So, Bryan Sellers is now in the pit lane. The crew go to work, and they are doing a rotor and caliper change for the brakes. One whole unit with a quick disconnect system but very late in the race with a brake grinder as well. They changed the left front brake in 41 seconds! Holy smokes! How on earth?! The brake rotors that came off were cracked. Oh dear! Felipe Nasr continues to lead over Tom Blomqvist. Connor Zilisch leads LMP2, and Philip Ellis leads in GT Daytona. Nasr now leads Blomqvist by 7.5 seconds. Nasr fighting with a former teammate he won a title with. Nasr used to race with Pipo Derani and Action Express. Paul Miller Racing was back in the pit lane and now there is a lockup with a loose wheel or caliper, and maybe negated the antilock brakes usefulness. The wheel speed sensor for the ABS system got torn out.
If this car is not 100%, the ABS system is toasted. Get on the mechanical brake bias to the rear axle to stop the front lockup. Pipo Derani is available to finish for AXR or Tom Blomqvist. Peter Baron is making a decision. Pipo Derani wants Tom Blomqvist to finish because he is absolutely thrashed. A three-driver team has only won the Rolex 24 once in the past 16 years going back to 2008. Era Motorsports in the pit lane for service with Connor Zilisch and here is the Winward Mercedes as well in GTD. Vasser Sullivan in as well. The #12 Lexus of Parker Thompson who will be the final driver into the car.
Risi Competizione has just pitted, and they have raced now here for 23 years, 23 editions of this motor race. The weather has been wonderful all weekend. Now, Felipe Nasr, Chrisitian Rasmussen, Daniel Serra, and Kei Cozzolino are your class leaders. Star studded lineup of drivers in this race. Felipe Nasr, Dane Cameron, Josef Newgarden, and Matt Campbell are the ones to beat so far. Lots of stars in LMP2 including Christian Rasmussen, on his way to being an IndyCar rookie and his co-driver, NASCAR development driver for Trackhouse Racing, Connor Zilisch.
GTD Pro and GTD have superstars. Risi Competizione have raced here 23 times. Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado won Le Mand for Ferrari and now have Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra who's dad, Chico Serra, raced in Formula 1. The GTD Ferrari of Kei Cozzolino is in the lane. Tire change happening. They replaced the passenger's side door it is black carbon fiber. These cars are modular, built like a Lego kit. Daniel Morad leading GT Daytona for Winward Racing. Risi Competizione was literally on fire in the pit lane.
Risi Competizione, Giuseppe Risi, the owner of this team. Era Motorsports are delivering the goods in LMP2. Era Motorsports have been flying all race long as we have an hour and a half dash for the watches. Tom Blomqvist chasing Felipe Nasr. Blomqvist wants three Rolex's in a row. Low 70s here in Daytona Beach this afternoon. Blomqvist right on top of Nasr now. Nasr defending. Bomqvist is going for it with the sun coming out. The Cadillac is beginning to come alive.
For Tom Blomqvist, he is laying it on the line to win. The sister Porsche is in the lane, the #6 with penalties and nagging gremlins. One more top up on energy should be needed in GTP. Everyone was so nervous 12 months ago. We will see Lamborghini in March for the Sebring 12 Hours. The #40 Acura in the pit lane. Jenson Button and Colton Herta part of the drivers' strength. Blomqvist to the pit lane. What do we do? Blpmqvist stays in. Pipo Derani is available but wants Tom Blomqvist to finish it out. Blomqvist is the right guy to finish for Action Express. Scott Dixon is out of the race.
AXR pits earlier than the Porsche. Where is the team in traffic? Blomqvist chasing Nasr. Blomqvist 54 seconds down on Nasr currently. The Cadillac has come alive with the sun coming out at Daytona with an hour and 20 minutes to go. Ice cold tires for Felipe Nasr. Hot tires for Blomqvist. Nasr wriggling on the stone cold tires on the outlap. Blimey! Traffic ahead of Nasr. Nasr locks the brakes into the International Horseshoe! Nasr's tires are still cold. Nasr just barely hanging on. He has a massive vibration.
Maybe Nasr has a flat spotted tire. Will Blomqvist motor ahead? Does Nasr need to take more risk? For the #31, they need to be careful of some of these other GTP cars getting in the way, or other lapped traffic. Colin Braun pitted the #04 CrowdStrike APR entry. Corvette Racing and Alexander Sims still going for it. Six laps down, though. Era Motorsports in the lane for a pit stop. Blomqvist ahead by 2.4 seconds currently. Morad well ahead of Albert Costa Balboa in the Ferrari for Conquest Racing. Colin Braun, last year's winner, could win in LMP2.
Getting down to the nitty gritty. Malthe Jakobsen pushing hard too. Braun may finish the race. Not sure. Tom Blomqvist trying to do the hat trick. He is surprised how similar the drive is in the Cadillac to the Acura he drove in the past. Nasr pitted later in the Porsche, more energy to use. No driver can do more than 13 hours in total and not more than four hours in a six-hour window. We are under an hour away from the end of this one.
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