CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz on winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona — and how endurance racing mirrors business resilience
Jan 26, 2026 with George Kurtz
Key Points
- CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz won the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2026, reversing a 2023 loss by 16 thousandths of a second that had eluded him for years.
- Kurtz drove the opening three hours in an LMP2 prototype, navigating early suspension damage and a historic six-hour fog delay that created near-zero-visibility racing conditions.
- CrowdStrike uses the Daytona race as a direct client engagement platform, hosting a CXO roundtable to position motorsport sponsorship as business development rather than pure marketing.
Summary
George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, claimed victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2026, ending a years-long pursuit of a race that had escaped him notably in 2023, when his team lost by 16 thousandths of a second — a margin equivalent to roughly one foot after 24 hours of racing.
Kurtz drove the opening three hours of the race in an LMP2 prototype, competing in the IMSA series. The race began badly: a multi-car incident at turn one damaged his car's suspension, which the team repaired in approximately one minute, though a stop under yellow flag conditions added a penalty and left the team several laps down. A six-hour yellow flag period caused by dense fog — one of the longest in the event's history — further complicated the field, with Kurtz noting he was running in near-zero-visibility conditions before the caution was thrown.
Kurtz has been racing for close to 20 years, progressing from club-level competition to IMSA's LMP2 class, which he describes as roughly the second-highest level of professional racing in the US behind IndyCar. He competes in the bronze driver category and supplements limited track time with simulator work and a fitness regimen built around low-carb nutrition, electrolyte management, and cycling and running. The team rejected adding a second radio on weight grounds, citing the extra one kilogram as a performance liability.
CrowdStrike uses the Daytona race as a client engagement platform. Kurtz confirmed the team hosted a CXO roundtable at the event, positioning motorsport sponsorship as a direct business development tool rather than pure marketing. He traveled to the race directly from Davos, managing jet lag as part of his pre-race preparation.
On Formula 1, Kurtz expressed optimism about Mercedes' 2026 prospects following engine regulation changes, saying the team's drivers responded positively to early testing and that handling issues endemic to the previous car generation appear to have been resolved.