IndyCar driver joins Nunez, Bomarito and Tremblay in the driver lineup for the 2015 Rolex 24 in the No. 70 SKYACTIV Diesel Prototype.

For the fourth consecutive year, IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe will join Mazda and the SKYACTIV Prototype driver lineup for the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Hinchcliffe will drive for the Mazda factory team for the fourth consecutive year at the 24-hour race. On his way to the IndyCar ranks, Hinchliffe, a three-time IndyCar race winner and native of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, competed in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system that helps young drivers climb to the top level of their sport.

“James is a great example of what the Mazda driver development programs are all about,” says John Doonan, Director of Mazda Motorsports North America. “I’ve known him for many years throughout his climb up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder to become a winning driver in IndyCar. He is a great young man who brings value to Mazda Motorsports on and off the track. We’re thrilled to have him with us again.”

Hinchcliffe will drive the No. 70 with Tristan Nunez, Jonathan Bomarito and SpeedSource Race Engineering principal Sylvain Tremblay. Tom Long, Joel Miller and Ben Devlin, also with Tremblay on the lineup, will drive the No. 07. Mazda has powered 23 class victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona since 1975.

“This will be my fourth year in a row with Mazda, so I think that shows how I feel about them and the level of professionalism that they show,” the Mayor of Hinchtown says. “It is a privilege and joy to get to drive for them and it’s a partnership I hope we can keep going for many more years.

“Coming up through the Mazda Road to Indy, I have had a lot of experience driving different Mazda-powered machines. To see what they’ve done with that program and how they support the ladder system, not only in open-wheel racing but sports car racing and motorsports overall, it’s really really cool to see. John Doonan has been a big supporter of mine and a good friend for many years, so to get a chance to continue that relationship – personally and professionally – is great. With SpeedSource and Sylvain [Tremblay, team owner] and all the guys, John’s put together a real crack organization. It goes hand-in-hand with how they do it at every level of the sport.”

The Rolex 24 at Daytona is the opening round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, and one of four rounds that make up the Patron North American Endurance Cup. It kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Jan. 24, with the television broadcast beginning at 2 p.m. on FOX. Coverage will also be seen on FOX Sports 1 and 2, and live timing can also be found on imsa.com.