The ninth hour came to an end shortly after the end of the Rolex 24 At Daytona’s fifth full-course caution to replace a tire barrier that had been dislodged and was just off the racing surface. The caution lasted a bit over 20 minutes, allowing everyone who desired to pit. However a few cars were a bit off sequence, having pitted just before the caution came out and gained during the caution.
That included Renger van der Zande, ending the hour in the lead in the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac. Jack Aitken in the No. 31 Action Express Cadillac was second.
The No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura made the most of the caution, able to close up to the field after being well back following a lurid slide and subsequent pit stop by Helio Castroneves. The team used the yellow to change the oil in ARX-06, using a trick system that pumps the old oil out even as fresh oil goes in. Tom Blomqvist got back in the car, and started attacking immediately after the restart, headed toward the front.
The GTD No. 93 Racers Edge with WTR Acura NSC GT3 Evo22 was another that benefited being off sequence to cycle to the front of the field. Kyle Marcelli was in the car, and had a GTD PRO car between him and closest pursuer Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG.
Jack Hawksworth had the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 in the GTD PRO lead for the first time, with Daniel Juncadella (No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG), Antonio Garcia (No. 3 Corvette) and Alex Riberas (No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage) in pursuit, no GTD cars in their way.
Sean Creech Motorsports has cycled to the front of LMP3, Nico Pino now in the No. 33 Ligier, as the No. 36 Andretti Autosport Ligier has slid backwards.
Class leaders after the ninth hour:
GTP: Renger van der Zande, No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac
LMP2: Alex Quinn, No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA
LMP3: Nico Pino, No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsports Ligier
GTD PRO: Jack Hawksworth, No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3
GTD: Kyle Marcelli, No. 93 Racers Edge with WTR Acura NSX GT3 Evo22
Notes:
• The LMP2 No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA, in which Steven Thomas had contact with another car and then slid into a barrier, has officially been retired.
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