BIG TIMERS; Racing stars turn out and tune up for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.(Motorsports)

Byline: Steven Cole Smith

The best bargain in all of motorsports, and arguably its best-kept secret, is the three-day test session held a few weeks prior to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. For just $5, you can drive right into Daytona International Speedway's infield, and annoy a variety of stars from multiple race series.

This year, you could hound NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Bill Lester for autographs, or offer a hearty handshake to Indy Racing League drivers Sam Hornish, Helio Castroneves, Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon, or Champ Car stars Paul Tracy, Alex Tagliani and Katherine Legge. Want to ask Juan Pablo Montoya why he's moving from Formula One to NASCAR? He's in the men's bathroom-go right in (if you're a man. Or a woman, seeing that security is thin). If your interests lie more with pure sports car drivers, there's Hurley Haywood, Max Angelelli, Wayne Taylor, Bill Auberlen and Lucas Luhr. Looking for power brokers? You could try to get IRL honcho Tony George and Champ Car co-owner Paul Gentilozzi into the same room and hammer out that IRL-Champ Car merger everyone's been waiting for. Both are driving here.

And if you aren't much interested in racing, on Saturday, there was Dr. McDreamy himself, TV's "Grey's Anatomy'' star Patrick Dempsey, practicing in his Koni Challenge Series Ford Mustang.

There was also some serious testing going on. The fastest time came on the third day, when Angelelli, driving the familiar blue SunTrust Riley-Pontiac, knocked out a lap of 1 minute 43.483 seconds, which translates to 123.846 mph.

"We leave Daytona with bragging rights, but as far as we're concerned, they only apply to this weekend,'' said SunTrust team owner and co-driver Wayne Taylor. "What matters most is where you are when the checkered flag falls.'' The 45th annual Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona starts Jan. 27. Angelelli and Taylor will be joined by NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon and do-it-all road racer Jan Magnussen.

This is shaping up to be one of the most competitive 24 Hours ever, with at least 15 teams that could challenge for the win.