DAYTONA BEACH — Vroom with a view.

Many views, actually, especially from the Ferris Wheel.

The party starts today.

Oh, so does the racing, in the form of a 45-minute preliminary to Friday's additional preliminaries, which give way to Saturday's main event: Start of the 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona.

RACEDAY UPDATES: The latest from the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona

WHAT TO WATCH: Miata racing, girl power, Bubba Wallace and sunny skies

Today's schedule includes four practice sessions, including three for IMSA's WeatherTech Championship cars that will run the Rolex (those start at 2:10 and 6:35 p.m.). Qualifying for the first of two Mazda MX-5 races starts just before noon, while qualifying for Friday's BMW Endurance Challenge begins at 1:15 this afternoon.

The day's highlight is the first of this week's two 45-minute Mazda races, which goes green at 4:15.

That 6:35 p.m. Rolex 24 practice lasts two hours and gives the 59 teams a look and feel of what to expect in the after-dark hours of this weekend's 24-hour event.

Gresham Wagner wins first Mazda MX-5 Cup in a thriller

The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup series champion, Gresham Wagner, found himself in the right place at the right time, taking a bump draft and taking the bottom lane past Jared Thomas to win the first of two races in the series this week at Daytona.

It was yet another classic in the series that has come to be a highlight of Rolex 24 at Daytona week, complete with two passes for the lead after the cars exited Turn 4 for the last time. Tyler Gonzalez came home second with Jeremy Fletcher, Aaron Jeansonne and Connor Zilisch rounding out the top five.

The second race in the series is set for a green flag at 10:15 a.m. on Friday morning.

Alex Palou, No. 01 Cadillac fastest again

For the second time in as many practices, the No. 01 Cadillac Racing machine was the fastest car.

In the morning session, it was Scott Dixon at the wheel but in the afternoon, reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou wheeled the car to a lap of 1:35.589, over a full tenth faster than the second-best lap laid down by Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry.

Jakub Smiechowski finished atop the LMP2 Class, registering a lap of 1:39.416 in the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA. Anders Fjordbach in the No. 86 MDK Motorsports Porsche recorded a circuit of 1:47.045 to lead the GTD Class with Marvin Kirchhofer in the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports McLaren leading the GTD Pros with a 1:47.144.

The first race of the week, the first of two in the Mazda MX5 Cup, is scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m.

Cadillac still fastest as WeatherTech second practice underway

An hour remains in the second WeatherTech Championship practice and once again, Cadillac is at the top of the leaderboard thus far.

This time it's Renger van der Zande, whose lap of 1:35.67 is best. Teammate Scott Dixon topped first practice earlier on Thursday morning.

Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying: Sean McAlister claims pole

The No. 39 CarBAhn Motorsports BMW M4 remained lightning quick with driver Sean McAlister claiming the pole for Friday's BMW M Endurance race with a qualifying time of 1:52.842.

McAlister, along with teammate Jeff Westphal, topped both practice leaderboards for Friday's race as well in the Grand Sport Class entry. Harry Gottsacker, meanwhile, turned in the top qualifying time in the Touring Car Class, registering a 1:56.757 in the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra.

Friday's race is set for a 1:45 p.m. green flag and will run for four hours.

A one-hour, 45-minute WeatherTech Championship practice is up next.

Bubba Wallace apologizes in advance at Daytona

Bubba Wallace and his Toyota teammates came to the media center at noon for a 30-minute press conference, and Bubba used the opportunity to suggest he might run someone over in Friday's BMW Endurance Challenge.

"Sorry in advance if I run you over, but I'm figuring it out," he said of his first outing in a sports car.

He'll be in a Toyota Supra with fellow NASCAR racers John Hunter Nemechek and Corey Heim. All said the all-important driver changes have been a big challenge so far. At first, they were taking more than 30 seconds, and are now down to the 18-second range.

"Us boot-cut boys are getting faster," Bubba said.

Connor Zilisch takes Mazda MX-5 Cup pole

Turning in a lap of 2:08.347, 17-year-old Connor Zilisch, driving the No. 72 BSI Racing entry, took the pole for the first Mazda MX-5 Cup race, scheduled for later Thursday afternoon.

Selin Rollan was second at 2:08.575 with Aaron Jeansonne rounding out the top three. The race is set for a 4:15 p.m. green flag.

Scott Dixon, Cadillac fastest in opening practice

Cadillac continued to show speed on Thursday morning as Scott Dixon drove the No. 01 GTP to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 1:36.012.

The class's other Cadillac entry, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing entry, will start on pole for Saturday's race with the No. 01 starting second. Connor De Phillippi in the No. 25 Rahal Letterman Lanigan BMW was second on speed on Thursday with a lap of 1:36.139.

In the LMP2 Class, Toby Sowery in the No. 04 with a time of 1:39.407. Among the GTD and GTD Pro classes, Sheena Monk in the Acura NSX No. 66 was tops with a 1:46.585.

Two more practice sessions were scheduled on Thursday with Mazda MX-5 Cup qualifying up next.

GTP: 1. Scott Dixon, No. 1 Cadillac Racing, 1:36.012; 2. Connor De Phillippi, No. 25 BMW M Team RLL, 1:36.139; 3. Mathieu Jaminet, No. 6 Porsche 963, 1:36.281.

LMP2: 1. Toby Sowery, No. 4 ORECA, 1:39.407; 2. Patricio O'Ward, No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA, 1:39.529; 3. Hunter McElrea, No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA, 1:39.965

GTD Pro: 1. Jack Hawksowrth, No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC, 1:46.783; 2. Marvin Kirchhofer, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports McLaren 720S, 1:46.934; 3. James Calado, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296, 1:47.04

GTD: 1. Sheena Monk, No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX, 1:46.585; 2. Robby Foley, Turner Motorsport BMW M4, 1:46.86; 3. Albert Costa Barboa, No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296, 1:47.038

Rolex 24 first practice underway

The first of three practice sessions featuring cars that will compete in this weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona are now on the track.

The Thursday morning practice will last an hour and a half and is the first time the WeatherTech Championship cars have been on track since last weekend's Roar Before the Rolex 24.

The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac is on the pole for Saturday's start after Pipo Derani set a new track record on Sunday.

Thursday Rolex 24 schedule at Daytona

• 8:45-9:45 a.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge, practice 2

• 10:05-11:35: WeatherTech Championship, practice 1

• 11:55 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Mazda MX-5 Cup, qualifying

• 1:15-1:50: Michelin Pilot Challenge, qualifying

• 2:10-3:55: WeatherTech Championship, practice 2

• 4:15-5: Mazda MX-5 Cup, race 1

• 6:35-8:05: WeatherTech Championship, practice 3

When is the Rolex 24?

Start time: 1:40 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27

End time: 1:40 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 28

How to watch the Rolex 24

How to watch: All 24 hours can be streaming on Peacock and IMSA.tv. TV coverage will move across various channels:

• 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday: NBC (check local listings)

• 2:30-8 p.m.: USA Network (Channel 242 on DirecTV, Channel 105 on Dish)

• 10 p.m.-midnight: USA

• 6 a.m.-noon Sunday: USA

• Noon-2 p.m.: NBC

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona race recap: Palou tops IMSA practice, Wagner wins Mazda shootout