Eric Curran takes over from Scott Pruett in the #31 Whelen Corvette. Pippo Derani has served his penalty. The #63 Ferrari 488 GTE of Christina Nielsen runs over a patch of water. One of the Ford GT's is in the lane, and the #2 ESM car just came into the pits, even though Pippo Derani just served his penalty. Scratch that. It was the #67. Johannes van Overbeek actually took over car #2. Scott Dixon pitted the #67 Ford GT and Ryan Briscoe has taken over the car. #5 in the lane, pitting from the lead, with Joao Barbosa at the controls. Eric Curran is now driving the #31 car. The #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette Prototype has Max Angelelli at the wheel, and the #90 Corvette Prototype, has Ryan Hunter-Reay driving, currently.
Joao Barbosa was passed by a Prototype Challenge machine. Kyle Marcelli goes off the road in turn 13. Could Action Express Racing have their second consecutive race win at Sebring? We are under yellow, once again. The sky has cleared, and the temperatures are cool, with humidity in the air. Much better weather. Pit stop time for Prototype Challenge cars. Max Angelelli is in to be topped up for fuel. Mike Rockefeller is back out on track with the #3 Corvette and that car has had the rear suspension replaced. Traffic has been the issue today, but, it's been handled well.
The #2 ESM Ligier Honda has gone down to fifth overall after the penalty. The Magnus Racing #44 Audi R8 is now back on the lead lap, and there's some damage to the bumper. Plenty of pit stops happening for the GT cars at the moment. Wayne Taylor Racing, has an electronics problem in the #10 Corvette Prototype at the moment. Max Angelelli is catching up with the pack, and thankfully did not go a lap down.
This yellow has allowed the #67 Ford and the #4 Corvette to get a lap back. The #54 Black Swan Porsche has pitted. Jan Heylen has gotten into the #73 car. Tim Pappas, Andy Pilgrim, and Nicky Catsburg, share the #540 Black Swan Racing Porsche. Pit stop time for #33, #68, and #4. #68 is down and away, as are #33 (the Viper), and the #98 Aston Martin, while Ryan Briscoe pits the #67 Ford GT. Ryan Hunter-Reay is on the pace, and we watch GTLM cars fighting with GTD cars.
Corey Lewis is back in the lead in GTD. We have a bunch of Aud's, Markus Palttala in one of the Turner BMW's and another Ferrari. Jose Guttierez is now the new Prototype Challenge leader, taking the lead from #54 Mark Wilkins. Palttala has passed one of the Ferrari's. It's spitting rain now. Oh dear. Johannes van Overbeek has spun the #2 and Jose Guttierez does a sympathy spin in avoidance. Bill Auberlen, Lucas Luhr, and Giancarlo Fisichella are battling for GT Le Mans honors. This is a GT bonanza in the midfield right now.
Ryan Briscoe seems to be back up to speed in the #67 Ford GT. The #912 Porsche of Fred Makowiecki is pushing hard in GTLM as well. We have drizzle on track and the #85 PC car of Chris Miller is off the road. There was contact with David Heinemeier-Hanson in one of the Starworks PC cars. We see a steaming Porsche at the pit lane exit. The #3 Corvette is now going back to the truck. It could be game over for that automobile. Five cars are on the lead lap. #5, #90, #2, #81, and #31. The DragonSpeed boys don't have the pace, but they've been up at the sharp end for a good chunk of this race.
We're nearing the end of the eighth hour. Bill Auberlen is making his 23rd start at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Second only, in most starts, to the legend, Hurley Haywood. Hurley Haywood made 28 starts. Auberlen has 23. Jan Magnussen is making his 18th start. Oliver Gavin is making his 16th start. 15th for Johannes van Overbeek. Olivier Pla has to unlap himself, but, he's been flying as of late. Pla in the Ligier Honda, and the Mazda's, both need to be behind the leaders, to pass, and try to get their laps back.
Ryan Hunter-Reay is in the #90 car. The #0 DeltaWing is also running well with Sean Rayhall at the controls. Nicolas Minassian wants to pass Johannes van Overbeek for third in the overall. 156 laps complete. 577 miles. The #50 Riley BMW is ahead of the top six GT Daytona runners. Corey Lewis, Markus Palttala, Robin Liddell, Leh Keen, Dion von Moltke, and Raffaele Giammaria. Battles everywhere. More electrical issues for the #10 WTR Corvette. This is great racing indeed.
Mark Wilkins takes the lead from Jose Guttierez and Sean Johnston in Prototype Challenge. GTD has also been amazing. The second place BMW M6 has gotten into a wreck with the #85 PC car! Chris Miller and Lucas Luhr have gotten together! Luhr finally re-fires the car. Luhr is sharing of course with John Edwards, and Kuno Wittmer. He'll have to regain lost ground now, as we head for the ninth of 12 hours in this motor race.
Corey Lewis is now leading in GT Daytona in the #16 Change Racing Lamborghini. This is the magical time of the race, in twilight. Jose Guttierez has been passed by Mark Wilkins for the Prototype Challenge class lead. Alessandro Pier Guidi is making up positions in GT Daytona. BMW leads Ferrari in GTLM. Bryan Sellers in the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 has also done well. Joao Barbosa has 3.8 seconds in hand over the field. We are getting down to the last three hours of this event, folks. It's the final quarter of the race.
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