Mike Rockenfeller pitted the Spirit of Daytona Racing #90 Corvette DP from the lead shortly before the end of the seventh hour of the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, giving up a near 40 second lead over Jamie McMurray in the process.
Rockenfeller himself inherited the lead by staying out on track as many of his rivals pitted under a full course caution brought out when James Sofronas was helped into the wall exiting turn one, smashing the front of the GMG Racing Audi, leaving wreckage across the track, forcing those drivers following to make the choice between running through the debris or taking to grass.
One of those caught out was Max Angelelli in the Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP that was leading overall at the time. He spun as he tried to slow down, avoiding any serious damage to the car, but filling up the radiators with grass and giving the lead to the Michael Shank Racing Riley-Ford of Justin Wilson.
Wilson would lead the field into the pits under the caution, giving way in the car to AJ Allmendinger.
Once the race restarted there was further contact as two GTD cars touched trying to file towards the apex of the chicane. Again, the spinning cars forced the field behind to scatter, though this time there was no major damage, only the #49 Ferrari – involved in the initial contact – returning to the pits with broken rear suspension.
Jan Magnussen put a Corvette C7.R in the lead of the GTLM class at the end of an hour for the first time, the #3 car ahead of the pair of works run Porsches, each continuing their strong showing in the race.
The pole winning Paul Miller Racing Audi led GTD, but with only a three second advantage over the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari #63.
2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona standings after 7 hours
P
#01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates – Riley-Ford – Pruett/Rojas/McMurray/Karam
#10 Wayne Taylor Racing – Corvette DP – Taylor/Taylor/Taylor/Angelelli
#9 Action Express Racing – Corvette DP – Frisselle/Frisselle/Martin/Giroux
PC
#25 8Star Motorsports – ORECA FLM09 – Potolicchio/Kimber-Smith/Marsal/Huff
#54 CORE Autosport – ORECA FLM09 – Bennett/Gue/Braun/Wilkins
#08 RSR Racing – ORECA FLM09 – Cumming/Tagliani/Mitchell/Daly
GTLM
#3 Corvette Racing – Chevrolet Corvette – Magnussen/Garcia/Briscoe
#911 Porsche North America – Porsche 911 – Tandy/Lietz/Pilet
#912 Porsche North America – Porsche 911 – Long/Christenson/Bergmeister
GTD
#48 Paul Miller Racing – Audi R8 – Miller/Rast/Haase/Bell
#63 Scuderia Corsa – Ferrari 458 – Balzan/Westphal/Vilander/Case
#68 Snow Racing – Porsche 911 – Snow/Heylen/Seefrield
