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DAYTONA BEACH — To sleep or not to sleep during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway?
For some drivers and crewmen, it’s common sense. They have to get some shut-eye.
Others, especially youngsters or first-timers, try to stay up for all 24 hours of the annual endurance classic. Or their nerves and excitement simply keep them awake.
Before this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, which began at 1:40 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, and wraps up Sunday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal polled a few drivers on their resting preferences. Here are their answers.
“Oh, I do. Last year, I only slept like 35 minutes from what I remember. I try to do short naps instead of just trying to get like an hour straight. A good 20-30 minutes here and there are pretty useful.”
“It’s just trying to get enough rest ... But I think you’re all jacked up at like 2 a.m., and you’ll go back to the bus and try and sleep, but it’s one of those ones where you can’t sleep. You just had a massive stint and you’re hoping the car’s going to be OK.”
“Last year, I got an hour. Normally, I do sleep pretty good. But I am pretty excited. Love driving the car and love seeing how it’s going in the process, but I know it’s going to hurt me on the back end.”
“I didn’t try (to stay awake for my first Rolex in 2024), but I was so amped up I was almost forced to. I probably got 45 minutes of shut-eye. But last year I slept for six hours, so it changed.”
“Hopefully sleep can be in my routine. But as the fourth driver, I’m expecting to get the midnight, graveyard shift.”
“Naturally, I do (stay up) because of the adrenaline. I think certainly the first six-to-eight hours, you’re kind of up watching. Obviously, this race starts a bit early. I do Le Mans mostly, so that starts slightly later in the day. That changes things a bit, but I’ll probably get half an hour, 45 minutes. That’s enough.”
“I did get some sleep. Absolutely (the plan again). You have to be crazy if you try as a driver to stay up all night. It’s pretty important to get that rest. It’s a hard race. It’s not easy, so being rested is key.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rolex 24 at Daytona: Do drivers sleep during 24-hour race?
Continue reading...
For some drivers and crewmen, it’s common sense. They have to get some shut-eye.
Others, especially youngsters or first-timers, try to stay up for all 24 hours of the annual endurance classic. Or their nerves and excitement simply keep them awake.
Before this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, which began at 1:40 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, and wraps up Sunday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal polled a few drivers on their resting preferences. Here are their answers.
Felipe Nasr, No. 7 Penske Porsche
“Oh, I do. Last year, I only slept like 35 minutes from what I remember. I try to do short naps instead of just trying to get like an hour straight. A good 20-30 minutes here and there are pretty useful.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette
“It’s just trying to get enough rest ... But I think you’re all jacked up at like 2 a.m., and you’ll go back to the bus and try and sleep, but it’s one of those ones where you can’t sleep. You just had a massive stint and you’re hoping the car’s going to be OK.”
“Last year, I got an hour. Normally, I do sleep pretty good. But I am pretty excited. Love driving the car and love seeing how it’s going in the process, but I know it’s going to hurt me on the back end.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac
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“I didn’t try (to stay awake for my first Rolex in 2024), but I was so amped up I was almost forced to. I probably got 45 minutes of shut-eye. But last year I slept for six hours, so it changed.”
“Hopefully sleep can be in my routine. But as the fourth driver, I’m expecting to get the midnight, graveyard shift.”
Ben Barker, No. 64 Ford Mustang
“Naturally, I do (stay up) because of the adrenaline. I think certainly the first six-to-eight hours, you’re kind of up watching. Obviously, this race starts a bit early. I do Le Mans mostly, so that starts slightly later in the day. That changes things a bit, but I’ll probably get half an hour, 45 minutes. That’s enough.”
Frederik Vesti, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac
“I did get some sleep. Absolutely (the plan again). You have to be crazy if you try as a driver to stay up all night. It’s pretty important to get that rest. It’s a hard race. It’s not easy, so being rested is key.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rolex 24 at Daytona: Do drivers sleep during 24-hour race?
Continue reading...
