IMSA Rolex 24 Hour 12: #31 Cadillac battles #6 Porsche at halfway

Jack Aitken in the #31 Whelen Cadillac was under heavy pressure from Laurens Vanthoor in the #6 Penske Porsche as the Rolex 24 reached the halfway mark.

#6 Porsche (Photo by Juergen Tap for Porsche) — #6 Porsche ran 2nd in the Rolex 24 at Halfway. (Photo by Juergen Tap for Porsche)

Augusto Farfus sits third in the #24 BMW Team RLL M Hybrid V8, ahead of Maxime Martin in the #25 sister car.

Dane Cameron rounded out the top-5 in the #7 Penske Porsche.

Sebastien Bourdais, driving the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R that was running second to the sister No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, reported hitting debris in Turn 5 that shredded the left-front tire 8 hours, 42 minutes into the race. The car went off course and continued, with Bourdais bringing the hybrid to pit lane

Scott Dixon relieved Bourdais and, running a lap down, came back into the pits for fuel and tires. A pit lane speed violation that required a drive-thru temporarily dropped the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R three laps down in the Rolex 24.

“The tire went down right away and I was fortunate not to hit the tire (barrier) because I didn’t think I was going to stop it,” Bourdais said. “If I had hit the tires it would have been really bad, but now we’re probably a lap down, but it could have been a lot worse.”

Alex Palou, the defending IndyCar champion, took over the seat from Dixon and was running one lap down in sixth place at the halfway mark of the Rolex 24.

In LMP2 the #52 Inter Europol PR1 ORECA leads with Tom Dillman holding a slim advantage over the #18 Era and #04 Crowdstrike By APR ORECAs that complete the top three. After an extended period of green running just five cars remain on the lead lap in the category.

The top six in GTD Pro meanwhile are all on the same lap and ahead of the leaders in GTD.

The #62 Risi Ferrari driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi led the #3 Corvette driven by Alexander Sims running 18th and 19th overall.

Both the No. 3 and No. 4 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvettes took turns in the lead of the class to open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Alexander Sims (No. 3) – in the final leg of a tripe-stint – and Earl Bamber (No. 4) were installed in the pair of new Z06 GT3.Rs at the 12-hour mark with Sims leading the team effort in second place.

3 Corvette Halfway. Richard Prince Photo — 3 Corvette Halfway in the Rolex 24. Richard Prince Photo

The race had just restarted following the 10th full-course caution period of the opening 12 hours.

In GTD the #70 Inception McLaren, after a flawless 12 hours of running finds itself leading the class with Fredrick Schandorff driving. The Korthoff Preston Mercedes is up to second with Mike Skeen in for a night stint.

In the 10th hour, the #13 long-delayed AWA Corvette went for a trip behind the wall for repairs, as did the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage, which suffered front and rear damage after contact. It was eventually retired.

While running third, the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 broke down at the International Horseshoe (turn three). It was the first major mechanical drama in the GTP class.

Filipe Albuquerque told IMSA Radio that he noticed a burning smell in the cockpit, and almost immediately, the car shut down and ground to a halt in the Rolex 24.

Into the 11th hour, the #10 Wayne Taylor Acura finally rejoined the race after a colossal effort from the team’s mechanics to rectify the issue with the car’s wiring loom. 78 laps down, Marcus Ericsson rejoined the race with the 12th hour approaching. But it would head back behind the wall at the end of the hour for a master cylinder switch.

It has been a rough race for Sean Creech Motorsports’ #33 Ligier JS P217. The car suffered another alternator issue which caused the car to shut down at the Le Mans Chicane and brought out a Full Course Yellow at the six hour, 40 minute mark.

Rain clouds are bearing down on Daytona Beach! Rain could start around daybreak for those still running in the Rolex 24.

Rolex 24 Hour 12 Standings

Pos	Pic	No.	Class	Drivers*	Team	Car	Laps	Gap
1	1	31	GTP	P. Derani / J. Aitken / T. Blomqvist	Whelen Engineering Cadillac Racing	Cadillac V-Series.R	385	0.000
2	2	6	GTP	N. Tandy / M. Jaminet / K. Estre L. Vanthoor	Porsche Penske Motorsports	Porsche 963	385	1.763
3	3	25	GTP	C. De Phillippi / N. Yelloly / M. Martin R. Rast	BMW M Team RLL	BMW M Hybrid V8	385	8.891
4	4	24	GTP	J. Krohn / P. Eng / A. Farfus D. Vanthoor	BMW M Team RLL	BMW M Hybrid V8	385	9.814
5	5	7	GTP	D. Cameron / F. Nasr / M. Campbell J. Newgarden	Porsche Penske Motorsports	Porsche 963	385	10.377
6	6	01	GTP	A. Palou / R. van der Zande S. Bourdais / S. Dixon	Cadillac Racing	Cadillac V-Series.R	384	1 Lap
7	7	85	GTP	T. van der Helm / R. Westbrook P. Hanson / B. Keating	JDC-Miller MotorSports	Porsche 963	384	1 Lap
8	8	40	GTP	J. Taylor / L. Deletraz / C. Herta J. Button	Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	Acura ARX-06	384	1 Lap
9	9	5	GTP	G. Bruni / N. Jani / A. Picariello R. Dumas	Proton Competition Mustang Sampling	Porsche 963	384	1 Lap
10	1	52	LMP2	J. Smiechowski / N. Boulle T. Dillmann / P. Fittipaldi	Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports	ORECA LMP2 07	375	10 Laps
11	2	18	LMP2	D. Merriman / R. Dalziel / C. Zilisch C. Rasmussen	Era Motorsport	ORECA LMP2 07	375	10 Laps
12	3	04	LMP2	G. Kurtz / C. Braun / T. Sowery M. Jakobsen	Crowdstrike Racing by APR	ORECA LMP2 07	375	10 Laps
13	4	74	LMP2	G. Robinson / F. Fraga / J. Burdon F. Massa	Riley	ORECA LMP2 07	375	10 Laps
14	5	2	LMP2	P. O’Ward / B. Keating / N. Pino B. Hanley	United Autosports USA	ORECA LMP2 07	375	10 Laps
15	6	99	LMP2	P. Hyett / P. Chatin / M. Brabham A. Quinn	AO Racing	ORECA LMP2 07	374	11 Laps
16	7	8	LMP2	J. Farano / M. Dinan F. Habsburg-Lothringen / S. McLaughlin	Tower Motorsports	ORECA LMP2 07	374	11 Laps
17	8	81	LMP2	E. Lux / K. Simpson / J. Allen S. Alvarez	DragonSpeed	ORECA LMP2 07	373	12 Laps
18	1	62	GTDPRO	D. Serra / D. Rigon / A. Pier Guidi/J. Calado	Risi Competizione	Ferrari 296 GT3	359	26 Laps
19	2	3	GTDPRO	A. Garcia / A. Sims / D. Juncadella	Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	359	26 Laps 1.252
20	3	19	GTDPRO	F. Perera / J. Pepper / A. Caldarelli M. Bortolotti	Iron Lynx	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	359	26 Laps 4.419
21	4	1	GTDPRO	B. Sellers / M. Snow / N. Verhagen S. van der Linde	Paul Miller Racing	BMW M4 GT3	359	26 Laps 8.808
22	5	4	GTDPRO	T. Milner / N. Catsburg / E. Bamber	Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	359	26 Laps 0.141
23	6	77	GTDPRO	Heinrich / S. Priaulx Christensen	AO Racing	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	359	26 Laps 2.196
24	1	70	GTD	B. Iribe / F. Schandorff / O. Millroy T. Gamble	Inception Racing	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	358	27 Laps 1 Lap
25	2	32	GTD	M. Skeen / M. Grenier / K. Koch M. Goetz	Korthoff/Preston Motorsports	Mercedes AMG GT3	358	27 Laps 2.087
26	7	65	GTDPRO	F. Vervisch / J. Hand / D. Mueller	Ford Multimatic Motorsports	Ford Mustang GT3	358	27 Laps 3.181
27	3	47	GTD	R. Lacorte / G. Sernagiotto / A. Fuoco E. Cheever	CETILAR RACING	Ferrari 296 GT3	358	27 Laps 2.506
28	4	57	GTD	R. Ward / P. Ellis / I. Dontje / D. Morad	Winward Racing	Mercedes AMG GT3	358	27 Laps 0.388
29	5	12	GTD	F. Montecalvo / P. Thompson / A. Telitz R. Miyata	Vasser Sullivan	Lexus RC F GT3	358	27 Laps 3.166
30	6	120	GTD	A. Adelson / E. Skeer / J. Heylen F. Makowiecki	Wright Motorsports	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	358	27 Laps 3.626
31	7	96	GTD	R. Foley / P. Gallagher / J. Walker J. Klingmann	Turner Motorsport	BMW M4 GT3	358	27 Laps 0.690
32	8	23	GTDPRO	R. Gunn / A. Riberas / M. Farnbacher	Heart of Racing Team	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	358	27 Laps 3.497
33	8	023	GTD	O. Triarsi / C. Scardina / R. Agostini A. Rovera	Triarsi Competizione	Ferrari 296 GT3	358	27 Laps 0.707
34	9	21	GTD	S. Mann / F. Heriau / M. Molina K. Cozzolino	Af Corse	Ferrari 296 GT3	357	28 Laps 1 Lap
35	10	80	GTD	S. Yoluc / R. Pinto de Andrade S. Andrews / A. Christodoulou	Lone Star Racing	Mercedes AMG GT3	357	28 Laps 3.837
36	11	83	GTD	R. Frey / M. Gatting / S. Bovy / D. Pin	Iron Dames	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	357	28 Laps 5.096
37	12	43	GTD	J. Andretti / G. Chaves / S. Hargrove T. Preining	Andretti Motorsports	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	356	29 Laps 1 Lap
38	13	34	GTD	M. Franco / A. Costa Balboa / A. Balzan C. Sbirrazzuoli	Conquest Racing	Ferrari 296 GT3	356	29 Laps
39	14	55	GTD	R. Hardwick / D. Olsen / G. Levorato C. Lewis	Proton Competition	Ford Mustang GT3	355	30 Laps
40	9	64	GTDPRO	C. Mies / H. Tincknell/M. Rockenfeller	Ford Multimatic Motorsports	Ford Mustang GT3	354	31 Laps
41	15	92	GTD	D. Brule / A. Udell / T. Hindman/J. Andlauer	Kellymoss with Riley	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	354	31 Laps
42	16	17	GTD	A. Mantella / N. Varrone / T. Merrill C. Eastwood	AWA	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	351	34 Laps
43	17	86	GTD	K. Li / A. Fjordbach / L. ten Voorde K. Bachler	MDK Motorsports	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	349	36 Laps
44	18	66	GTD	S. Monk / K. Legge / T. Calderon S. McAleer	Gradient Racing	Acura NSX GT3	342	43 Laps
45	10	14	GTDPRO	Hawksworth / B. Barnicoat Kirkwood / M. Conway	VasserSullivan	Lexus RC F GT3	322	63 Laps
46	11	9	GTDPRO	M. Kirchhöfer / O. Jarvis J. Hinchcliffe / A. Rossi	Pfaff Motorsports	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	318	67 Laps
47	19	78	GTD	M. Goikhberg / L. Spinelli D. Defrancesco / S. Mitchell	Forte Racing	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	304	81 Laps
48	20	27	GTD	R. De Angelis / Z. Robichon / I. James M. Sorensen	Heart of Racing Team	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	303	82 Laps
49	21	44	GTD	J. Potter / A. Lally / S. Pumpelly N. Thiim	Magnus Racing	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	294	Not
50	12	60	GTDPRO	C. Schiavoni / M. Cressoni R. Grosjean / M. Cairoli	Iron Lynx	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	293	Not
51	10	10	GTP	R. Taylor / F. Albuquerque / B. Hartley M. Ericsson	Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	Acura ARX-06	287	98 Laps
52	9	33	LMP2	L. Willsey / J. Barbosa / N. Siegel J. Edgar	Sean Creech Motorsport	Ligier LMP2	287	98 Laps
53	22	45	GTD	K. Marcelli / D. Formal / G. Doyle A. Harrison	Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	286	99 Laps
54	23	13	GTD	O. Fidani / M. Bell / L. Kern / A. Lynn	AWA	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	273	112 Laps
55	13	75	GTDPRO	K. Habul / J. Gounon / L. Stolz M. Engel	Sun Energy 1	Mercedes AMG GT3	193	DNF
56	10	20	LMP2	D. Andersen / S. Lucas / L. Hoerr S. Huffaker	MDK by High Class Racing	ORECA LMP2 07	185	Not Running
57	11	22	LMP2	D. Goldburg / P. Di Resta / B. Garg F. Rosenqvist	United Autosports USA	ORECA LMP2 07	128	Not Running
58	12	88	LMP2	L. Perez Companc / N. Nielsen L. Wadoux Ducellier / M. Vaxiviere	Richard Mille AF Corse	ORECA LMP2 07	107	Not Running
59	13	11	LMP2	S. Thomas / M. Jensen / H. McElrea C. Milesi	TDS Racing	ORECA LMP2 07	58	Not Running