Organisers of what are considered to be two of the most valuable prizes in European motorsport, the Sunoco Rolex 24 At Daytona Challenge and the Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge, are pleased to announce a new format for 2014. The revisions are designed to reflect the recent restructure of sportscar racing across the USA set to come into effect next year.

Initially, both prizes will see the introduction of new logos. These are officially launched today and can be downloaded by clicking the images on the right-hand side of this press release. The updated branding for these two initiatives, provided by Daytona International Speedway and promoted by Anglo American Oil Company – official Sunoco race-fuel distributors for Europe and the Middle East – corresponds with the major changes currently taking place in US motorsport.

Instigated by the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA), the revisions to sportscar racing in the USA brings together the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the GRAND-AM Sportscar Series to become the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship for 2014. This amalgamation will see Le Mans Class 2 (LMP2) and Daytona Prototypes officially competing together for the first time, with the various GT classes from both former series’ also combined to form one extremely competitive and high profile 13-round national championship.

For GT cars that are closer to standard specification, the Continental Tire IMSA SportsCar Challenge will continue unchanged for 2014. It will feature 12-rounds at many of the same venues as the TUDOR United SportCar Championship, the first being the meeting at Daytona where the two recently announced Sunoco Challenge winners: Bradley Smith, who will compete in the legendary 24-hour race at Daytona on January 25th& 26th and Lewis Plato, who will contest the 200 race on 24th.

“I applaud Sunoco for providing racers with a career-changing opportunity to compete in America’s premier sports car event,” said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. “We send congratulations to Bradley Smith and look forward to following his progress in the testing program leading up to the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona. We will also be keeping an eye on Lewis Plato, who will take part in the 200 race the day before the big event.”

Managing Director of Anglo American Oil Company and founder of the two Sunoco Daytona Challenges Anders Hildebrand said: “The launch of the new branding brings the two Sunoco Challenges in-line with the latest developments in sportscar racing in the USA and we are extremely pleased to provide two unique prizes that are an enormous boost for aspiring drivers. To compete with a top-team in one of the most famous races in the world puts the winner of the main prize right up there at the top level of sports car racing and, if they perform well – like some of our previous graduates have done – they could go on to become a full-time professional.”