History

The 24 Hours at Daytona is considered the American equivalent of the great race at Le Mans, but it didn't start out that way.

It began modestly enough in 1962 as a 3-hour race and, in 1964, it became a 2,000-kilometer (about 1,220-mile) race.

Only in 1966 did the Daytona race switch to the 24-hour format made famous at Le Mans. It also adopted the two-driver team system that year.

There is now no limit on the number of drivers in a team, since the race is meant to be a test of the vehicle's durability, not the drivers'.

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