The end of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona was just as spectacular and close as the rest of the race. When we last left the action, Chevy’s fast prototype car was into the pits for a sudden repair, Ferrari and Porsche were sitting in podium spots for the GTLM class, and the two Chip Gnassi Fords where charging towards the front of the pack.
Then things suddenly went wrong for the boys at Ford. The #2 car, after having its brakes repaired at the end of Tony Kanaan’s stint, found itself buried in the wall near the entry of the International Horseshoe. The car looked like the brakes had again failed as it tried to slow for entry and it just plowed straight off the track and into the tire wall. Driver Kyle Larson was unhurt, and was even trying to back the smashed car out of the wall in hopes of continuing his race.
Sadly it was not to be, the safety car was called out, and the car was hauled back to the garage on a wrecker.
Thanks to that safety car and several pit stops, the GTD-leading Lamborghini Huracan found itself charging deep into the standings; sitting at number 8 overall. The safety car also let Corvette’s second GTLM car catch up to the pack after its 60-second penalty. Something that would be key to the spectacular race ending.
As the hours wind down, every team starts pushing harder and harder. There won’t be another safety car before the race end, and with just two hours remaining, teams are finalizing strategies, driver lineups and preparing for the final push. The GTLM cars are all pushing as hard as possible, setting fastest laps left and right, but nobody seems to be capable of gaining too much ground.
The GTD class is also getting even more hotly contested. Audi has an R8 in the lead, but they are betting on strategy and attempting to stretch fuel in hopes that reduced pit times will equal victory. Lamborghini on the other hand has a Huracan quickly eating into the R8’s lead.
The Honda-powered Ligier, the remaining LMP-2 car, has taken the lead, and despite the best efforts from Chevrolet, they just can’t seem to catch up.
With just fifteen minutes left in the race, The #4 Corvette is in first place, Porsche’s #912 911 car is close behind in second, and the #3 Corvette is just a few seconds behind, but thanks to a smart pit stop strategy is on fresher tires and has plenty of fuel.
As the checkered flag falls, it is the Honda HP Ligier that takes the overall win, but the race isn’t over. The Huracan’s speed propelled it to the head of GTD, but with less than three laps left, it runs out of fuel, and the Audi R8 from Magnus racing tries to limp around the course to secure a victory. A quick studder from the car as it head into turn one brings a gasp from the crowd as it appears that the R8 has run out of fuel as well, but it soldiers on after a moment where it will continue on to take the GTD class trophy. Shortly after crossing the finish line, it dies from a lack of fuel and has to be towed back to the pits. The Prototype Challenge class was easily clinched by the #85 car, five laps ahead of its next closest competitor.
As close as the fuel race was in GTD, the actual racing in GTLM is even closer. The #3 Corvette has found its way around the #912 Porsche, and the teams have given the two C7.Rs full permission to race as hard as possible. What followed was several laps of the most aggressive wheel to wheel racing of the entire series. In the end it would be a side-by-side finish with the #4 car taking the win. Just .034 seconds separated the two of them.
After 24 hours, 736 laps, 21 race cautions and nearly a dozen different lap leaders, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona came to a close. It was a powerful example of just how demanding, entertaining, and unpredictable racing can be. We can’t wait for Sebring.
