At last year’s “Roar before the 24” Chip Ganassi Racing packed up early before the second day was complete and headed back to it’s Indianapolis base.

Twelve months later the Ford EcoBoost-powered Riley prototypes topped the timesheets in the opening session at Daytona International Speedway with IndyCar ace Scott Dixon topped the timesheet.

Dixon stopped the clocks at 1:39.406 with new recruit Joey Hand second fastest less than a 10th of a second off at 1:39.505.

Hand returns to full-time US competition after a three year stint for BMW in the German DTM championship.

The 2014 Rolex 24 and championship-winning Action Express entry was third fastest with Sebastien Bourdais recording a time of 1:39.633.

In the GTLM ranks Aston Martin Racing’s Pedro Lamy led a trio of Porsches. The Aston Martin squad returns to US competition this year for an assault on the Patrón Endurance Cup – Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans.

Patrick Pilet and Jorg Bergmeister were second and third for the factory Porsche team ahead of Wolf Henzler in the Falken car.

Other class leaders included Bruno Junquiera in PC and Porsche Supercup ace Philipp Eng in GTD in the machine he will share with Patrick Dempsey.

TOP THREE BY CLASS

1 – P – Scott Dixon – Riley Ford – 1:39.406
2 – P – Joey Hand – Riley Ford – 1:39.505
3 – P – Sebastien Bourdais – Corvette DP – 1:39.633

11 – PC – Bruno Jnquiera – Oreca Chevrolet – 1:42.699
15 – PC – Renger van der Zande – Oreca Chevrolet – 1:42.865
17 – PC – Colin Braun – Oreca Chevrolet – 1:43.030

22 – GTLM – Darren Turner – Aston Martin – 1:44.414
23 – GTLM – Marc Lieb – Porsche 911 RSR – 1:44.516
24 – GTLM – Jorg Bergmeister – Porsche 911 RSR – 1:44.771

33 – GTD – Phillip Eng – Porsche 911 GT America – 1:47.753
34 – GTD – Leh Keen – Porsche 911 GT America – 1:47.777
35 – GTD – Markus Winkelhock – Audi R8 LMS – 1:47.797