The Acura's got more turbo boost and fuel in the Balance of Performance adjustments. Acura's have a hard time passing if they are mired into a pack of cars. They deal with more tire degradation as well. The Prototype cars move through turns five and six. Scott Dixon is running very well. Again, he's a five-time IndyCar champion. Daniel Serra is confident after his most recent stint, and he brings up how much the weather conditions can change in the darkness, and in this race, the hours of darkness are still to come, two or three hours worth of it. Alessandro Balzan will come back to the team in 2019. Daniel Serra scored poles in GT Daytona at Daytona and Sebring. Daniel Serra's father, Chico, he ran with Fox Sports' Calvin Fish in Formula 3 out of the same race shop at the Snetterton circuit in England. Then, Chico Serra went on to drive in Formula 1.
Antonio Garcia does the over/under and passes John Edwards as Oliver Gavin passes, and Edwards has to block Earl Bamber, but he can't quite do it. Bamber ran in Australian Supercars at the Bathurst 1,000 last weekend. Sebastien Bourdais is trying to get past Edwards. He can't quite get the run. John Edwards has the power down the straightaway. Edwards has some clag on his tires, but the chap was attacked on all sides. Graham Rahal passes in the Acura ARX-05a as well. Oliver Jarvis is also going for it in the Mazda. he looks inside Rahal. Rahal is in the middle of the road, and Jarvis can't make the pass.
Christina Nielsen says this race has been really hard, and it doesn't feel like an endurance race. Katherine Legge is still going for a championship. Nielsen has had a hard season this year, but there is a lot of growth despite results that haven't been desired. The GT Daytona championship battle unfolds right before our eyes as Madison Snow is now doing a stint, running ahead of Alvaro Parente. Four hours and 37 minutes remain in the race. It seems MSR might put Parente back into the car, towards the end of the motor race.
Trent Hindman is the third driver for MSR in the #86 car this weekend. This team was not intended to race all year, but they've built everything up and put the pieces together for the #86 to stay on track. Success breeds success. MSR has won Petit Le Mans, and the Rolex 24, and they are part-time runners in IndyCar as well. Graham Rahal continues to lead for Acura. Simon Pagenaud has had a down season in IndyCar, but, he is having lots and lots of fun running endurance races, especially here at Petit Le Mans.
Pagenaud says there is more grip in the sports car, and less downforce than there is on an IndyCar. Lamborghini is still doing really well, leading the GT Daytona championship. Can they win another endurance race? Grasser won at the Rolex 24, and PMR won at Sebring. Can they win again? Daniel Morad has a flat left rear tire, almost to pit lane. But the carcass of the tire is gone and he has to back it down 20 clicks at least. The cars is off line, steaming away. Oliver Jarvis has made a pit stop, and there is a little damage to the Mazda. There is a loose piece of bodywork cantilevering back and forth.
The #6 Penske Acura is back on track, albeit laps down. One of the front end stabilizers on the Mazda is broken. Now, the #3 Corvette pits, and Jan Magnussen gets behind the wheel. In the championship in GTLM, Corvette has to finish fourth or better, while Westbrook has to finish fifth and the Corvette has to finish lower. Andy Lally now has a tire puncture, just the same as Daniel Morad did a few minutes ago. This is a damaged left front tire. Don't hit the curbs on starting pressures, before the pressure begins to build up.
Until the tire pressures are built up, stay off the curbs. CORE Autosport wants to get the Trueman Akin Award. But, they need to also focus on the championship. Cadillac #5 pits and there are new tires and a driver change, as Christian Fittipaldi hands over to Tristan Vautier. GTD pit stops, and the race and championship leading cars were in the lane. Trent Hindman vs. Corey Lewis. Hindman has taken off like a scalded cat on cold tires! The tires will come up to pressure. Trent Hindman won the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship in 2014, but slipped through the net with BMW after he and John Edwards were driving for them.
Colin Braun is trying to pass Johannes van Overbeek, who is in his final race. He has won twice at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 2016 Rolex 24. van Overbeek would also consider driving in endurance races. The #86 Acura is on scrubbed tires. Colin Braun gets trapped in GT Daytona traffic. Porsche #911 in the lane. Patrick Pilet does so, from the GT Le Mans lead. Miguel Molina and Toni Vilander ran together and scored six wins in Pirelli World Challenge GT. Magical moments as we say to Continental Tire, 'til we meet again. Ooh. Graham Rahal dodges a major bullet, going down through the motorcycle chicane.
Tristan Nunez leads the motor race. Oliver Jarvis had a great run earlier and Lucas di Grassi is running well, too.
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