Allmendinger won the 2002 Barber Dodge Pro Series Championship in record-setting fashion and followed that up with another championship run in Toyota Atlantic competition in 2003 with RuSPORT before graduating to the Champ Car World Series with the team – taking the Rookie of the Year title after two podium finishes.

Another five podiums helped him to fifth in the standings in 2005 and the Rolex 24 will mark his first appearance in the Daytona event and will also see him join up once more with Negri, who was a driver coach with the Barber Dodge series during Allmendinger's time in the championship.

"I have never raced anything that has a roof before, and I know that these cars get pretty hot inside, so it will be a lot different of course from driving a Champ Car," he said. "Justin and I get along really well as team-mates and help each other out, but the fact is that we are always are trying to beat each other. So this is a great chance to work together, but with the goal of working to beat everyone else and share a win.

"It is great to get the chance to work with Oswaldo again. He is a great guy and has a lot of talent, so it is good to see him in a good situation with Michael Shank Racing. It will be fun to collaborate with everyone working on the same goal-to win the race."

The team will announce plans for the second Daytona Prototype and the 2006 season at the Daytona Test Days early in January.