By Andrew Cutler
January 31 2011

The 2011 racing season has officially begun here in the States, with the Rolex Grand Am Series' 24 hour endurance race at Daytona Speedway having been run this past weekend. For the fourth time in the past six years, the top honors belong to Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing, the Grand Am stable of the greater Ganassi Racing outfit.

As per usual for this event, there were alot of 'guest' drivers to share the load - and to fill out extra cars. Ganassi's full-time Grand Am duo of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas were joined in the #01 car by IndyCar driver - and new Ganassi hire - Graham Rahal and sports car racer Joey Hand. Ganassi also fielded a second car (#02), piloted by his 'veteran' IndyCar duo of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, who were teamed up with his NASCAR aces, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jammie McMurray.

In the end it was Joey Hand who brought his BMW-Riley Daytona Prototype car across the line ahead of Scott Dixon after a late caution brought the race down to a last lap shoot-out. It was Ganassi's first one-two finish in the event.

Other IndyCar drivers in the field included Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe (fifth overall) and Andretti Autosport's Ryan Hunter-Reay (11th overall). Another notable 'guest driver' at the Rolex was five-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, who team was once again bitten by mechanical gremlins, finishing 15th.

The top GT class car finished 12th overall, 36 laps down to the DP winner.