GTD-Leading Lexus Suffers Setback in Ninth Hour

The GT Daytona class-leading No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 lost four laps in the ninth hour of the Rolex 24 at Daytona after suffering a right-rear puncture.

Dominik Farnbacher held the lead after the sixth Full Course Yellow of the race for the Change Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 crashing at the Bus Stop, but fell back when the right-rear delaminated on the banking.

The German driver managed to bring the car slowly back to the pits, but the tire damage had ripped away the entire right-rear body panel and required a new door to be fitted.

The incident follows an accident for the sister No. 14 Lexus of Scott Pruett in the second hour, which resulted in the car’s retirement.

Colin Braun inherited the class lead in the No. 54 CORE autosport Porsche 911 GT3 R, after Justin Marks’ Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 pitted out of sequence with damage.

At the head of the field, Ricky Taylor led the Prototype class in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Brendon Hartley 35.3 seconds behind in the No. 22 Tequila Patron ESM Nissan Onroak DPi.

The pair of Action Express Racing Cadillacs have been slowed by a variety of issues, most notably a lengthy stop for repairs on the No. 31 car, which suffered toe-link damage as a result of contact with a PC car earlier in the race.

The repairs cost the car six laps, although it managed to gain a lap back under the last FCY.

Joao Barbosa’s No. 5 Cadillac lost two laps with a change of rear bodywork, but was only one lap behind the leaders at the hour mark.

James French has the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports Oreca FLM09 in the class lead of the Prototype Challenge class, four laps clear of Johnny Mowlem in the No. 26 BAR1 entry.

In GT Le Mans, Sebastian Bourdais led in the No. 66 Ford GT from teammate Tony Kanaan’s No. 69 car, the Brazilian relishing in the slippery conditions to advance from seventh at the restart.

Ryan Myrehn contributed to this report.