Former NASCAR driver Andy Lally shares an emotional message ahead of his final Rolex 24 entry

The 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona marks former NASCAR driver Andy Lally's final entry in the endurance race. Lally shared an emotional message ahead of the race, saying his final entry wouldn't sink in until his last stint.

Lally, a 49-year-old New York native, has been competing for over three decades in various racing series, including NASCAR. He enters the 2025 Rolex 24's GTD class in the No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo with Magnus Racing.

Motorsports reporter Dalton Hopkins, who reports for Frontstretch, caught up with Andy Lally before the race and discussed the driver's thoughts on his final entry.

"It's a surreal moment, for sure. I don't think the real part of it will set in maybe until my last stint or so," Lally said. [0:16]

The New Yorker believes his final entry would only sink in once he gets out of the car for the last time. He is switching driving duties with Nicki Thiim, Spencer Pumpelly, and John Potter.

"When it will sink in... probably when he says, 'One to go. Loosen your belts.' That will be about it. And then maybe we'll see, maybe when I kick my feet over the wall and step over for the last time, I'll take a big pause and try to reflect." [1:02]

Andy Lally has entered the 2025 Rolex 24 as a five-time winner of the 24-hour-long race at Daytona. He has also amassed three IMSA championships, 34 IMSA wins, and 110 podium finishes.

During his short-lived NASCAR stint, Lally won the Cup Series Rookie of the Year award in 2011, though he didn't have much competition for the accolade. He was released from TRG Motorsports before the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

His only Daytona 500 start in 2011 saw the driver finish 33rd after starting 37th.

For his final 24 Hours of Daytona, the endurance race will conclude on January 26 in the afternoon. His Aston Martin GT3 racecar is 12th in its respective class.

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Andy Lally shared his thoughts on racing under Project 91

In the same interview, Andy Lally was asked about potentially racing Trackhouse Racing's Project 91 car. Lally admitted he wasn't a good candidate for the No. 91 car, though he would drive it if he could.

The 49-year-old said (via Frontstretch):

"I don't think I should be considered for Project 91 entry. That's something... you look for something extremely unique like a Raikkonen." [2:48]

Andy Lally commended Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks for creating the Project 91 program, which brought Shane van Gisbergen to the American racing scene.

"Justin is a mastermind with who he invites to these things. For him to get Shane in there was really good."

He concluded:

"I'm 50 in a couple of weeks, I'm on my way out of that. I don't think I'd be a good Project 91 candidate. I'd jump in the seat if I could but I think that's for some extreme talent on some big ends of the grid here."

2007 F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen driving the Project 91 NASCAR car - Source: Imagn

Project 91 has entered Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch, Scott McLaughlin, and Ben Keating in this year's Rolex 24. Competing in the GTD Pro class, the drivers are taking turns running the No. 91 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

In addition, the team will also field four-time Helio Castroneves in the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro for the Daytona 500.