for Ganassi, which runs full-time entries in both series.
** For 2014, Ganassi placed Jamie [=McMurray=] into their full-time car, the #01, alongside its regular co-drivers Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, as well as fellow part-timer Sage Karam. This car was the defending race winner, having been co-driven by [=McMurray=]'s former teammate Juan Pablo Montoya in 2013.[[note]]this was his third victory at Daytona in the 01, having been on the winning squad in 2007-08 as well[[/note]] Meanwhile, Montoya's replacement, rookie Kyle Larson, was placed in the team's part-time entry, the #02, taking the spot vacated by [=McMurray=] from the 2013 Rolex 24. Unfortunately, both cars broke during the course of the race, leading to [=DNFs=] for both teams. The third NASCAR driver to run this race in 2014, A.J. Allmendinger, suffered a similar fate as the team he was with, 2012 winner Michael Shank Racing,[[note]]A.J. was on that squad as well[[/note]] spent a lengthy period in the garage.
** Going back to Ganassi's #02, this team also features the team's UsefulNotes/IndyCar drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, originally scheduled to run the four NAEC events, although they later withdrew from the Glen and Petit Le Mans. Karam and Marino Franchitti swapped cars in the two races the #02 ran in 2014 (Daytona and Sebring). They had a better result at Sebring, finishing sixth, although the #01 overshadowed them by delivering Chip Ganassi his first win at Sebring in the team's first start at the track.
** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third UsefulNotes/IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired UsefulNotes/FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad, and Ganassi's former fourth Indy Car driver Ryan Briscoe popped up on the Corvette GTLM. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) during the overnight period, as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well). Briscoe and the Corvette squad, meanwhile, snagged the class win in GTLM.
* SynchronousEpisodes: In the inaugural season, there were [[RuleOfThree three]] rounds (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Kansas Speedway and Virginia International Raceway) which were run with multiple races on the same day.
** Laguna Seca was split into two two-hour races, with the first being run with the [=PCs=] and [=GTDs=], and the second with the Prototypes and [=GTLMs=]. Coincidentally or not, the first race was scheduled directly opposite the same day's NASCAR race (the Aaron's 499 at Talladega) while the second started after the conclusion of that race.
** Kansas ran two 45-minute races with the PC teams, with each driver running in a separate race.
** VIR ran three races, with the [=PCs=] again running the 2-for-45 format, while the GTD and GTLM cars ran a 2 hour 45 minute race afterward.
** For 2015, the Kansas event was canceled, the PC races were removed from VIR, and Laguna Seca was eventually merged into a single all-classes race due to a drop in the number of cars in the series.

* {{Expy}}: Some of the media coverage surrounding the initial news of the merger treated the Rolex/ALMS period as one similar to the infamous [[IndyCar Open-Wheel Civil War]], as the two series combined to supplant the former IMSA GT Championship, with a crippled version of IMSA under the control of ACO and Panoz running ALMS while breakaway members of the group with ties to NASCAR ran Rolex. Ultimately, though, NASCAR's stake in this fight may have led to the resolution of the war and reunification of the sport, under the sanction of a fully resurrected IMSA which was now owned by the holding company that also owns NASCAR. (which makes the bond even tighter than when Big Bill France helped John and Peggy Bishop found IMSA in the late 60's)

* MyHeroZero: The Deltawing team runs #0, and their car, originally designed as a possible IndyCar successor, is [[http://www.racintoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Delta-wing-2014.jpg completely unlike]] any other sports car in existence, with a significantly narrower front wheel-base than the other Prototypes. Unfortunately, it's also a subversion of the trope as the Deltawing is never very fast and usually drops out with mechanical issues.

** Going back to Ganassi's #02, this team also features the team's IndyCar drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, originally scheduled to run the four NAEC events, although they later withdrew from the Glen and Petit Le Mans. Karam and Marino Franchitti swapped cars in the two races the #02 ran in 2014 (Daytona and Sebring). They had a better result at Sebring, finishing sixth, although the #01 overshadowed them by delivering Chip Ganassi his first win at Sebring in the team's first start at the track.
** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired UsefulNotes/FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad, and Ganassi's former fourth Indy Car driver Ryan Briscoe popped up on the Corvette GTLM. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) during the overnight period, as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well). Briscoe and the Corvette squad, meanwhile, snagged the class win in GTLM.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad, and Ganassi's former fourth Indy Car driver Ryan Briscoe popped up on the Corvette GTLM. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) during the overnight period, as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well). Briscoe and the Corvette squad, meanwhile, snagged the class win in GTLM.

* SynchronousEpisodes: In the inaugural season, there were [[RuleOfThree three]] rounds (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Kansas Speedway and Virginia International Raceway) which are run with multiple races on the same day.
** Laguna Seca is split into two two-hour races, with the first being run with the [=PCs=] and [=GTDs=], and the second with the Prototypes and [=GTLMs=]. Coincidentally or not, the first race was scheduled directly opposite the same day's NASCAR race (the Aaron's 499 at Talladega) while the second started after the conclusion of that race.
** Kansas runs two 45-minute races with the PC teams, with each driver running in a separate race.
** VIR runs three races, with the [=PCs=] again running the 2-for-45 format, while the GTD and GTLM cars run a 2 hour 45 minute race afterward.
** For 2015, the Kansas event was canceled and the PC races were removed from VIR, rendering Laguna Seca as the only remaining instance of this trope.

* '''GT Le Mans (GTLM)''' - Also carried over intact from ALMS, this is the GT class found in that series' 2013 schedule, which complies with the [=GT2=] class from the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad, and Ganassi's former fourth driver Ryan Briscoe popped up on the Corvette GTLM. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) during the overnight period, as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well). Briscoe and the Corvette squad, meanwhile, snagged the class win in GTLM.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) during the overnight period, as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well).

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad. MSR would suffer more mechanical woes and ultimately dropped out late, while Ganassi's #01 suffered a busted transmission in the final third of the race. The #02, on the other hand, ran a near perfect race, and Larson in particular got notice for a so-called "monster" or "hero" stint (roughly three-and-a-half hours) as part of an effort that ultimately netted the #02 the overall victory. This put [=JamieMac=] in the company of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24. It was also Larson and Kanaan's first victory, each in their second start at Daytona, while Dixon, who drove the final stint, snagged his third win (he co-drove on the 2006 and '08 winning squads as well).

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, while defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey and now-retired FormulaOne veteran Rubens Barrichello teamed up with the Starworks Motorsport squad.

** It took less than three hours for the series to produce its first crash of this nature, after the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari, being driven by Matteo Malucelli at the time, stalled on the infield portion of the track, in a spot where the cars were driving directly into the sun. The #99 GAINSCO-Bob Stallings Corvette DP, driven at the time by Memo Gidley, pulled out of line to pass a GT car, not realizing that said GT was trying to dodge the stalled GTLM of Malucelli. As a result, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFu2vmJKIE Gidley rear-ended Malucelli at nearly full-speed]], shredding both cars to bits and sending the #62 flying across the track. Both drivers were subsequently carted off to Halifax Medical Center and put under observation while the race was stopped for an hour to clean the track. Malucelli amazingly ended up with no major injuries of any type, and later returned to the circuit for Sebring. Gidley was a bit less lucky, as he suffered back and leg fractures and was benched for the remainder of the season.

** It took less than three hours for the series to produce its first crash of this nature, after the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari, being driven by Matteo Malucelli at the time, stalled on the infield portion of the track, in a spot where the cars were driving directly into the sun. The #99 GAINSCO-Bob Stallings Corvette DP, driven at the time by Memo Gidley, pulled out of line to pass a GT car, not realizing that said GT was trying to dodge the stalled GTLM of Malucelli. As a result, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFu2vmJKIE Gidley rear-ended Malucelli at nearly full-speed]], shredding both cars to bits and sending the #62 flying across the track. Both drivers were subsequently carted off to Halifax Medical Center and put under observation while the race was stopped for an hour to clean the track. Malucelli amazingly ended up with no major injuries of any type, and later returned to the circuit for Sebring. Gidley was a bit less lucky, as he suffered back and leg fractures and was benched for the remainder of the season.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing, and defending Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Raey entered as a co-driver at Starworks Motorsport.

** It took less than three hours for the series to produce its first crash of this nature, after the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari, being driven by Matteo Malucelli at the time, stalled on the infield portion of the track, in a spot where the cars were driving directly into the sun. The #99 GAINSCO-Bob Stallings Corvette DP, driven at the time by Memo Gidley, pulled out of line to pass a GT car, not realizing that said GT was trying to dodge the stalled GTLM of Malucelli. As a result, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFu2vmJKIE Gidley rear-ended Malucelli at nearly full-speed]], shredding both cars to bits and sending the #62 flying across the track. Both drivers were subsequently carted off to Halifax Medical Center and put under observation while the race was stopped for an hour to clean the track. Malucelli amazingly ended up with no major injuries of any type, and later returned to the circuit for Sebring. Gidley was a bit less lucky, as he suffered back and leg fractures and was benched for the remainder of the season.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01. Allmendinger would also return, once again teaming with Michael Shank Racing.

** For 2015, Ganassi announced that [=McMurray=] and Larson would team up with Dixon and Kanaan on the #02 at Daytona, while the team's third IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball would run with Pruett, new full-time co-driver Joey Hand[[note]]Hand had previously run the #01 in 2011, which managed to win despite Hand drawing a penalty on pit road, partly because he had subsequently driven the wheels off during the rest of the stint and recovered enough ground for Pruett to make up the rest of the difference. Additionally, Hand has two ALMS GT class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, in 2011 and '12[[/note]] and a returning Sage Karam in the #01.

* P: Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa shared honors as co-drivers of the Action Express #5; they were the inaugural overall race winners of the series as well, taking the first Rolex 24 under USCC sanctioning, and snagged the overall at Indianapolis and Road America as well.
* PC: Jon Bennett and Colin Braun, co-drivers of the #54 CORE Autosport team. This squad also took three of the four endurance events in PC, missing only Petit Le Mans. They also snagged the PC-only races at Kansas.
* GTLM: Kuno Wittmer took sole honors in this class, driving the #93 SRT Motorsports team until the finale, when he hopped to the same team's #91. The team failed to win any endurance races, instead winning at Indy and Circuit of the Americas.