Running a relentless pace, Joey Hand and Richard Westbrook have lapped the GTLM field in a pair of Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GTs. At the end of eight hours, the teammates were less than a second apart, one lap ahead of the Corvettes of Oliver Gavin and Antonio Garcia.

• Hour 8 results

The No.29 Montaplast Audi R8 LMS GT3 continues to dominate in GTD, with Sheldon van der Linde holding a lap lead over Alvaro Parente in the No.86 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura NSX GTX.

Up front, Action Express Racing and Acura Team Penske continue to trade the lead. After eight hours, Felipe Albuquerque in the No.5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R led Helio Castroneves in the No.7 Acura ARX-05 by 21.26 seconds. Ranger van der Zande was 55.583s back in the No.10 Konica Minolta Cadillac, with Juan Pablo Montoya in the No.6 Acura and Eric Curran in the No.31 Cadillac also on the lead lap.

The biggest incident of the caution-free hour saw Phil Hanson cut the right-rear tire of the No.23 Ligier JSP217 while running sixth. United Autosports replaced the engine cover and rear wing assembly during the pit stop, turning the car over to Fernando Alonso. The two-time Formula 1 world champion returned to the event in 11th, three laps back.

Five-time Rolex 24 winner Scott Pruett – racing for the final time in his storied career – got in the No.15 3GT Racing Lexus RC F GT3. He was running ninth in GTD, four laps in arrears.

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