after the aging prototype challenge class was retired after 2017 due to declining interest from teams, grand touring le mans (gtlm) was made the highest-ranking class below the prototype category in the weathertech sportscar championship. nine cars from five manufacturers were entered for daytona. the bmw m8 gte made its racing competition debut at the track; team rll entered two chassis for the season. porsche fielded two 911 rsrs for the second successive season, and chip ganassi racing entered their two ford gts for the third consecutive year. ferrari aligned with risi competizione for one 488 gte. corvette racing transported their aging duo of c7.rs to daytona. gtd composed twenty-one cars amongst eight gt3 manufacturers. ferrari was the most represented marque in the category with four 488s: two by scuderia corsa and one each from spirit of race and risi competizione. a mix of teams and automotive brands made up the rest of the gtd field. these included two grt grasser racing team-entered lamborghini huracáns with a third by paul miller racing, and a trio of riley motorsports-entered mercedes-amgs. michael shank racing and hart entered three acura nsxs and a trio of porsche 911 rs with one each from park place motorsports, wright motorsports and manthey racing. other cars fielded were a duo of audi r8 lms from magnus racing and land motorsport, two lexus rc fs by 3gt racing and a bmw m6 from turner motorsport.