The worst of the rain is still to come. It's grim. More rain on the way. Ah yes. As thought at the end of hour eight, Connor De Philippi is bringing the #29 Audi R8 into the pits for a stop, from the GT Daytona class lead. This looks like yet another punctured tire, and more bodywork damage. The #54 CORE Autosport Porsche 911 GT3R with Colin Braun at the controls, is your new class leader. Second, is Graham Rahal in the #93 Acura NSX. Ben Keating remains third in the #33 Mercedes AMG GT3, as Ryan Hunter-Reay is fourth in the sister #86 Acura NSX. Marc Goossens brings the #90 Multimatic Riley to the pits for service. Serviced and sent. A standard four tire/fuel stop.
Ford, and the WTR Cadillac, also in the lane. There's a long, long way to go. The #2 ESM Nissan is also in for service. You know what? We've got both ESM racers in the lane, on the same lap. The wet weather tires are steaming, and worn. But there's no tire degradation. We are back under yellow again. A car has spun in the Bus Stop chicane. This is the seventh full course yellow and we've been under green for an hour and a half. On their pit stop, Ricky Taylor took over the #10 Cadillac from Jeff Gordon. Brendon Hartley replaces Bruno Senna in the #22 ESM Nissan. Ford's #66 and #67 pitted. Sebastien Bourdais made a regular stop, and it was a tad early for the sister car, Richard Westbrook at the wheel of it.
Not sure who this full course yellow is for just yet. It looks like this yellow is out because of a spun or crashed Lamborghini. More work being done another Lamborghini, the #27 Dream Racing entry which is stationary in pit lane. Dream Racing has had a nightmare. The front of the car had a hole in it, with the bumper out. The new bumper would not fit. The new pieces they put on the car, won't stick, because it's wet. Go fast gaffer tape (a.k.a. 200 mile an hour tape), ain't gonna stick to water or to grease and grime. So, it's a fraught race, still for the team of Lawrence DeGeorge of the U.S., Monegasque Cedric Sbirazzuoli, and Italians Paolo Ruberti, Luca Persiani, and Raffaele Giammaria. Raffaele Giammaria has experience in open wheel cars, and in sports cars.
You feel for these blokes. But nothing they do is working. This stopped Lamborghini on the road meanwhile, is the only unaccounted car in the order, and that's the #16 Change Racing entry. Brett Sandberg is at the controls. Sandberg was the 2016 GTS class champion in Pirelli World Challenge. That Lamborghini is severely compromised. We welcome to this year's Rolex 24, "Rooftop Ray". This chap is the only one with a camera, during the night at the Rolex, when a good number of the other cameras and camera feeds are turned off, so these chaps who man the pictures you see when you watch the race, can get some sleep.
Change Racing has a lot of work to do, and there's a bit of a concern about getting it on the flatbed to bring it to the paddock. The #31 Cadillac could have gotten a lap back. But, the leaders have not made stops during this caution period. Mike Conway is five laps down to the leader. Ford #67 was in just before the full course yellow. They were fortunate to be in a good position as pit lane is open for those who want to come in. Conway and Barbosa, both Action Express Cadillac's dive for the lane.
Joao Barbosa makes a quick stop. Mike Conway is out of the #31 Cadillac, and we're not sure who will take over. Either Seb Morris, Eric Curran, or Dane Cameron. The #22 ESM team has been working on the engine of the car and is just about to put the bonnet back on. The Prototype Challenge leading #38 Performance Tech Motorsports Oreca FLM Chevrolet, is in the pits. Routine service, and James French stays at the wheel. The #55 Mazda RT24P is in for service, and running eighth in the overall. Another five man push start for car #31. How legal will these continued push starts be, in IMSA's eyes?
Here is the regulation on jump starting your race car, in the lane, per the IMSA rules.
Quote. "Article 35.6 reads: For checks or maintenance in the pit lane, during a race, an external source of energy (i.e. people... crew members, among other things), may be used to start the engine. When such operations are concluded, the engine must be started only on it's on board battery and starter system, by the driver alone, sitting behind the steering wheel with no outside assistance. Push starting, jump batteries etc. prohibited when the car leaves the starting grid or pit box, unless approved by IMSA officials, in the case of mechanical failure."
Now, the GT cars are diving for the lane. We've got one Corvette, one Ferrari, and three Fords, in GTLM. The #86 Acura pits, and so do a host of others. Lamborghini's in the lane, as is the Alegra Porsche. The #67 Ford GT is having a front brake change, both pads and rotors. These are not the same brakes as we've seen in endurance races before. Usually you have to remove the pads, then the calipers, then, the rotors. But these brakes, they come off the stub axle as one unit. There is a dry brake line system, too, to prevent air bubbles in the system for the brake fluid. So, a lot different routine than in the old days of endurance racing, when brake changes took quite a bit longer.
The rotors are flaming hot, so the crewmen have to be careful. Will the brakes do 17 more hours? Maybe. The #93 car pitted with no driver change. The #86 also came in and they had to do a driver change. The #28 Porsche nudged a tire. Normally that is a penalty. The #66 Ford GT has gained a lot as they didn't need to pit again. #66 will now lead GTLM. It could be Sebastien Bourdais is still at the wheel of #66. The #22 ESM car has made an extra pit stop, with Brendon Hartley now driving. Ricky Taylor has stayed on track during this caution period and Jeff Gordon only did a single stint.
The grip levels are always changing. Mike Conway did a hero stint, and he says he needs a cup of tea. Agreed! Conway just did a two hour, 24 minute stint. This is our seventh full course yellow. Dominik Farnbacher in the #15 Lexus is the new GT Daytona leader, as we go back to green. Prototypes are beginning to string out, as Joao Barbosa makes up ground on Renger van der Zande. We have covered now, 254 laps (904 miles). Brendon Hartley in the ESM car is 3.1 seconds behind the WTR Cadillac with Ricky Taylor driving. This race might be a deal where the fastest car doesn't win. It's a true endurance event. If Cadillac has a problem, will they make ground back? Ricky Taylor has pulled out a five second gap on Brendon Hartley who is dealing with slower traffic. Joao Barbosa has passed Renger van der Zande in the #90 car.
Hartley is still negotiating traffic. We've spent two hours under yellow out of eight and a half hours into the race. Brendon Hartley is having a busy time of it, running on the high side, being passed by the #81 DragonSpeed Oreca 07. That's not for position, because the poor chaps at DragonSpeed have had a fraught race to this point. Currently at the wheel of #81 is Ben Hanley. He's more of a single seater/open wheel car driver, but did race in European Le Mans Series competition in 2016. Dane Cameron is trying to get a lap back from the #22 car. Hartley is second, squeezing the apex on the road course. Watch out for the curbs, in the west horseshoe. Ricky Taylor leads by 15.4 seconds.
It was thought the #912 Porsche was stopped on track. But maybe the transponder is not working correctly. Richard Lietz is losing some time because of this. It is the #911 with the sticky transponder. Lietz is sixth at the moment. James Calado's Ferrari is the meat in the Porsche sandwich. #912 is behind the Corvette and the Risi Ferrari. Stephen Simpson is sixth overall, ahead of Dane Cameron. Simpson drives of course, the JDC Miller Oreca Gibson #85. Jonathan Bomarito is driving the #55 Mazda currently. These cars are down a few laps to the leaders.
Dirk Werner is in the #911 Porsche. The #67 Ford GT is leading GTLM. 17.8 seconds separate the nine cars entered in GT Le Mans. Bill Auberlen is running well with the #19 BMW Team RLL BMW M6 GT. The BMW is ahead of Jan Magnussen in the Corvette, followed by Dirk Werner and Tony Kanaan, as well as James Calado, and Richard Lietz. Dominik Farnbacher puts the #15 Lexus back in the GT Daytona lead. Just Marks, Colin Braun, Daniel Morad, Graham Rahal, and Ryan Hunter-Reay are next. Jan Magnussen passes Bill Auberlen. This is Bill Auberlen's 23rd Rolex 24. Definitely a veteran of this sport.
Auberlen loses spots to Corvette and Porsche in GTLM. Stephen Simpson is sixth overall and hanging on to Ricky Taylor, while Dane Cameron is falling behind Simpson. Dominik Farnbacher will pit soon and may relinquish the GTD lead. Auberlen is seventh in GTLM now. This is the 19th BMW art car that has been produced, painted by John Baldassari, in a minimalist style. Andy Warhol and others, have painted BMW art cars, with real paint. Not graphics. The gap between Ricky Taylor and Brendon Hartley is growing as the #4 Corvette comes to pit lane with Oliver Gavin currently driving.
Fuel and tires, for the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6. There's steam from the brakes. The engine is running fine. But, the car is going behind the wall, as Justin Marks slams the steering wheel in anger. Something is wrong with the steering on the Turner Motorsports M6. Porsche and Acura might work their way to the front of GTD. After the Lexus pits, Porsche, Audi, and Acura, will be at the top of the GTD table. The Japanese automakers are still running well. Every manufacturer except Lamborghini have led the class. The #96 BMW M6 has broken steering. Hopefully it is a quick fix.
Sebastien Bourdais continues to lead GTLM ahead of Jan Magnussen. Bill Auberlen has lost a few places in the order. James Calado has passed Dirk Werner in the Porsche. Brendon Hartley has to go on the high side past a battle in GTD between an Audi and the Aston Martin. Hartley is still second, and has been losing ground here and there to Ricky Taylor. He is losing some ground to Joao Barbosa as well. In mixed conditions, the Nissan ESM special, seems to be holding it's own. Renger van der Zande is also staying with the top three in Prototype. The Riley Mk. 30 chassis used by the Visit Florida team is really beginning to find its sweet spot at this point in the race, although they struggled in practice and had to fuss with car setup quite a bit. They changed from high downforce to low downforce, got no tire temperature in the dry, went back to high downforce. It worked in handling, but it was down on straight line speed. You need the downforce when the track gets greasy.
#90 will hit the lane soon for the next round of Prototype pit stops. Dominik Farnbacher in the Lexus will also pit soon, and he's run a 31 lap stint on fuel. So, the RC F is getting good fuel mileage, despite the full course yellow. Oh boy. Farnbacher has dropped to seventh. Daniel Morad now leads GTD ahead of Colin Braun and Graham Rahal. Farnbacher, he is out of petrol, on the banking. Does Dominik Farnbacher have enough fuel to coast on the apron to get back to pit lane? No doubt he's hit the switch for the reserve fuel pump. Farnbacher will lose the class lead and maybe a lap, with his slow return, as he trundles to the pits.
Daniel Morad, the current GT Daytona class leader, pits the #28 Alegra Motorsports special, the Porsche 911 GT3R. Morad stays in the car, and gets new wet weather Continental tires. No left side tires. Two tires for Daniel Morad. Fuel too. #15 has made the pit lane. More bad news for the Lexus. There's damage to the right rear fender. In fact, the whole quarter panel is missing. Right rear tire puncture. More woe for Lexus in their endurance sports car racing debut. The tank may be dry. But that rear right Continental tire has just obliterated itself and the bodywork.
Fuel will be added. But this right rear damage, and a new tire, are the main focus. Dominik Farnbacher has a steamed windshield, and the passenger side door is cracked open a bit due to the wind buffeting on the high banks. The quarter panel was torn away, and the tire carcass is shot. The #90 Riley Multimatic pits, and will get new wet tires. Renger van der Zande stays in the car. A scheduled pit stop for sure. But, don't worry about the windscreen tear off. Lexus' problems go from bad to worse. The team has removed the passenger side door, to investigate more damage to the body. Dominik Farnbacher stays in the car, as the #96 BMW is back on track.
Lexus will have to gaffer tape the door. The bodywork is down to the carbon. Holes in the chassis have come about because of the tire blowing itself to smithereens. The trouble here is, the aerodynamics of the Lexus will be ruined. Sabotaged, because of the tire lunching itself. This beautifully aerodynamic GT3 Lexus, has been reduced to a bit of a skeleton. What a tough break for the Lexus boys. Emmanuel Anassis had a similar issue in practice in his Lamborghini. Team boss and former Trans Am and IMSA champion Paul Gentilozzi can't be too happy about this. We'll keep you posted for when the Lexus returns.
Ricky Taylor makes a pit stop from the lead in the #10 Cadillac. The Lexus, forlornly exits the pit lane. The Paul Miller Lamborghini enters the pits for service, as a fraught ninth hour, comes to an end.
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