Pruett Closes In On Record-Tying Rolex 24 Triumph at Daytona
Hour 22: One record is down in the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona. Scott Pruett may be on his way to tying another. Pruett led by 22 seconds in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley in the chase for a record-tying fifth overall victory in the great race. With 22 hours down, this years race broke the 2008 events record with 64 car lead changes. Pruett, the pole-winner Thursday, led Marcus Ambrose in the hard-charging No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley. Max Angelleli was third the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette DP. The GT battle remains anyones guess. Magnus Racings No. 44 Porsche GT3 had led throughout but the teams pit strategy moved Rene Rast in the No. 52 APR Motorsport Audi R8 GRAND-AM into the lead during the pit stop cycle. Jeroen Bleekemolen was second for Alex Job Racing in the No. 23 Porsche GT3 but both cars were set to pit just past the 22-hour mark. Shane Lewis and Napleton Racing remained in comfortable control of GX with a nine-lap lead for the No. 16 Porsche Cayman. Seth Thomas was second for Bullet Racing in the No. 22 Porsche Cayman.Hour 21: Pruett Regains Lead With Three Hours Remaining in Rolex 24Scott Pruetts drive to a record-tying fifth overall victory in the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona continued with three hours left Sunday afternoon. Pruett went from fifth place in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley following a restart back to the race lead in just eight minutes. The overall pole-sitter, who pitted for a brake change during the most recent full-course caution, got under Ryan Hunter-Reay at the entry to NASCAR Turn 1 to return to the point again. Hunter-Reay, in the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette DP, held second place by 0.106 seconds over Mike Rockenfeller in Action Express Racings No. 9 Corvette DP. Andy Lally regained the GT lead for Magnus Racing during the race restart in the pole-sitting No. 44 Porsche GT3 and led Mark Wilkins in the No. 69 AIM Motorsport Team FXDD Ferrari 458. Alessandro Balzan ran third for Scuderia Corse Michelotto in the No. 63 Ferrari. The top seven cars in class remained on the lead lap. Shane Lewis was back in the GX-leading No. 16 Porsche Cayman from Napleton Racing. Lewis, who won the class pole position, led by seven laps over James Clay in the No. 22 Porsche.Hour 20: Rojas Ahead Of Six DPs On Lead Lap With Four Hours RemainingWith four hours left in the 51st Rolex 24 At Daytona, Memo Rojas led a group of six Daytona Prototypes on the lead lap in the opening race of the 2013 Rolex Sports Car Series. Rojas and the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley led by 5.969 seconds over Ryan Hunter-Reay in Velocity Worldwides No. 9 Corvette DP. Michael Shank Racing, looking for a repeat victory, ran third with Justin Wilson trailing by 24.359 seconds in the No. 60 Ford/Riley. The car made up seven laps in the overnight session thanks to timely wave-by periods and pit strategy. Magnus Racing remained out front in GT with Andy Lally in the No. 44 Porsche GT3. Lally, in the pole-sitting entry, was 23.115 seconds clear of Mark Wilkins in AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458. Edoardo Mortara, who challenged the Magnus Porsche in the early part of the hour, was third in Alex Job Racings Audi R8 GRAND-AM. Six cars were on the lead lap. Napleton Racing kept cruising in GX with Nelson Canache holding a six-lap lead in the No. 16 Porsche Cayman. James Clay was second for Bullet Racing in his No. 22 Porsche Cayman.