We need to check points standings, according to the new official rulebook for this series, folks. So much history involved with starting the season at Daytona, and then, at Sebring. Now, look out. The Deltawing is pitting. Watch yourself,. buddy. But, oh, it's Ganassi pitting. Jamie McMurray will do a triple stint., replacing Memo Rojas. The Corvette prototypes are also coming in as the Deltawing continues. Jamie McMurray is trying to become only the third driver to win both the Rolex 24 and the Daytona 500. The only two to have done it, are Mario Andretti, and A.J. Foyt.
Rene Rast pits for fuel for the Paul Miller Raci ng Audi. Triple stinting the tires is now the name of the game, as the temperatures and pressures have to come up. Max Angelelli is on the button right now. Max Angelelli will do the North American Endurance Cup, as the Taylor brothers will run the whole season. Ryan Hunter-Reay, is back at the wheel of one of the factory SRT Viper's. Max Angelelli continues to book it. The lights were started at 100% abd then they are gradually dropped to 50% and 30% power.
Max Angelelli had a chance to fly in a fighter jet recently and had a lot of fun with it. It was a Russian fighter jet. More downforce is in these cars now. The #007 Aston Martin is running well under the direction of former Rolex 24 winner Kevin Buckler. The drivers and the car, have the pace. They're very reliable. The Racer's Group has run the Rolex 24 for 19 straight years, SINCE 1995. There's a traffic jam in the bus stop chicane.
You have Pro Am and pro drivers running together, and of course, different speed rates for different cars. The Prototypes have a shade more speed. Now, there's a wreck. One of them is the #32 GMG Audi and Max Angelelli spins from the lead. Now, it's our fifth full course yellow. One car has huge damage. What is going on with the car? James Sofronas is at the controls of the Audi which is all torn up in the front. We are nearly haflway through hour seven. These guys ran this Audi in World Challenge. Frank Stippler, and Marc Basseng are running with this team. They hit the wall in turn two.
Another Prototype hit the Audi. Not sure which car it was. There are debris shards everywhere. Angelelli rear ended another prototype. But the Audi is definitely compromised. Again, that is the #32 GMG Racing entry shared by Frank Stippler, Marc Basseng, James Sofronas, and Alex Welch, in the GT Daytona division. Velocity Worldwide doesn't have much damage to their car. Jordan Taylor is set to get behind the wheel.
Sofronas got clipped by a prototype, as we enter the last half hour of night one coverage, before yours truly, will follow the race online during the overnight hours, and have more updates in the A.M. tomorrow. The pits are active for fuel and tire stops as the #10 car is running well and just going through routine service. The green flag will appear soon. 20 minutes from now, yours truly will look at the live online stream. Now, an official statement on that heavy wreck. Both Memo Gidley and Matteo Malucelli are awake, communicating, and being observed. So, they should be OK.
Three manufacturers make the Corvette chassis'. The Riley seats the driver to the left, and the Coyote, to the driver's right. That was a 138 mile per hour impact! Ouch! The #91 Viper pits. Kyle Larson pits to top off with fuel. We're now back to green. Mike Rockenfeller leads Sebastien Bourdais and Jamie McMurray. Release the beast! Somebody almost wrecks going into pit lane. That is the #31 Whelen Corvette shared by Boris Said, Eric Curran, Max Papis, and Bradley Smith.
Dirk Werner is running well in the #56 BMW Z4 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as the Ferrari spins off the road as Jamie McMurray fortunately dodged that! It was the #49 Ferrari 458 Italia. Traffic in the braking zone. Not sure who is at the wheel of that Ferrari right now, but a close call nonetheless. Actually, the #81 Ferrari was also in this shamozzle. Gianluca Roda is the driver. The right rear suspension ofn that Ferrari is busted. Actually, it's Piergiuseppe Perrazzini. Don't hit the cones.
There are LED lights on the surrounds of the windshields on the GT cars, and the prototypes. More traffic. It's a land rush down the super stretch and into the chicane. Not a lot of room into that diabolical corner. Yikes! It's hard to get close to see it, because it's right on the verge of the infield lake at Daytona... Lake Lloyd. This chicane is becoming calamity corner as Sebastien Bourdais loops it. Take your time,. stay calm, clean your tires, and go.
Ten minutes away from switching over. To watch action... go to www.imsa.com for action through the night. That's what yours truly will do. Then, we'll pick up the action in the morning. If you want to win a medal, run 100 meters. If you want experience, run the marathon. The Rolex 24 is the marathon. John Martin is at the controls of the sister Action Express Corvette... car #9, sharing with Burt and Brian Friselle, and Fabien Giroix.
The halfway light show is still to come. But halfway, will be at 2;00 A.M. local time in Daytona Beach, Florida, as the sand continues to trickle through the hourglass. As the night comes, it's getting wild. There will be a long time before sunrise. Jack Gerber spins his GT Daytona Ferrari 458 Italia. Gerber has run Ferrari's in endurance races a lot, in Europe. For now, yours truly will watch the overnight coverage on IMSA.com. Do join me in doing that, if you so desire, as the Rolex 24, continues.
We'll see you tomorrow, for more highlights and reports. So long, everyone and good night.
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