On January 24th, SpeedSource, Mazda USA's official team, replaced the engine for the one to be used in the race, and began preparations for the race start set for 2:30pm on the 25th.

Race week for this year's 24 Hours of Daytona has had uncomfortably cold weather even for Florida, the southernmost state in the U.S., due to the effects of a lingering cold front that has affected northern regions of the United States. Practice and the official qualifying sessions were held on the 23rd (Thurs.), which had a high temperature of 15 degrees, exceptionally cold for the state in late January, but on the 24th (Fri.) an even colder wind was blowing, with a maximum temperature reaching no higher than 12 degrees. Even so, forecasts predict the conditions will rise to as high as 20 degrees for race day on the 25th.

The 24th featured only 60 minutes' running time for the cars appearing in the 24-hour race, and got underway at 11:30am. Every team used this session to make final inspections of their machines ahead of the race. Both prototype machines from the SpeedSource team also ran during this session. The #70 Mazda LMP2 SKYACTIV-D Racing entry ran for almost the entire 60-minute session, completing their pre-race regimen. On the other hand, the #07 car had an oil leak, so they quickly ended their run and headed for the garage. According to the crew chief, the oil line was leaking oil, so checks were made for safety's sake, but nothing unusual was found inside the engine.

The camping area bustled with campers that have gathered from all over the country as of today. In contrast with NASCAR races that fill the grandstands, the 24 Hours of Daytona typically has a capacity crowd in the infield spectator area. All kinds of racing fans have gathered, from senior citizens from the north who have come down for the winter to local middle school students, both men and women, young and old. The Mazda drivers also met with fans in the Mazda display area.