Prior To the introduction in the Daytona watch, Rolex was a coveted manufacturer among the racing legends, with several sporting them on the racetracks. In fact, Rolex had been involved with the races at Daytona Intercontinental Speedway given that 1959, so the introduction of an official “Daytona” watch was imminent. https://www.watchesworld.com/a-deep-dive-into-the-business-of-watchmaking/