Lola T70 Chevrolet that propelled Penske to first Rolex 24 triumph will join the 50th Anniversary overall champions display

Lola T70 Chevrolet that propelled Penske to first Rolex 24 triumph will join the 50th Anniversary overall champions display

Donohue, Parsons drove the famed No. 6 to a win in the 1969 Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The No. 6 Lola T70 Chevrolet fielded by legendary car owner Roger Penske and driven to victory in the 1969 Rolex 24 At Daytona by Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons will join the display of past overall Rolex 24 At Daytona championship cars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the twice-around-the-clock challenge on January 28-29.

The victory was the first for Chevrolet in an international endurance race and also the first time Penske celebrated a triumph at Daytona International Speedway.

The No. 6 Lola T70 Chevrolet joins the growing field of prestigious championship cars in the display:

· The No. 96 Arciero Racing Lotus-Climax 19B from the inaugural Rolex 24 (then known as the Daytona Continental) in 1962
· The Porsche 907 from the 1968 Rolex 24
· The No. 98 Eagle GTP from the 1993 Rolex 24
· The Preston Henn Porsches from the 1983 and 1985 Rolex 24s.

Additional cars will be announced in the coming months as they are secured to be part of this one-of-a-kind display.

Race strategy was the key to victory in the 1969 Rolex 24 for the No. 6 Lola T70 of Donohue and Parsons, who was a last-minute replacement in the car for injured Ronnie Bucknum. Entering the race, Penske believed the difference in winning would be attrition and directed his drivers to run a conservative pace.

Penske made the right call.

Despite the No. 6 Lola T70 experiencing a wide-range of problems from a fuel pick-up issue to exhaust system and starter motor failures, Penske’s drivers were the last men standing as accidents and mechanical failures took out the pre-race favorites such as the Porsche 908s and Ford GT40s.

Despite having to spend a combined two hours, 10 minutes and 12 seconds in the pits on 31 stops, the No. 6 Lola T70 won by a margin of 30 laps and covered 626 laps, 2,382.63 miles.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona, the kick-off event to Speedweeks 2012 as well as the international motorsports calendar, showcases the world’s best drivers competing against each other lap after lap for 24 hours on Daytona International Speedway’s challenging and demanding 3.56-mile road course.

Tickets for the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona are on sale online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

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