Daytona 24H: Ganassi woes hand lead to AXR Cadillac

Ex-Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen had raced to a 30-second lead aboard the #02 Ganassi Cadillac DPi-V.R in the early morning hours, but an as-yet unexplained technical issue dropped the car to fourth with nine hours to go.

That meant it was Pipo Derani in command aboard the Whelen Engineering-sponsored #31 AXR Cadillac, just ahead of Loic Duval in the #5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Caddy.

All seven DPi entries remained on the lead lap at the halfway stage, but it wasn’t long before two cars hit trouble, namely the #48 Ally Racing and #01 Ganassi Cadillacs.

First to hit trouble was the Action Express Racing-run #48 car, as Jimmie Johnson made contact with a backmarker in the infield and sustained right-rear damage, the NASCAR ace-turned IndyCar driver limping back to the pits.

The car went behind the wall, with Johnson eventually emerging 23 laps down.

#48 Action Express Cadillac DPi: Mike Rockenfeller, Kamui Kobayashi, Jimmie Johnson, Jose Maria Lopez

Photo by: Richard Dole / Motorsport Images

Soon after, it was the turn of the #01 Ganassi Caddy, which briefly led in the hands of Sebastien Bourdais, to hit trouble. An electrical issue was cited for Bourdais bringing in the car for lengthy repairs, which ended up taking 43 laps to complete.

After the #01 crew’s misfortune, Filipe Albuquerque in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura passed the #5 machine of Richard Westbrook to lead, but Albuqerque’s time out front proved short-lived as Magnussen picked off both the #5 and #10 cars in quick succession.

Albuquerque was able to keep Magnussen in his sights initially, but the Ganassi driver at this stage enjoyed a major pace advantage and stretched out a lead of some 30 seconds.

That was until halfway through the 15th hour, when