The pit lane is still closed. We had five laps of green flag running about ten minutes ago. This should be a quickie caution. We hope for the weather to improve. The wave around has already been done. The field is back in order for a restart. Keep things safe out there. Spencer Pigot in the Mazda said "I can't see anything on the speedway except spray." This is why we have these long yellows. With more rear downforce, the new Porsche is running real well. That's downforce created with less drag. The Porsche is a well balanced car. The laws of physics may have mitigated the performance. But, the mid engine Porsche, it seems to be driving well and has a definite sweet spot. The new Porsche does not have a turbocharged engine. There's marketing reasons for the turbo on the street cars. The turbo cars in GTLM had a definite advantage last year. However, Porsche has a known quantity with the normally aspirated engine.
How will the car perform on other circuits in the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship? We'll find out. Some cars down the field will pit. None of the class leaders will, though. We saw the #15 Lexus pit briefly. The #96 and the #991 GTD entries (#96 is the Turner Motorsport BMW and #991 is the the Porsche for The Racer's Group). More than 30 laps have been spent by the drivers, in this stint. Jesse Krohn and Jan Heylen will need some emergency service. When the turbo cars came into GTLM (the Ford's, Ferrari's, and BMW's), came in, the power curve for the turbo cars, was the same power curve for normally aspirated cars.
The FIA WEC recognized this couldn't happen again. The GTE teams in Europe were really grumbling. The BoP determined by the results of the previous races, that's a bunch of baloney. The variety of cars, produces cars that perform in different ways, and different tracks make for cars that are either competitive or not. In this rain, we will build an arc. But then again, only four manufacturers have been specified for building arcs. Pits are now open. One of the ESM cars is in. The #10 Cadillac is in, and so is #31. #90 stays out to consolidate it's lead. Fuel for the #10 Cadillac and no tires. If #90 comes in, they will lose some spots. But they want to have the track go green to do a full service.
Max Angelelli was in among the pack. Max Angelelli was halfway through the queue. So, he won't lose as much time. The Riley Mk. 30 might be a thirstier car. The #90 might have a shorter fuel range. The #10, #55, #85, and #81 pitted. Four of the five PC cars pitted except for the class leading #38. #70, #55, and #52 stayed out. The GT cars come to the lane. Both Porsche's come in, and it's a close shave in the Porsche pit! The #912 car is changing the rear brakes. The #911 is serviced and sent. Thankfully these dry brake systems make brake pad changes much quicker than they used to be.
Fuel and four tires for the Porsche's. The #66 Ford GT is also doing a pad and rotor change. The #63 GTD Ferrari is also getting a brake change done. So long as you get it done without losing a lap, a brake pad change will work. For many years, GT cars used quick change rotors on splines. That was in the old GT1 days. Porsche has decided they'll use a wet brake setup. Another slew of cars will pit now. The stragglers are in, including the much delayed Mazda, the BMW art car, the #28 Alegra Porsche, and a few others. Very few driver changes are going on and for good reason. Alexander Sims is at the wheel of the #19 right now. Corvette #4 is also in the lane.
The #991 car pitted. Jan Heylen out. Wolf Henzler, in. Jordan Taylor took over the #10 Cadillac from Max Angelelli. You can't drive for any more than four hours in any six hour stretch. Rest time is more important than drive time. Take a two hour break, so you don't go over your limit. The #52 car is pitting. Hmmm. We are hearing funny names for arc manufacturers. This is funny. We have, for approved IMSA arc makers:
Arcaedes (Mercedes)
Arcura (Acura)
Porschearc (Porsche)
It gets worse...
Cadillarc (Cadillac)
Lexarc (Lexus)
Ferrar-arc (Ferrari arc)
OK. An arc, with the prancing horse, is REALLY stretching things. ROFLMAO! One more really bad one.
Maser-arc-i (Maserati)
Back to the serious stuff. The #52 Ligier is in the pits. Ligier-arc? No. Let's let that one go. Team #52 is remedying their "cheese wedge". What is that? It's the panel that extends to the side of the car on each end of the rear diffuser. If the lights are not working, the marshals will call them in anyway. Marc Cars from Australia can also build an arc. However, that would be in breach of the rules, because only four chassis constructors are permitted for the building of said arcs. Maybe a twin hulled arc should be built.
You'll need a tool. An ark an saw. Wait. Arkansas? That's stock car country. Sean Rayhall's gloves are getting wet. We have not stopped the race and put the cars in parc ferme. The cars are just in behind the safety car, burning fuel and driving time. In the lane is the #20 Gas Monkey energy drink sponsored BAR1 Prototype Challenge car. Keep an eye on drive times. Fuel and driver change on the pit stop, will make teams lose time within the crocodile of cars behind the safety car. How long do we keep circulating as the rain gets worse?
We're not at the level of this race, in another era, of running out of rain tires. The #15 Lexus RC F GT3 is back on track with a new, rear wheel arch, in blue. There is a penalty for that car for entering the pit lane before it was open. We are headed back to green flag racing. Stand by, folks. There's standing water in the Bus Stop. Billy Johnson is getting close to his driving time limit. We've got a green flag, and we're back underway! We spent 54 minutes under yellow. The rain has eased up over the last 54 minutes as Harry Tincknell passes Billy Johnson. Harry Tincknell takes the GTLM lead. He passes the #2 car of Pippo Derani. The #90 car will pit in the next lap, or not. The crew seems ready.
Derani and Taylor split a GTD car on entry to the Bus Stop. Well. actually down the back straight. Bruno Senna is actually the driver in question in car #22. Rene Rast leads Jordan Taylor by 19 seconds. The #85 car goes off the road, again, at the International Horseshoe. Mathias Beche at the wheel of it. Billy Johnson overtakes Harry Tincknell. Dirk Werner in the #911 Porsche is next followed by James Calado in the #62 Ferrari. Jeffrey Schmidt leads Robin Liddell in GT Daytona, with Mark Wilkins third. We are back to full course yellow. Rain? An incident? The #50 Mercedes AMG GT3 is in trouble, again!
Cooper MacNeil has slammed something. The sparks are from the left front corner. The left front wheel is locked and won't turn. MacNeil stays on the apron of the race track. MacNeil has damage to the headlight and left front area of the car. The wheel is turning, and is not locked. In replay from the on board camera, MacNeil loops the car, and slams the barrier in the International Horseshoe. Ker-runch! MacNeil brings the car to the garage immediately. Let's hope it is only bodywork damage. This might be a quick yellow and we can head back to green. That's a testament to the strength of the Mercedes AMG GT3. The new GT4 spec version of the car will be in Europe and here in the states.
We are back to green again as Christian Fittipaldi tries to get a lap back from Rene Rast. Rast leads the motor race by three seconds. BMW #19 is making up places and passing one the Nissan's, and a Cadillac. Ford, Ford, Porsche the top three in GTLM onto the banking. Porsche passes Ford, and Porsche passes Ferrari. Kevin Estre makes his way by James Calado. Dirk Werner passes Kevin Estre and Porsche gets around Ford, too. The Porsche leads GT Le Mans another time. In GT Daytona, the #33 Mercedes AMG GT3 is second in class with Mario Farnbacher at the controls, as Robin Liddell leads in the #57 Audi R8 for Stevenson Motorsport, as Jeffrey Schmidt is now third in class in Audi #29.
Mathias Beche is pitting in the #85 car to get the rear clip changed. Ryan Briscoe in the #67 Ford GT pits, handing the car to Scott Dixon. Rene Rast is running in the 2:01 range, with a clear track. Dirk Werner is the quickest GTLM car. Rene Rast increases his margin over the #10 Cadillac as we come close to the end of hour 14. Porsche's lead GTLM. Acura leads GTD. Billy Johnson is running out of drive time in the #68 Ford. Rene Rast is in the lane. Rast stays in the car. This is a fuel only stop. Christian Fittipaldi is a lap down to the race leader, but is on the same lap as Rene Rast. The team checked the rear wing assembly for security purposes. Fuel only.
No comments:
Post a Comment