Dixon Leads; Gidley Undergoes Surgery as Rolex 24 Hits Halfway

A further update has been issued on GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing’s Memo Gidley, who was involved in the third hour accident with Risi Competizione’s Matteo Malucelli at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

According to the team, Gidley underwent surgery on his left arm and left leg, and he is currently under observation and further evaluation at Halifax Health.

READ: Gidley, Malucelli Awake and Alert Following Horrific Accident

Up front, Scott Dixon assumed the lead in the No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Ford EcoBoost Riley. Dixon took the lead from Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP just before the twelfth hour, and holds the lead just past the halfway mark.

Dixon has completed 327 laps and leads Burt Frisselle in the Millennium-backed No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP by 0.267 of a second.

Other class leaders include the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR (GTLM), No. 54 CORE autosport ORECA FLM09 (PC), and No. 555 Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 (GTD).

Several big name cars had issues. The No. 01 CGR Ford-Riley suffered major right front damage past the 10-hour mark after completing 270 laps, and lost more than 30 laps to the overall lead.

The car’s suspension was bent, the splitter needed to be replaced, and the starter needed to get sorted. Sage Karam took over from Scott Pruett just prior to half distance.

Before the halfway mark, the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R pitted with smoke billowing from the engine bay, and the hood removed. That dropped that car outside the top five in GTLM.

Meanwhile BAR1 Motorsports’ James Kovacic was evaluated and released after a small fire sprouted from the No. 87 ORECA FLM09. The young Australian was running third in the PC class at the time of the incident.