DAYTONA, Fla. – NTT IndyCar Series winners Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta will join IndyCar Series rookie Devlin DeFrancesco and Eric Lux aboard DragonSpeed’s LMP2 entry for the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.
Last year, DeFrancesco and Lux were part of the DragonSpeed’s podium run in the LMP2 class and now welcome two drivers that combined for five IndyCar Series wins this past season.
It’s a reunion of sorts for O’Ward, Herta and DeFrancesco, all whom raced each other years ago in the karting ranks.
“I have never driven a prototype or an LMP2 car before so this will be something brand new for me,” Herta said. “I can’t wait to get stuck in with Devlin, Eric and Pato – we have a really strong lineup and DragonSpeed have shown in the past they have the capability to put together a great endurance car so I’m really excited for it.
“The last time Devlin, Pato and I all raced together was probably back in 2011 in karts and it’s cool to see everyone together years later and the fact that we’re now all professional racing drivers in IndyCar too.
“I’ve been really good friends with these guys for a very long time and to team up together at the Rolex is going to be really fun. Driving in races like this is really good for your overall development as a driver. It prepares you for different situations and you become more adaptive with strategy and different conditions.”
Both O’Ward and Herta are former class winners at the Rolex 24.
O’Ward won the PC class at Daytona on debut in 2017 while Andretti Autosport INDYCAR star Herta won with BMW in the GTLM class in 2019.
“I think it’s a great lineup and we’re all very excited – I think we have a shot at this,” O’Ward said
“Colton, Devlin, and I really grew up together in karting when we were kids. We are all part of the same generation that came through the ranks and it’s a cool reunion to be able to enjoy this race together.
“It’s a long few days in Daytona and it’s important to be able to enjoy the experience with your teammates. Sports car racing is very different from what we do in INDYCAR. You have to work with more people and get a balance in the car that each of your teammates is comfortable with. There is a lot of traffic with cars of different speeds so being consistent and solid is so important at the Rolex.”
DeFrancesco, meanwhile, will make his IndyCar debut this year after spending two years on the Road To Indy with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport, scoring Rookie of the Year in Indy Pro 2000 in 2020.
“I have a huge year ahead for me stepping into IndyCar but to start the year at Daytona with these guys is mega,” DeFrancesco said. “Colton is one of my teammates at Andretti who I am going to be working with this year so to share this experience with him will be awesome.
“I really enjoyed driving with Elton and the DragonSpeed team last year and to come back with this line-up in 2022 is just brilliant.”
O’Ward, Herta, DeFrancesco and Lux will hit the track for the annual Roar Before the 24 test on Jan. 21-23 and then return for the 60th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 28-30.
The DragonSpeed entry will be backed at the Rolex 24 by Kimoa, the clothing and accessories brand founded by multi world champion Fernando Alonso.