P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Laurens Vanthoor led the IMSA SportsCar Championship’s 63rd running of the 24 Hours of Daytona for the Porsche Penske team in 1-2 formation.
The race started in controlled and calm conditions with Hunter McElrea crashing at Turn five, resulting in the first full course caution. Despite the incident, McElrea was able to continue. Shortly after the restart, David Heinemeier Hansson caused a spin, leading to a penalty for his team. Nick Tandy made an impressive move to take second place, followed by BMW drivers Rene Rast and Philipp Eng. Tandy managed to extend his lead, but Rast closed the gap and challenged him at Turn 1. The GTD Pro class saw a battle between Ford and Corvette, with Ford eventually taking the lead with the #64 Ford Mustang GT3. Misfortune struck for reigning champions Winward Racing in the GTD category, allowing Forte Racing Lamborghini to take the lead. Despite challenges from other cars, Heart of Racing’s Aston Martin ultimately claimed the top spot.
