Rolex 24, Hour 16: Penske Porsche pair continue to lead, Winward Racing recovers to head GTD
It's still a Porsche Penske Motorsport 1-2 in the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona with eight hours remaining and sunrise just around the corner.
The No. 6 Porsche leads the No. 7, WEC champion Kevin Estre ahead of IMSA champion Felipe Nasr. Estre left the pits behind Nasr but regained the lead when Nasr was fending off the laps-down No. 93 MSR Acura of Renger van der Zande.
That allowed Estre to slip past at turn two, where he leads by just over five seconds.
Felix Rosenqvist has taken over the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 in third, but he's now 30 seconds back after sliding off near turn six and hitting the barriers – there is light damage to the nose of the No.60.
Dries Vanthoor is fourth in the No. 24 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8.
Toby Sowery was putting down the hammer in LMP2, he built a lead of about eight seconds in the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA 07 over Sebastien Bourdais for Tower Motorsports.
Paul-Loup Chatin and Rasmus Lindh run third and fourth for ERA Motorsport and United Autosports USA.
Rexy continues to lead GTD PRO – Laurin Heinrich has left any trace of the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R's woes behind as he leads the class from Kelvin van der Linde in the No.1 Paul Miller Racing BMW.
It's still four makes in the top four in GTD PRO with the No. 65 Multimatic Ford of Frederic Vervisch and the No. 3 Corvette of Alexander Sims in third and fourth.
But the most staggering comeback of the race so far is in GTD. From as far back as seven laps down after a stuck throttle pedal, and from three laps down at half-distance, the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 is not only on the lead lap, it's not only leading – it's pulling away to a massive margin.
Philip Ellis and Lucas Auer have worked together in the last hour to build a lead of over 20 seconds, over Elliott Skeer in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche, who is being pursued by the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes of Scott Andrews.
Lone Star Racing has also had to fight back from a 100 second penalty stop for violating GTD stint energy retirements earlier today.
The Conquest Racing Ferrari has gone behind the wall and since returned to the race, though it is over 40 laps off the lead in GTD.
HOUR 16 STANDINGS
Story originally appeared on Racer
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Advertisement At Doncaster Bryan Smart's last-time-out winner CASTAN can go in again in the the Daniel Jones Handicap (5.45pm); and the Mick Appleby-trained BILLYJOH can score in the Happy Birthday Nigel Kirby Handicap (7.15pm). Wright Ones EPSOM 1pm Royal Dress 1.35pm Geography 2.10pm Gold Star Hero 2.45pm Michaela's Boy 3.30pm 1 The Lion In Winter (NAP) 2 Delacroix 3 Lambourn 4.15pm Beauld As Brass 5pm Chartwell Jock 5.40pm Strike Red MUSSELBURGH 1.20pm Sixcor 1.55pm Power Of Gold 2.30pm Alaskan Light 3.10pm Fiery Lucy 3.50pm I Am Me 4.25pm Reservardo 4.55pm Arranmore DONCASTER 4pm Kodi Red 4.35pm Calafrio 5.10pm Light The Night Up 5.45pm Castan 6.15pm Pole Star 6.45pm Brave Bob 7.15pm Billyjoh 7.50pm Churchella Advertisement WORCESTER 1.50pm Bruce Gobbler 2.25pm Ile De Jersey 3.05pm Leading Force 3.45pm Son Of Tyran 4.20pm Dynamite Defense 4.50pm Three Figs 5.25pm Sporty Jim 5.55pm Leave Her To Me LINGFIELD 5.30pm Synergism 6.07pm Special Ghaiyyath 6.37pm Salamanca City 7.07pm Momaer 7.40pm Fulford Cross 8.10pm Blue Collar Lad 8.40pm Queen Of Good News CHEPSTOW 5.30pm Moe's Legacy 6pm Sinj 6.30pm Indian Spirit 7pm Redredrobin 7.30pm Alice's Impact 8pm King of The Dance 8.30pm Vape 9pm Red Derek HEXHAM 4.05pm Present Fair 4.40pm Grand Voyage 5.15pm Sean Og 5.50pm Mancero 6.20pm Mack The Man 6.50pm Our Sam SUNDAY'S NAP: Alcazan (Goodwood 5.20pm)
