"We're running the older Daytona Prototype car and there are a couple of the newer P2 cars this year and they seem to be very fast. Trying to get right the balance of performance that the series sets to get even racing will be hard, considering this is the first race of the year.
"It's more of a sprint race these days - gone are the days of cruising and trying to stay alive towards the end of the race."
Hartley is getting extra seat time before his World Endurance Championship campaign starts in April. He'll be going head-to-head with Dixon in the prototype class and will be driving the same Starworks Motorsport Riley as he did last year. His co-pilots this year are Rubens Barrichello, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tor Graves and Scott Mayer.
"This will be my third time there and I've got a lot of experience and track time with the car," Hartley said.
"There's five of us driving and it's better that some of the others get time in the car.
Earl Bamber
Daytona is a mega race and it's exciting having the banking as part of the track.
"We're getting close to 325km/h on the banking and under a safety car it's weird - it feels like you're going to slide down the track.
"It's going to be cool racing with Rubens as he's just won the Brazilian stock car championship. We've got a pretty good team and I'm confident we'll do okay. It's the same car that I qualified P3 in last year."
New Porsche GT works driver Bamber is looking forward to getting his first gig as a factory driver started. He's sharing the Porsche 911 RSR with Jorg Bergmeister and Frederic Makowiecki and will be looking for GTLM line honours.
"The car is the same model as the one I drove at the Petit Le Mans last year," Bamber said. "It's a massive step-up to have my first race as a Porsche works driver at Daytona - it's brilliant. It's a dream come true.
"I always enjoy the American style of racing on the banked ovals, it's pretty special. We did okay in testing and I set the fastest lap over the three days.
"Sure it's nice to top the class, but we were all within eight-tenths of a second, which means we're going to battling it out over 24 hours with lap times only a second different.
"It's cool there are so many Kiwis in the race and in different classes. It's always good to race against fellow New Zealanders internationally."
Van Gisbergen has been invited back to join Alex Job Racing in a Porsche 911 GT America. Joining him for the race are Cooper MacNeil, Leh Keen and Andrew Davis.
"Last year they took a bit of punt on how I'd go, but once I got there and did a few laps they knew I'd be okay," Van Gisbergen said.
"The Porsches were a bit disadvantaged last year [on balance of performance] but they're looking good this year. We should be more competitive this year and be up there fighting for a podium place.
"We did okay at the Roar [weekend end testing before the race] but everyone plays it down because if you go too quick they'll dial your car down.
"Everyone drives around on old tyres, heavy fuel loads and low engine maps because nobody wants to show what they can do.
"It's pretty frustrating as I'm used to going flat out.
"Our driver line-up is pretty competitive and it's going to be exciting to see how we go."
The race starts at 8am on Sunday (NZ time).
