24 hrs Daytona

[rickslick]

Its now just after 8am on Saturday and I decided not to go to Daytona. Weather looks a bit drab and I don't want to spend 3+ hours on the drive from Ft Lauderdale and the $50 for grandstand and infield admission. Going to sit back in my LazyBoy and watch it on Fox and Speed TV.

I do admit the cars are slower and to generic (all mostly alike) but hey, its racing. I enjoy the track also by getting a pit pass (another $35) and walking around. You have decent access to the garage areas and when drivers walk around they are not treated like "rock stars" and molested by 12 yr old girls. The damn Nascar fans would be ripping at their driving suits at the 500 race. But during the 24 hour, seems like most fans let the drivers be and don't pester them.

Rick

[Misplaced Floridian]

... when drivers walk around they are not treated like "rock stars" and molested by 12 yr old girls. The damn Nascar fans would be ripping at their driving suits at the 500 race. But during the 24 hour, seems like most fans let the drivers be and don't pester them.

It's the mentality of the fan - the above statement is also true of ALMS fans & drivers in the paddocks.  NA$CAR and their media machine have damn near beatified their drivers and restrict access to them to encourage such immature behavior.  Sports car drivers & fans, however, have much more respect for each other.

Except, of course, Team Impala.  You can't help but treat them like the rock stars they are! 

[DKWEST]

I'm going to the fair today with my kids,...  I think I'll watch the pig races!  They are all equally prepared pigs and the racing is close.  Very exciting!

[Misplaced Floridian]

I'm going to the fair today with my kids,...  I think I'll watch the pig races!  They are all equally prepared pigs and the racing is close.  Very exciting!

And they look just like the Daytona Prototurtles too!

[La Bomba Racing (Bo)]

Derek Bell never got to race His son was driving the car when it broke on lap 65 and is out



live timing link: http://www.grandamerican.com

live video link 1: http://www.grandamerican.com/rolex/multimedia/tv.cfm
live video link 2: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/daytona-international-speedway-web-cam
 

[SonOfNoSweat]

Well... it isn't ALMS, but it still race cars and it's not stock car, so I still have a good time. NoSweat and I went again this year (harder when I live out of state now). One thing it is good for is a good practice at shooting race cars again before Sebring! Here's a link to the pictures on NoSweat's site:
http://www.nosweatphotos.com/gallery/Rolex24-08

Now I'm really ready for Sebring!

[pureadrenalin]

I watched it because I've watched it ever year since i was a kid....although I hate the prototurtles, it was still racing that ISN'T nascar..so..it was okay. I'd like to go to that race sometime. LeMans first, but someday I'll get to the Daytona 24.

[chop456]

GRAND-AM: Ganassi's Team Wins Again in Daytona
Written by: Grand American Communications
 Daytona Beach, Fla. – 1/27/2008
Ganassi's team became the first to clinch three straight Rolex 24 wins. (Greg Aleck/Fastlines photo) MORE PHOTOS

SEE TODAY'S ROLEX PHOTOS


The Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates racing program became the first team to capture a Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victory in three straight years when Rolex Series stars Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Dario Franchitti captured the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 season opener in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Lexus Riley. The record breaking race was the 46th running of the classic endurance race.

In a race that featured Grand-Am Rolex Series and Rolex 24 records for car leaders (15), driver leaders (25) and lead changes (60), the Ganassi team stayed out of trouble to complete 695 laps and march to a two-lap victory over defending series champions No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Lowe's Pontiac Riley of Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, joined by back-to-back NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and former Champ Car champion Jimmy Vasser.

The wins were the second straight for Montoya and Pruett, the first time drivers earned repeat victories in the race since Derek Bell, Al Unser, Jr. and Al Hulbert accomplished the feat in 1986 and 1987.

 

[vettefan]

It's Thursday morning and I think I've finally recovered from the race.  I can't count how many times I went over the wall.  The wall is too tall for me to climb up onto and jump off (even with stairs) :embarassed:, so I have to sit and swing my legs over.  By the time is was light out I wasn't sure if I could do it anymore, despite getting about an hour of sleep, off and on.  That little fire bottle felt like it weighed 50 lbs. 

The race itself was disappointing for us.  We'd been running second in class, about hour 12, when Paul hit a DP that had spun in front of him.  Major damage sent us to the garage.  We finished 7th in class but down many laps.  The 06 had major issues as well.  Lots of damage for both cars.  Watching them cross the line at the end was good.