DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A simply stunning 54th Rolex 24 at Daytona has ended with a dramatic finish and four popular winners in all four classes.
After dominating the majority of the race, Tequila Patron ESM has secured its second overall win in IMSA, first since Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca at 2014.
Pipo Derani starred all race, the young Brazilian leading the driving charge along with other strong efforts from Johannes van Overbeek, Scott Sharp and Ed Brown in the team’s No. 2 Ligier JS P2 Honda.
The No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP turned in a heroic effort of its own, down on pace by comparison, and then fighting some fumes in the final hour to even make the checkered flag.
Jordan Taylor drove more than expected given an illness, with Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli and Rubens Barrichello completing the lineup.
Angelelli was transferred to a local hospital for further medical evaluation following the conclusion of the race. IMSA also confirmed as of 4:30 p.m. ET that he is conscious, stable and and being evaluated at a local hospital.
Another Corvette DP finished third, the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing entry driven by Ryan Dalziel, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
GT Le Mans provided the grandstand finish, with the two Corvette Racing Corvette C7.Rs unleashed to battle among themselves for the class win. Correspondingly, they produced a 1-2 finish in class with Oliver Gavin managing to hold off the hard-charging Antonio Garcia.
Gavin shared the No. 4 Corvette with Tommy Milner and Marcel Fassler.
GT Daytona also featured its share of drama with Konrad Motorsport’s No. 28 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 running out of fuel from the lead in the final three minutes, and the No. 44 Magnus Racing Audi R8 LMS making to the line on fumes to claim the team’s second Rolex 24 win (2012). John Potter, Andy Lally, Marco Seefried and Rene Rast shared the car, with Rast providing the expert fuel saving to bring it home.
In a war of attrition in Prototype Challenge, JDC/Miller Motorsports took its first IMSA win with Stephen Simpson, Kenton Koch, Mikhail Goikhberg and Chris Miller in the team’s No. 85 Oreca FLM09.
Koch, the IMSA Prototype Lites champion in his PC debut, went through a roller coaster ride with a fuel reserve issue and a crash that cost the team seven laps, but was the fastest driver of the quartet to win his debut. The win comes on the anniversary of his mom, Karen, getting a new heart - a group photo was taken this weekend for her.
More to follow...