The 2013 sports car racing season got its start on the banking, looping through Daytona and its mist for 24 hours. Here is your ridiculously stunning über gallery.

(Dr. Jim Norman, driver of the Napleton Racing #16 Porsche Cayman team that just won the GX class of the 2013 Rolex 24, has the funniest Rolex story you'll ever hear! In his own words — OHL)

A BMW-powered car won the Daytona 24 this weekend and BMW had little to nothing to do with it. Why?

After their first win in 2011, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates won the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona with its #1 TELMEX/Target BMW Riley prototype, powered by a Dinan Engineering tuned BMW engine.

The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona is now officially underway, and that means you have a full day to ogle everything from mid-engine Corvettes to insane diesel Mazda sedans as they blitz around the Daytona International Speedway.

Of all the cars racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona today, few have generated as much attention, controversy and even lust as the diesel Mazda6 racecar. We love diesels for their torque and fuel efficiency, and we love them even more when they can put 400 horsepower to the rear wheels like this one can.

Tomorrow at 3:30 PM EST, the second biggest international endurance racing event of the year begins. For 24 hours teams will fight for every position on every lap, in a full day sprint in and around the Daytona International Circuit.

Sure, bump drafting was a staple at Nascar's Daytona 500 (before the new Gen-Six cars), but for Daytona 24 qualifying? Won't those high-falutin' sporty-car drivers spill Beluga caviar all over their kid-skin driving gloves?

One of the best pieces of news to come out of the LA Auto Show was that the diesel powered 2014 Mazda6 would be making it's way to American shores.

Real racing fans know race day is the culmination of extensive prep work. Teams from around the world met in Florida this weekend for the 'Roar Before The 24' event before the Daytona 24-Hour race. Here's a full gallery of hardcore racing porn created exclusively for Jalopnik by MotorSportMedia. — Ed.