Matt Campbell wins Rolex Daytona 24 hour
A young Australian beat the odds to deliver a famous victory in one of the world’s toughest races, securing a special trophy.
Australian racer Matt Campbell took home one of the top prizes in motorsport on Monday.
The Queenslander secured victory in the Rolex Daytona 24 Hour for Porsche Penske Motorsport in a car shared with ex-Formula 1 racer Felipe Nasr, reigning Indy 500 Champion Josef Newgarden and sports car specialist Dane Cameron.
The quartet finished about two seconds ahead of a faster Cadillac prototype crewed by Tom Blomqvist, Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken.
Campbell played a starring role in the race by snatching the lead from Cadillac and Acura rivals early in the race.
His final stint in the car set the team up for victory by handing Nasr a Porsche 963 primed for victory.
This Matt Campbell kid can drive, can't he. Will go far, I'm sure. #Rolex24
— Richard Craill (@Craillsy) January 28, 2024
Nasr held his nerve in a high-pressure defence of the lead, holding off the pole-sitting Cadillac to take a famous victory in front of a record crowd.
Many manufacturers contested the race, including Aston Martin, BMW, Ford, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Mercedes.
The winning drivers took home coveted trophies – specially customised Rolex Daytona watches worth a fortune to collectors.
The last to be sold at auction, won by Porsche GTLM class winner Michael Christensen, changed hands for €88,000 ($145,000) at a charity event supporting children in Ukraine.
Campbell and Nasr won the lower GTD class in a Porsche 911 shared with Mathieu Jaminet in 2022 in preparation for an outright assault on the event in the multimillion-dollar Porsche 963 Prototype.
With the overall result secured in 2024, Campbell’s mechanics carried him on their shoulders after the car took the chequered flag, while co-driver Dane Cameron was overcome with emotion following the “amazing” result.
“The team as a whole was simply perfect,” Campbell said.
“We had an absolutely crazy battle with the Cadillac. It was back and forth over the entire distance. It was intense, exciting and exhausting. Now, it’s time to celebrate our success.”
The Daytona 24 Hour is considered to be part of the “triple crown” of motorsport, alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Team owner Roger Penske said today’s result was a significant achievement following underwhelming showings at Daytona and Le Mans in 2023.
“To come back here and have both cars run for 24 hours and win the race, it’s hard for me to believe it,” he told IMSA Radio.
“This goes down as one of the biggest wins we’ve had.
“Now we have to go for the big one at Le Mans.”
Matt Campbell DELIVERED. Helluva stint by him! 🔥💪🼠https://t.co/K2kyQJVyiO
— selena 🆠(@MMysticfox) January 28, 2024
Campbell will be a cornerstone of the Porsche Penske Motorsport assault at Le Mans this year.
The young racer will switch from racing in America’s IMSA series to the World Endurance Championship this year, representing Porsche at world class circuits including Monza, Spa Francorchamps and the Circuit de la Sarthe.
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