3 a.m.: That’s the start of the golden hour at the IMSA Rolex 24 At Daytona. There are too many elbow-to-elbow people here at the start and finish, and it’s just kind of sad at sunup, when bleary-eyed masses are either drunk (fans), bravely trying to look ready for anything (crew), or trying to sleep in some weird pretzel shape …
I'm well aware that I faded in and out of consciousness between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., though I probably could have made it through the entire night If my coffee supply hadn't been cut off.
100% worth it though, and I'd gladly do it again. 
I walked the garages with Steven at 3:00 a.m.
It’s quiet tonight, I noted.
That’s a good angle for a story, he added.
Walking through the pits and garages after midnight during the Rolex is one of my favorite activities of the race.
My fav is 4am.
I would always get up from about four hours sleep in the camper at 4, and walk the tri-oval from the grandstands down low, watching the cars blurring down the front straight at 200mph. So surreal.
Continue the walk around to the T4 tunnel, walk through, then head to the garage area for a quick look-see for overnight carnage.
By then the sun would start to peak out and I'd head to the grandstands outside the International Horseshoe to watch it come up while checking out the action through the kink.
Then over to GRM just as the Krispy Kremes would arrive. Commune with the staff and GRM faithfull.
4am is what I miss the most from not attending in person anymore.
4:00 was pretty cool, too. I was on pit lane then, hanging in the abandoned pit stalls and those openings in the wall. Other than the crews, it was just me and a few IMSA officials.
I took this at 3:58 a.m.
I took the lead photo at 3:12 a.m.
This was among the only action in the garages at the time.
By 3:30, I was on pit lane. This was taken at 3:24 a.m.
And at 3:45, I watched one of the AO crew members clean the front of a pit cart.
Taken at 3:57. It’s both quiet and not out there at that hour. I wish it lasted longer.
Heading back to the car at 4:11.
4:28 a.m. and just about time to head home.
I'll admit that this was my first time staying at the track that late.
It was somehow both busier and not as busy as I thought it would be.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Same here, I luckily calculated my awakness to caffeine ratio and brought Monsters with me around the track haha.
I am thinking next year I might try and stay through the full 24 hours of the race. I feel like I missed out on all the fun this year with leaving around 11 pm.
Chris Tropea said:I am thinking next year I might try and stay through the full 24 hours of the race. I feel like I missed out on all the fun this year with leaving around 11 pm.
The challenge with pulling an all-nighter is that you feel like crap during the final stages of the race -- you know, when the gloves come off and real W2W racing begins.
Even a couple of power naps can do wonders. And if you've got access to the Sunoco suite...
This year was the first time that I was asleep before 1am. I sat up in the stands for a while after the fireworks, but at about 2330, I tapped out and went back to the RV and was out cold by a little after midnight. We were able to get a little further on the drive home Sunday, though, since I was pretty well rested. I slept like a rock to the sound of the racecars roaring by! Next year maybe if I rent a better lens for the camera, it'll motivate me to stay up and use it more.
I fell asleep in the stands for a few minutes–just enough to totally make a difference.
Also, big difference between sitting in the sun vs. the shade during those opening laps. We moved around a few times to stay in the sun.
David S. Wallens said:I walked the garages with Steven at 3:00 a.m.
It’s quiet tonight, I noted.
That’s a good angle for a story, he added.
Yes, and really well written too.
I really enjoyed reading this. My kid and I were sleeping soundly in iur hotel room at 3 and 4am, but I now know what I missed.
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