DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Photo courtesy of IMSA —
The proverbial ‘Goliath’ of the 54th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway has fallen, just after the clock struck midnight on Sunday.
Michael Shank Racing’s No. 60 Honda-Ligier P2, being driven by Ozz Negri at the nine-and-a-half hour point of the annual endurance classic, abruptly veered off-track at the West Horseshoe and came to a stop, leaving an unnerving trail of fluid behind as the former Rolex 24 winner pounded on the steering wheel in frustration.
The car was towed back to the garage in agonizing fashion, where both team owner Michael Shank and Honda spokesman Dan Layton confirmed that the fastest car in Daytona had suffered a terminal engine failure.
“We’re done,” Layton said simply.
Prior to the dramatic end to their race at lap 286, the entry had paced the field for the better part of three and a half consecutive hours, only giving up the overall lead of the race during pit cycles and working their way back to the point quickly each time.
The situation sparked the 11th full-course caution of the event and handed the lead briefly to Scott Sharp and the Tequila Patron/Extreme Speed Motorsports No. 2 team, before they were held in pit lane for blowing the red light during their service stop — giving the spotlight to a dynamic battle for the race lead between Rolex 24 veterans and former Prototype class champions Scott Pruett and Max Angelelli.
Coverage of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona will continue on IMSA.tv through 7 a.m. ET, when the live television broadcast resumes on FOX Sports 1.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
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