This weekend, the first sports car race of the year will be run; the Daytona 24 Hours. It will be one of the last editions before a rule change in 2023 will allow top level prototypes to once again compete in all major races. As a warm up to the big race tomorrow, we have taken a closer look at two prototypes that we saw in action during the truncated 2020 season and were among the last cars that could be raced both at Le Mans and Daytona.
The most striking of the two is the Dallara SP1, successfully raced by the Doran Lista team in period. The SP1 had originally been developed for Chrysler by Dallara and Oreca, who are rivals today as chassis suppliers to the Cadallic and Acura teams respectively. The featured SP1 qualified on pole four times and won one ALMS race in period. It is now part of the collection of a Belgian historic racer and was seen at Zandvoort last year.
A three time winner of the Daytona 24 Hours is the Riley & Scott Mk III that was campaigned throughout the second half of the 1990s. The featured example did not win the big one but did score two victories during the 1996 season. As part of its long race career, chassis 006 did make five starts in the Daytona 24 Hours. It is today in French hands and competed at the Dix Mille Tours in July of last year.
With the M5 CS, BMW have released the most hardcore version of the M5 yet. Compared to the Competition version, it is 10 bhp more powerful and somewhat lighter. The Club Sport also boasts a bespoke interior with four bucket seats and carbon ceramic brakes.

Enjoy the links:

2002 Dallara SP1 Judd (DO-005)

1996 Riley & Scott Mk III (006)

2021 BMW M5 CS