The annual Daytona 24 Hours took place over the weekend at the Daytona International Speedway with Chip Ganassi Racing in dominant form with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Joey Hand and Graham Rahal driving the team’s Telmex/Target-sponsored Riley-BMW to victory, edging out team-mates Scott Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti and Jamie McMurray in the Target/Telmex Riley-BMW.
The victory means that Ganassi’s teams have now won an impressive streak of victories over the last 12 months with success in the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and now the Daytona 24 Hours.
Action Express Racing finished third with Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Max Papis and JC France in a Riley-Porsche, ahead of Martin Brundle, Mark Blundell, Zak Brown and Mark Patterson the Johnny Walker Riley-Ford (below).
The “evergreen” Mr Brundle told me a, umm, “few” years ago at Le Mans that he would love to race at Bathurst. With, of course, Peter Brock.
Unfortunately Mr Brock is no longer taking calls but judging by this weekend’s effort, Mr Brundle has some potential.
That is something I would love to see. Mt Panorama, as you would admit Joe, is a trifle different to both Le Sarthe and Daaaaaytona.
But should Mr Brundle still like to chance his arm, Mr Saward feel free to pass on my contact.
I actually believe Martin would be a good ‘un.
I followed it online over the weekend. What a line up of drivers! What a fantastic race! Very competitive with the result in doubt between the top 3 right until the chequered flag. Also including the spice of the “will he or won’t he”saga of Jimmy Johnson’s effort to emulate Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt in winning both the Daytona 500 and 24 hour events. The car ran as high as third during the opening hours.
And the GT race was a cracker too!
I’m not sure that I like the look of the Daytona Prototype cars but it’s an effective and stable formula that has a lot going for it. The web coverage (including audio commentary) with updates was excellent. That’s the way to reach and increase the fan base!
I should also have mentioned congratulations to Brundle and Blundell for coming a very competitive fourth and commiserations to Justin Wilson/AJ Allmendinger and their team for a few niggles which dropped them from the multi-car lead fight towards the end (after leading at one stage).
From what I saw, I thought it was a fantastic race and a great job by the United Autosport squad.
The one real shame is that the TV coverage of the event was either poor or simply non-existent. While the Daytona 24 Hours may not be Le Mans, it is still sad that so little TV time was afforded for it.
Even Radio Le Mans weren’t there (although through no fault of their own)
Great looking cars…
Joe, thanks for covering this. Sportscar (especially in the US) racing gets very little coverage in the UK. Eurosport covered a few hours of it but I spent most of the time following it via the live leaderboard on the GranAm website.
Even the “native” coverage on Speed TV here in Canada was very poor …
Good to see that JPM still remembers how to turn right…
And good on Martin Brundle too. There’s life in the old lead commentary dog yet!
Nice looking cars – they look like they are going fast, even when they are standing still.
I was very impressed by Brundle and Blundell. Martin was always a far better driver than he got credit for but what amazed me was an interview after a decen stint in the car where he said he was ready to get straight back in.
Blundell interviewed as he got out of the car said he was nowhere near fit but he did not seem to be sweating. I wonder if the two of them will get together for Le Mans
I followed the race on Speed TV and online on the Grand Am website and I must say my enjoyment of sportscar racing is increasing in direct proportion to my frustration with F1. Grand Am, ALMS, Le Mans and the Intercontinental LeMans Cup are fascinating to follow. The racing is interesting and it all seems so much more…..accessible. The ALMS is even making a serious effort at “greening” their series so all in all it is great fun to watch.
It might not be as glamorous as F1 but watching prototypes and exotic sportscars banging around a road course is a hell of a lot of fun.
Your aritcles are for when it absolutely, positively, needs to be understood overnight.