The #33 Gas Monkey SRT Viper GT3-R is in touch with Ferrari's and Porsche's as well as a Lamborghini. All these teams, put in amazingly talented drivers. The variety, and quality, of the driving field, and the cars, is top notch. The new GT3 cars are putting the cat among the pigeons in GTD. Katherine Legge tries Dane Cameron in the Bus Stop. No dice, sunshine. Don't risk the car. Be patient. Stay away from the curbs, if you are driving the DeltaWing. Legge's team mate, Sean Rayhall, has learned this. Mazda has been a great story. Tristan Nunez is at the wheel of the car right now. Mazda has decided, that the gasoline motor, was necessary, because their diesels from last year, were not competitive at all.
A Corvette passes a GTD Ferrari, and we also watch Giancarlo Fisichella in the #62 Ferrari 488 GTE. No issues with the car, and after the rain on Thursday in practice, this track is very green. The issue with the turbo motor, is that it is hard to fix. They have a ways to go. If they have a turbo issue, it could be game over. This is the first turbocharged Ferrari sports car. We also watch the two SRT Viper's in GT Daytona, as Scott Dixon in P1, flashes by. He is the race leader in the overall right now.
The Aston Martin, is right behind the Viper's. This is the #98 factory Aston Martin of Paul Dalla Lana, sharing with Pedro Lamy, Mathias Lauda, and Richie Stanaway. Problms for one of the BMW's. This is a flat tire, on the right side, (right rear, actually), on one of the factory BMW's. Not sure which one. He has to get through the Bus Stop. He is now, on the apron. If you go off in the Bus Stop, a full stop if you go off, is not required. It is safer to go straight through. The Z4 that won races last year, it looked like a dinosaur, though. It's a five year old car.
This new M6 is bigger, and more workable. It's a twin turbo, 4.4 liter V8, with turbos on top of the motor, in the cylinder V. The Ferrari F40 was also, turbocharged. So, to correct the stat from earlier, Ferrari has built a turbocharged car before the 488. Stephen Simpson is pitting the #85 car. Meanwhile, Katherine Legge, in the DeltaWing, continues to lead. The #73 GTD Park Place Motorsports Porsche, spun. Norbert Siedler qualified the car. Matt McMurry, is now at the controls. A Porsche is a very different car, compared to a Prototype.
Jordan Taylor is second, two seconds behind Katherine Legge at the moment. Jordan Taylor, came down with mononucleosis. He has a Formula 1 doctor here, and someone, from the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Tristan Nunez has moved to fourth and Marc Goossens is fifth in the #90 VisitFloridaRacing.com Corvette. On the next pit stop, Katherine Legge, will hand over to one of her team mates, (Andy Meyrick, Sean Rayhall, or Andreas Wirth. Legge, is a great driver, and knows how to wheel a race car.
Scott Dixon pitgted the #02 Ganassi car. Jamie McMurray has taken over the driving chores. Corvette in the lane. The #3 is in. Jan Magnussen hands over to Antonio Garcia. Fuel, tires, and a driver change. The gap is closing between Legge and Jordan Taylor. Katherine Legge, clipped the inside of the corner in turn one, and locks a front brake. The back of the Deltawing does almost all the braking as the #23 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, pits. This car, is shared by Mario Farnbacher, Ian James, Alex Riberas, and Wolf Henzler.
James Calado has taken over the #72 SMP Racing Ferrari 488 GTE, chases the #4 Corvette of Tommy Milner. SMP had a big wreck, in qualifying, with Viktor Shaytar at the controls. The bodywork looks OK. But, the transmission could have gotten rammed by the rear axle. Katherine Legge, is about ready to pit for fuel, as the fuel light is on, on the dashboard. The #10 Corvette Prototype is in. Max Angelelli takes over the car, from Jordan Taylor, and four tires and fuel are part of the stop.
Pit stop tim too, for the ESM car. #55 has also pitted. Spencer Pigot, will also race with Bobby Rahal in Indycars, for three races. The bodywork might be suspect on the #2, but the piece is not affecting the aerodynamics. Thre is a driver change for Deltawing. They will have to restart the engine. The car has stalled again. Get the jump battery. Not sure who is in the car now. The #4 Corvette makes a quick pit stop, and so does the #62 Ferrari 488 GTE. These cars have nw aerodynamics on the undertray.
Did #72 run over an air hose, in pit lane? Jamie McMurray continues to lead this race, right now. The sun is sinking on the horizon a bit. Joao Barbosa has gotten out of the #5 Action Express Corvette Prototype and Christian Fittipaldi is now driving. Barbosa says there was no damage after his little off track excursion. Jamie McMurry is running 1:41 lap times. Tje second BAR1 Motorsports Prototype Challenge car, is in the pits, with issues. Ryan Eversley, at the controls. They need to serve a penalty, after the stop.
On the driving squad, for #26, are Ryan Lewis, John Falb, Adam Merzon, Don Yount, and, Eversley. Prototype Challenge cars have no traction control, on cold tires. So, they will help rubber in the speedway. PR1 Mathiasen is running well, and they had a great season last year, winning three of four endurance races. Driving on that team, are Robert Alon, Tom Kimber-Smith (a former Le Mans class winner), Nicholas Boulle, and Juan Guttierez. More concerns for the Ford GT. Sebastien Bourdais is having gearbox problems on the #66 car. He will have to limp the car to pit lane for repairs.
They have the speed, and the interest of the fans and the racing community. But, the car is not bulletproof. They are going straight to the garage. The factory Porsche's are running great. Kevin Estre is in the lead factory Porsche in GT Le Mans. He is teamed with Le Mans winner (for Porsche), Nick Tandy, and Patrick Pilet. The sister car is shared by Earl Bamber (also part of last year's Le Mans winning squad), Fredric Makowiecki, and Michael Christensen. Porsche team boss, Morgan Brady, said they have forgotten the issue from last year, where both cars crashed into each other.
Porsche ditched their video of that wreck from last year, especially after winning Le Mans, overall, last summer. If you don't have more horsepower with more downforce, it's not an advantage. IMSA is watching like hawks, for people sandbagging. The lap times, were being manipulated. We watch Bryan Sellers in the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3, AGAINST THE #30 Frikadelli Racing Porsche 911 GT3. #02 pits for Ganasdsi Racing. Four tires and fuel. McMurray will stay in the car, for a double stint.
Dane Cameron in the #31 car, takes over the overall race lead. Cameron needs to have a factory ride, according to his team mate, Simon Pagenaud. Max Angelelli is following in the #10 car. Many people thought the P2 cars would dominate over the Daytona Prototypes. But, that is not the case. This is the last year, for the Daytona Prototype era. More pro drivers are in the DP cars. More gentleman drivers are in the LMP2 machines. The #25 BMW pitted. Bill Auberlen is at the wheel. He shares with Dirk Werner, Augusto Farfus, and Bruno Spengler.
The #66 car is in the garage. It is stuck in reverse, and they could not fix the pneumatic actuator, like they could, with car #67. Dane Cameron is holding off Max Angelelli. We have two cars, that have already gone by the wayside. The #70 Mazda Prototype, and the #21 Konrad Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3. Another car, that may or may not be out, is the #45 Flying Lizard Audi R8. Problems for the #88 Prototype Challenge car. The wheel is broken and the suspension is damaged. This is one of the Starworks cars, slamming the far left wall, after he began to fishtail, and slam the wall on the left hand side.
This is Sean Johnston at the wheel, who has run VLN and Blancpain Endurance, as well as IMSA GT3 Cup, sharing with Maro Engel, Mark Kvamme, and Fred Rosenqvist. We watch Max Angelelli dicing with Dane Cameron. Angelelli drives the endurance races, for Wayne Taylor Racing. Wayne and Max have been greatr friends and business associates, for years. The road is cambered away on the outside, while there are transitions on the road. Traffic in the kink. No worries.
Jonathan Bomarito and Andy Meyrick, battle. Meyrick, wants a run, on the new Mazda. Meyrick, takes over the lead. We are just past the 100 lap mark. 106 laps, 377 miles. The sun is setting. Now, Andy Meyrick will have a pit stop, coming soon, for fuel. The team will change all four tires, including the skinny ones, on the front end. Little tiny things, on the pit stop, can hang up a driver. Ooh. Look out, for pit out. Work your way through, onto the road.
As the nighttime closes in, and the temperature cools, it will get even slicker down there. Andy Meyrick is fighting that car. Maybe the clutch on the car, is not disengaging properly. No gradual lead into it. Working past the #9 Stevenson Motorsports Audi. When you are on the jacks, you cannot spin the tires. It's a safety issue. The #16 Change Racing Lamborghini Huracan also is running well. Justin Marks is driving. Marks has driven sports cars, and stock cars in his career. Can Dane Cameron and Eric Curran raise their game to a level to win the championship?
Time will tell. Back to the #16 briefly. Marks is sharing with Spencer Pumpelly, Corey Lewis, and Kaz Grala. The transitions into driving at night are tough. But, you can go fast, without much effort. Watch the brakes glow cherry red, and the flames shoot and spit out the exhaust. It's mesmerizing to see. This will now be an enduro. It's the longest night, of any 24 hour sports car race, throughout the year. Daytona, Nurburgring, Le Mans, Spa, Dubai... you name it. This is the longest run of darkness.
In the #31 car, Johnny Adam, is now at the controls, and he is also an Aston Martin factory driver. In pit lane, the #33 Viper for Riley Motorsports. Marc Miller is at the controls. Tommy Milner is running well, in the factory Corvette. Again, they swept the big enduros last year, winning Le Mans. But, they could possibly do well, in this race yet. Both Taylor brothers will race for Corvette at Le Mans, this year.
The Deltawing, is flying. They are running well, with the reliability they've needed. We are close to total darkness, here at Daytona. Night brings a special beauty, as the cars become pinpricks of bright light. Inescapable noise, like a rising tide. Sam Posey, can capture that image, in his narration. We see the #8 Prototype Challenge machine, of Chris Cumming, stopped in the middle of the road in turn one. Cumming shares with Alex Popow, Renger van der Zande, and Jack Hawksworth. This is really iffy. Oh no! He has caused the Eltawing, to run off the road! That's big damage, and a huge hit!
Ouch! That, was big. Ker-runch! The track rods at the front, are like pens. They are that thin. Pit action for Prototypes, for both Ganassi Prototypes. Routine stops, for both carss. Will the #10 car pass? #02 was almost out of fuel. Johnny Adam and Max Angelelli had a position swap, and a close moment. Read the situation, and decide what will happen. Mazda is nowleading. Mazda and their diesel motor, led overall, last year, here at Daytona.
Mazda has maximized what they can do. Going back to the pass earlier, Max Angelelli was a position ahead, when he, and Johnny Adam, split a lapped car. GT cars, in the lane, now. The #3 Corvette is in, with Antonio Garcia at the wheel. The #912 Porsche pits, and the M6 BMW's got somewhat crossed up on pit stops for both #25 and #100. John Edwards clipped some pit equipment on his last stop, because of the bigger size of that car. The tension on their fueling rig hose is also suspect, with the gravity fed refueling system.
The campfires and barbecues are beginning to burn, and we will be back to green,
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