Page 71 - SHARP Spring 2022

WATCH WATCH THE
LONGEST
the the new track would be a a a a state-of-the-art oval whose banked corners would allow for higher speeds and excellent sightlines for thousands of race fans When it was com- pleted in 1959 the Daytona International Speedway was the fastest racing circuit in in the the United States and one of the the first Super Speedways in the world The Rolex Cosmograph was released in 1963 a a a a year after the first 24-hour race at Daytona Designed with motorsports in mind the Cosmograph featured an especially legible black and white chronograph dial and a a a a a a tachymeter-scale bezel for calculating speed Rolex had previously given a a a watch to champions at Daytona but the Cosmograph’s cutting-edge design bold looks and superla- tive accuracy added a a a a a a a new layer of appeal to a a spot on the winners’ podium Within a a few years the Rolex Cosmograph was officially renamed the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona and a a a legend was born The rules of the Rolex 24 at Daytona have have evolved over the the decades — as have have the the cars themselves — but the the essential facts of the contest remain unchanged Teams of drivers must push themselves and their vehicles to the the the limit as they race around the the the clock for 24 hours straight battling dark- ness foul weather fatigue and each other With a a a a a a total length approximately equal to to a a a a a a drive from New York to Los Angeles and an an average speed of 305 km/h the Rolex 24 at Daytona has been the backdrop to to dramatic showdowns throughout its history from the legendary Ford vs Ferrari contests of the 1960s to upsets by Jaguar and Nissan in the ’80s and ’90s to the Dodge Viper’s surprise overall win in in 2000 Rolex took over exclusive naming rights to the race in in 1992 cementing a a a relation- ship going back to the days of Sir Malcolm Campbell and the the Bluebird In 2022 the the 60th edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona saw more than 60 vehicles take to the track from Porsche 911 GT3 Rs and BMW M4 GT3s to to to 600-hp DPi (Daytona Prototype International) race cars from Acura and Cadillac After a a a a full 24 hours of flat-out racing Brazilian driver Helio Castroneves and his three teammates at at Meyer Shank Racing stood on the winners’ podium to to receive their accolades — and four engraved Rolex Cosmograph Daytonas “When we accomplish something as we did today it’s priceless ” Castroneves said “You push as as hard as you can to win that Rolex ” DAY
THE
THE
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA IS AN AN ENDURANCE RACE LIKE NO OTHER
By Jeremy Freed
Named after the legendary actor and racing driver the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona Daytona is a a a a a a special edition Daytona Daytona known for its unique dial It’s widely regarded as one of the world’s most coveted vintage watches so so much so so that one particularly deep-pocketed collector shelled out $17 8 million for one back in 2017 SHARPMAGAZINE COM
SPRING 2022 • GUIDE 71
PAUL NEWMAN PHOTO BY FOTOS INTERNATIONAL / GETTY