Rolex Hour 10: #22 Nissan crashes out

Leading #10 Cadillac

Just before the 10-hour mark of the Rolex 24 Brendon Hartley crashed the #22 ESM Nissan in the turn 4 banking after he had just stopped for new rain tires. With the track wet and the air temp just 55-degrees F there was little heat in the tires, which contributed to the crash.

With the caution flying Ricky Taylor was in the lead in the #10 Cadillac. The Taylor Brothers are doing the majority of driving in the rain because NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is too slow in the rain after spending his entire career driving in circles on a dry track.

The pole wining #5 Cadillac was up to second and ready to gain their previous lost lap back with Joao Barbosa at the wheel.

The #66 Ford GT with Joey Hand behind the wheel ran first in GTLM ahead of the sister car of Tony Kanaan, the #62 Ferrari of James Calado and the #3 Corvette of Jan Magnussen who made a brake change during the caution.

Andy Lally moved the #93 Acura NSX into the lead in GTD class.

Jordan Taylor, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

"At this point we are staying out of trouble," Jordan Taylor said. "We are taking it easy. We have done a lot of testing so we have a lot confidence in the car. We are running very clean in the top three. The Cadillac has run flawlessly so far. We have done thousands of miles of testing since September that is why we can hold a good pace. Everyone seems to getting comfortable with their equipment as their top speeds are coming up. With the rain and the cold it is tough on our crew. I try to keep them entertained on the radio a little. We had some rain at our Watkins Glen test as well as at our 24-hour test in Charlotte."

Jeff Gordon, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R:

"That time in the rain for me went better," Gordon said. "You can sure tell the difference with the drivers who have done it before. The Cadillac is driving so well that helped a lot. That is one of the toughest things I have ever done. Sometimes it rains harder and then lighter. You are trying figure the dry line and the wet line. It is a little hard to see through the windshield when it is raining. That was tough. I am glad I brought it back in one piece. The car is 100% improvement in the rain from the last time. That last time I failed at it. I would like to do more of it. I was glad to turn it over to Ricky. The way the floor of the car is raised up it allows the rain to get away from the tires. The tires are good and the downforce of the Cadillac is amazing."

Mike Conway, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:

"It is pretty tough out there right now," Conway said. "The track conditions are changing by the moment every lap right now. One part of the stint you want slicks and then the rain returns and you are glad you are on wets. It was like driving on ice for the first five or six laps. I am happy that I kept it on the road. It is tough we lost those laps. I am going to get a cup of tea."

Filipe Albuerque, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R:

"With the rain there was some chaos with everyone," said. "I was enjoying the Cadillac in the rain. It is very good. In the end I got a puncture just approaching the Bus Stop and I went straight. I had to go slow not to damage the car more. It was hurting me to hear the tire damaging the car. We broke some pieces. It was a shame. Everything was going perfect. We are going to keep our head down and come back. I didn't have any contact. I was cruising and having fun and then the tire went down."

Hour 10 Standings