Daytona Beach, Fla. (RacingWire) - Dale Johnson is a crew member for the #87 Racers Edge Motorsports Dodge Viper. Johnson lives in Charlottesville, Va. and has been working with Grand-Am teams for several years.  Dale joins RacingWire as our crew member blogger for the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Jan. 27 - 7:58 p.m. ET - Just left the track. Day 2 all in all its been a learing curve with a brand new car . Arrived to the track at 7:00 worked on pit set up and car prep. We got our fuel cell into spec (correct amount of fuel allowed). We had a rain session today and came out of that with no issues. Always a good thing. From noon until we left is was detail prep, nut both check, supplys to pit road, extras need for a 24 hour race, brake pads etc. Taking final inventory of spares to see if we missed anything.  Dinner... then rest.  At the track tomorrow at 9 am.

Let the fun begin

Jan. 26, 2012 - 7:50 p.m. ET (during night practice) - It's been a long day. Arrived @ the track @ 7:00 am. After about 5 hours of sleep.  First practice went good . We had some minor issues around temp readings from the diff. Afternoon went ok with the same issues .  After qual.  We changed the diff "just to be sure ". Night practice is underway and we are just clicking off laps in the dark and giving each driver an idea of the night aspect of Daytona

Jan. 26, 2012 - 12:29 a.m. ET - Left my "day job" today @ 1:15 after I had ran all the reports I needed for the next few days while I'm away . Drover to Richmond for my 5 :30 flight. Arrived to Daytona. @ 11pm. Finally here. Time for some sleep alarm set for 5:30

Jan. 24, 2012 - 11:48 a.m. ET - Here is the start of a week in the life of a Rolex pit crew member.

The racing season ended mid Sept 2011 with a championship in CTSCS with Turner Bmw. One would think you enjoy time off after a long season, and I did.( About 3 weeks ) By early Oct  2012 racing was coming together. For me it would be going back to a former team. New car new colors ect. Time to get a new helmet and new racing items .  (I've been wearing my new shoes  for weeks  working them in ) Like Nascar our big event for the year is the first one of the season so you start early in your prep.
I called  Ed Webster of Webster Desings from Ruckersville  to do  my  helmet. He does some fantistic work  even adding my Cville team logo to it .

I've have already been down to Daytona once this Jan. For testing ( the Roar before the 24)
Looking forward to getting back to Daytona Wednesday night .

Dale Johnson Bio 

Started pit crew work early 80's friends SCCA. FV . In the Buffalo area ( Watkins Glen. was home track ) from that worked on local dirt track cars .
Moved to VA in 1999 from that point VIR became home track.in 2006 myself and my son started working for a Porsche team in grand-am cup. 
2007 -2008 Rolex. Speed source RX8 ( won 24 in 08 and 6hour @ Watkins Glen ). 
2009 -2010 Racersedge motorsports Rx8 
2011 Turner motorsports. M3 GS and GT. Won the GS championship

2012 Racersedge. Viper