James Roe gets first 24 Hour Race Under His Belt
Daytona, FL (28 January 2025) Through a sunset, sunrise, and 24 hours later, the checkered flag waved over the cars that made it through one of the greatest endurance races in the world.
James Roe made his IMSA debut this weekend, driving in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona for Pratt Miller Motorsport’s No. 73 LMP2 entry. The car and team of four drivers was having a solid, steady race heading into the eighth hour, when a racing incident caused chaos for many in the field.
On a post-yellow restart, the driver of the No. 40 GTP Wayne Taylor Cadillac lost control while exiting turn two on cold tires. The car bounced off the barrier and back into the racing line, where it was hit by multiple race vehicles. As cars came into the crash zone out of a blind corner, Roe’s teammate Chris Cummings was the second to make contact, in what became the biggest crash of the event.
“We were having a great race and had the car in the right place all evening,” said Roe. “We were on the lead lap with no penalties or damage until Chris got caught in that pile up. There was nothing he could have done about it, and just one of those unfortunate scenarios. But the team did an amazing job getting the car back out there to ensure we got Championship points.”
In an endurance race, co-drivers rotate driving duties, navigating different conditions throughout the day and nighttime hours. Roe drove 7.5 stints and approximately 5 hours. Even with the crash and extensive time needed for repairs, the No. 73 finished in tenth position in the LMP2 category and 41st overall out of 61 entries.
“My stints felt great,” explained Roe. “I had to double-stint tires every run, which was certainly challenging as we built pace throughout the race. We did what we needed to do to hold position and keep the car clean when the last hours came around.”
Roe’s next IMSA outing is the Twelve Hours of Sebring, which is the second endurance event of the 2025 season. The race takes place March 12-15, two weeks after INDY NXT’s first round in St. Petersburg, FL. Throughout February, Roe will continue training and prep for his double-duty racing season.
“Anytime you’re in a race car is beneficial and provides great experience,” said Roe when asked about the difference between his LMP2 car and INDY NXT open-wheel car. “For me, the biggest difference has to be braking and tire life. The two cars are in different worlds when it comes to how they react and feel in each area.
