Rolex 24: Hour 21

BMW Team RLL has a wheel bearing issue.  That is on the #56 car.  The #55 is third in GT LM.  But BMW does not have the speed to keep up with Corvette, Viper etc.  The #4 Corvette pits again and the Porsche takes over the class lead.  Oliver Gavin cannot finish the race, but any other drivers on that squad, can finish it.  The top two in Prototype and GT LM are on the same lap.  Jon Bennett is two laps up on Kyle Marcelli in Prototype Challenge.  In GT Daytona, there is a one lap difference.  If you stay out and get a wave by, you can get on the lead lap.  The top three GT Daytona cars are actually all on the same lap.

Kuno Wittmer has electronic problems with the #93 SRT Viper.  Both Action Express Corvette's are still having gearbox/shift linkage concerns.  Make sure the gear lever comes back to the middle on up shifts and downshifts.  Jordan Taylor had an off course excursion to clean the grass out of the radiators.  He had to avoid a spin, and oil in the chicane.  He went around traffic and dove for the pits off of Nascar turn four.  Jordan Taylor chases John Martin for the overall lead.  Spencer Pumpelly in the Audi R8 chases Towsend Bell in the Ferrari.

Brad Blum has a huge wreck wit the #18 GT Daytona Muehlner Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America.  He was slower and got run up on by a faster car, spinning.  Blum shares with Eugenio Amos, Ron Zitza and others.  We are under full course yellow.  The factory Porsche with Richard Lietz at the controls is seventh overall but leading the class in GT LM while the track continues to be cleaned up.  Sebastien Bourdais pits the #5 Action Express Corvette.  Four tires and fuel.  But, surprisingly, there's no dealing with the shift linkage.

Will this car be quick enough?  Will it delay the car in the final hours?  John Martin in the sister car pitted, and so, Jordan Taylor is the new race leader.  The pits are now open for any car.  Scott Pruett pits.  He is ninth in class, 28th overall.  For Action Express, team manager Elton Sawyer says that there's something within the car itself as opposed to the shift linkage in the cockpit.  We are running under yellow with just over three hours left in the race.  Where is the physical position of the gear lever?  That's the confusion.

The cars are being waved around to get them back in order, behind the leaders of their respective classes.  The fuel situation at Velocity/Wayne Taylor Racing, is uncertain.  John Martin is pushing Jordan Taylor, and Ganassi is still in this battle.  Another spin for the #7 Prototype Challenge machine.  Tony Kanaan is in the Ganassi car, and he's hounding John Martin at the moment.  Gaston Kerby is still having issues with a flat tires.  There's a lot of damage to the #8 car.

Klaus Graf hit the Prototype Challenge car.  No brake changes required for the entire race with the Prototype cars.  Carbon is lighter, and that gives the cars more power.  Unsprung overall weight is reduced.  Hour 21 is nearly over.  There are less than three to go in this year's Rolex 24 now.