LM24: Scrutineering Day 2

Scrutineering for the 84th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was completed on a wet/dry Monday as the rest of the 60-car field went through car inspection and driver registration in the town center.

Among the fan favorites to weave through the various scrutineering stations, Aston Martin, Audi, and Corvette Racing drew plenty of interest, as did Extreme Speed Motorsports, newcomers Michael Shank Racing, and stalwarts like Strakka Racing.

Click on the thumbnails below for larger images.

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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

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· If Oliver Gavin's Le Mans career was a child, it would be halfway through high school right now. "This is my 16th Le Mans," the Briton told RACER. "I was 28 on my first, and I've enjoyed every single one. Every time I come back here, it almost feels like the first time again. I get excited for this one. It's the biggest race." Gavin scored his fifth class win last year with teammates Tommy Milner and Jordan Taylor in their Corvette C7.R.

· Speaking of Taylor, whose brother Ricky has joined the team in the sister C7.R with Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia, he says coming into Le Mans with a win last weekend at IMSA's 100-minute street race in Detroit can only help their momentum in France. "It definitely doesn't hurt coming into Le Mans with a win, a little bit uplifted; it doesn't really help driving-wise, but it helps with the mindset." Taylor, now a Corvette Racing veteran, said that he doesn't have any plans to haze his older brother, and is trying to help Ricky to learn the finer aspects of how the Michigan-based team handles its business...and treatment of newcomers. "It took me four or five years to fit in, so I'm trying to help him from being attacked all the time by the rest of the guys..."

· ACO president Pierre Fillon and his counterpart Gerard Neveu, CEO of the World Endurance Championship, were highly visible through both days of scrutineering. The event, which is done in a grand presentation style, adds a nice opening to the 24 Hour race, but can be rather laborious with 60 cars and 180 drivers to process over the Sunday-Monday schedule. Having the top brass present must have given the various technical administrators and registrars some extra motivation, and even Vincent Beaumesnil, the ACO's technical director, was seen helping stage some of the photos, and went as far as helping to position the sign board in front of a few cars to meet the linking of the photographers...

· Inbound IndyCar driver Scott Dixon says he was impressed by the spectacle of scrutineering, and likened it to some of the glitzier aspects that lead into the Indy 500. "I didn't realize how full a show this was," the first-timer told RACER. "I guess the Indy 500 parade is the most similar thing that comes to mind. It's very unique, the way they drag the cars down here, pose for photos...it's a proper event on its own. You have to be here and see it to fully register how big of a deal it is. It's cool."

· Ferrari driver Matteo Malucelli, who covered himself in everything but glory during his appearance with the Risi Competizione team at Sebring in 2014, is back with the Houston-based squad for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Well, mostly back. Like the four IndyCar drivers who struggled to get to Le Mans, the Italian found flight problems of his own, according to teammate Toni Vilander, and missed scrutineering on Monday...

· In a welcome show of solidarity, local government buildings lowered their flags to half-mast in honor of the dozens of Americans murdered on Sunday in an act of terrorism carried out in Orlando.