Juan Pablo Montoya took back the lead of the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona in the very last seconds of the seventh hour, taking the top spot away from Ryan Dalziel as the two battled into turn one around lapped traffic.
Dalziel assumed the lead after being the only lead Daytona Prototype driver not to pit under the race’s third full course caution, brought out by Tomy Drissi, stopped in the #43 Team Sahlen BMW-Riley on the apron beneath turns three and four of the banking. He had gone off at turn six – the final corner on the infield section – into the tyre wall, damaging the front bodywork and radiators.
While Dalziel stayed on the track the remainder of the DP field pitted, with both Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates having a brake change that dropped them down the order, Joey Hand in the #02 also having to serve a drive through penalty after the race returned to green flag running.
Montoya made quick work of those immediately ahead to move into second place, becoming the middle man in a three way fight for the lead with he, Dalziel and Max Angelelli in third place for Wayne Taylor Racing.
After several unsuccessful attempts at taking the lead Montoya final found a way around Dalziel as the seconds ticked to the end of the hour.
The lead of the GT changed early in the hours with a number of pitstops under green flag running, the #63 Ferrari taking the lead back from similar #69. Their stops saw the lead pass through both Damien Faulkner and Dion von Moltke, the latter in the #24 Alex Job Racing Audi R8.
The same car – with Filipe Albuquerque at the wheel – would end the hour in the class lead, at the head of a 1-2-3 for Audi R8 Grand-Am after the #63 team had given up the lead under the yellow flag to perform a brake change.
There was also a longer brake related delay for the Stevenson Motorsports Camaro, the #57 in the garage for much of the hour.
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona Daytona Prototype standings after 7 hours
1 – #01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW-Riley
2 – #2 Starworks Motorsport Ford-Riley
3 – #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP
4 – #6 Michael Shank Racing Ford-Riley
5 – #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona GT standings after 7 hours
1 – #24 Alex Job Racing Audi
2 – #52 APR Motorsport Audi
3 – #13 Rum Bum Racing Audi
4 – #44 Magnus Racing Porsche
5 – #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari
2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona GT standings after 7 hours
1 – #16 Napleton Racing Porsche Cayman
2 – #38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman GX.R
3 – #3 Bullet Racing Porsche Cayman GX.R
