VelocityWW lead the way after the 13th hour of the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona, but under huge pressure from the #02 car after Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ two machines both recovered into the top three after a seventh caution period.
Rubens Barrichello’s Daytona experience ended prematurely however, as his Dener Motorsport Porsche stopped on the apron to bring out the latest caution.
The lull in proceedings allowed the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing With Felix Sabates car to get back onto the lead lap, where Allan McNish lead the restart for Starworks Motorsport and was in a hurry as he was well over a second clear in only a lap.
The Ganassi pairing went on the attack from sixth and seventh, Jamie McMurray carving his way past both Action Express Racing Corvettes into fourth spot, which then became third thanks to an unfortunate penalty for the then third-place Spirit Of Daytona Racing #90 Corvette.
Starworks kept to their pit schedule and McNish gave up his lead for a fuel stop, handing a two-second lead to the VelocityWW car with Indycar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay behind the wheel before Jamie McMurray pounced on him rapidly, unable to get by despite getting alongside his rival twice on the banking.
The #01 Ganassi machine moved up to third as the team continued to recover, Memo Rojas bringing the car back to the podium after Charlie Kimball’s earlier moment.
The GT battle continued between the #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari and the #44 Magnus Racing Porsche for the class lead, Alessandro Pier Guidi holding off the intentions of Nicholas Armindo as they came in for scheduled stops.
However, the latter suffered a problem with the left front of the Porsche that forced them to come in again, gifting the Ferrari a bigger buffer over the Alex Job Racing Audi R8 up front in class before the caution period that saw the pair among those that chose to pit under the delay.
That leaves Frank Biela in the class lead for Audi Sport Customer Racing with AIM Autosport Team FXDD ‘s Ferrari right on their tail, Eduardo Mortara third in the Alex Job Audi.
The GX leader was another victim of a penalty, but Napleton Racing’s six-lap lead buffer over the #22 Bullet Racing Porsche meant the punishment did not prove harmful.
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona Daytona Prototype standings after 13 hours
1 – #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP
2 – #02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW-Riley
3 – #01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW-Riley
4 – #9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP
5 – #5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona GT standings after 13 hours
1 – #13 Audi Sport Customer Racing/Rum Bum Racing Audi
2 – #69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari Ferrari
3 – #24 Alex Job Racing Audi
4 – #44 Magnus Racing Porsche
5 – #23 Alex Job racing Porsche
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona GX standings after 13 hours
1 – #16 Napleton Racing Porsche
2 – #22 Bullet Racing Porsche
3 – #38 BGB Motorsports Porsche
