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Seb Priaulx and his AO Racing team celebrated their first podium as they battled to second place in GTD Pro at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
They finished a lap behind Windward Racing’s Ferrari, moving up into the runners-up spot when the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW was forced to stop for a brake change with two hours remaining.
Rexy’s first @imsa podium! Absolutely perfect run by @SebPriaulx, @ChristensenMK, @laurinheinrich_ and team! pic.twitter.com/gpwsZ1Xp6w
— AO Racing (@AORacingUSA) January 28, 2024
Priaulx had qualified the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R in pole for the historic race, but when he got behind the wheel taking on the second stint there were signs that they did not have the same race-pace advantage with teammate Michael Christien saying: “we have bad pace. Just let the next driver know we have to fight”.
Fight they did all through the night, avoiding any major incidents as others around them stuttered in a race littered with yellow flags that closed the field up.
Racing towards the sun with Rexy! pic.twitter.com/VGhONDEGdz
— AO Racing (@AORacingUSA) January 28, 2024
Those incidents had begun early. Just minutes into the race, the 2023 GTD Pro champion was involved in a crash that relegated it to an 11th-place finish. Mike Conway was piloting the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 when Dennis Andersen’s Le Mans Prototype 2 entry spun in front of him at the exit of Turn One.
In the end, the Winward Racing line up of Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado drove from a fifth-place start in the class to clear victory.
The dominance of the No. 62 Ferrari, which survived a fire in the pits in the first six hours of the race, was on display in the closing stages.
The car led the last 82 laps, 130 of the final 136 and 215 overall in the race.
As the race neared its conclusion and keen to hold on to second, the message from AO Racing had gone out to Laurin Heinrich behind the wheel of the AO Racing Porsche known as Rexy: “We won’t be able to catch the Ferrari unless they have an issue. You’re in a mix of GTD and GTD PRO cars, all in tight battles. Be aware and keep the car clean.”
Rexy starts his 2024 season off with a podium in his very first @imsa GTD PRO race, and at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, no less! pic.twitter.com/7AcbjfCtUk
— AO Racing (@AORacingUSA) January 28, 2024
The No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 finished third in the class with co-drivers Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow, Neil Verhagen and Sheldon van der Linde, two laps back.
At the front of the field, the hi-teach Grand Touring Protytpe cars battled for the overall win in the 62nd running of the 24 hour race.
It came down to a two-car see-saw battle won by the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 by just two seconds from the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R.
The Porsche was driven by Matt Campbell, Felipe Nasr, Dane Cameron and Josef Newgarden.
More reaction to come...
Pictured top: Seb Priaulx in qualifying.
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