DAYTONA BEACH, Fl (January 27, 2016)-Continuing a tradition that has carried since the team’s first victory in 2012, Magnus Racing’s annual “Live at Daytona!” pitside webcast will once again happen during this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. Running live for all 24 hours of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s marquee event, the drivers and crew of the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS will once again offer their insight in to the operation unlike any other.
“We’re very excited to bring the webcast back again, “ stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We obviously make a big commitment to entertaining our fans, and the webcast has become a staple of that. It’s a big undertaking, but we’re very happy to present something unique and to our voice. More importantly, we couldn't be more enthusiastic about returning to Daytona. We’re excited to embark on this new adventure with Audi, and based on our test and lineup we’re all very optimistic on our prospects for the race.”
With a line-up featuring three drivers who’ve won the prestigious race before, for a combined total of six victories, the team heads in to this weekend’s race with a certain sense of optimism following a successful test during the annual Roar Before the 24 just three weeks ago. The combination of full-season drivers John Potter and Andy Lally with team endurance driver Marco Seefried and Audi factory driver René Rast presents one of the most formidable lineups in the highly-contested GT Daytona (GTD) category.
“This is an amazing lineup, and I think we all know we have a real shot at this,” stated co-driver Andy Lally. “The last time René drove with us, Magnus took its first ever victory, and I don’t see why that can’t be repeated. A lot can happen and this is probably one of the tightest fields I’ve ever seen, but we’re prepared and ready.”
Running live for all 24 hours of the race, the team’s pitside webcast not only gives fans an opportunity to listen in on team communications and view a live working pit, but to interact as well. With key members of the team and IMSA paddock sitting in throughout the race, the team will offer fans a chance to write in via chatroom to ask questions and interact with the team through all 24 hours of the famed race. Once again hosted by team stalwart Sean Heckman, long-time paddock personality Melissa Eickhoff will take on co-hosting duties as well, with the duo currently planning a number of segments and games for their guests throughout the event. Joining the team will be Emily Potter who has become synonymous with her hosting duties, as well as all of the team’s drivers and random IMSA drop-ins.
Fans can watch all 24 hours live on magnusracing.com, or directly on uStream via ustream.com/liveatdaytona. You can also follow via smartphone by either checking the uStream app or following the team's Twitter and Facebook pages.
Additionally, the team’s “Magnus Challenge” will return, however in very modified form. In previous years, the team gave out a secret word every hour to see who managed to stay up for the whole race, however for 2016 the team will be introducing an, err, very different challenge… presented by a very famous personality within the motorsport scene.
With practice and qualifying beginning tomorrow, the race will begin this Saturday, January 30 at 2:40PM.
The team’s webcast is aiming to start at 2PM(ish), with the official series television and broadcast schedule below:
- 2:00 PM ET, 1/30/2016, FOX Sports 1
- 4:00 PM ET, 1/30/2016, FOX Sports 2
- 10:00 PM ET, 1/31/2016, IMSA
- 7:00 AM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 1
- 10:30 AM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 2
- 1:00 PM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 1