After 60 minutes of racing at Sebring, it’s Acura Team Penske leading the way, Ricky Taylor heading the field in the team’s #7 ARX-07. Taylor took the lead of the race after the first round of pit stops, which took place during the first Full-Course Yellow of the race, 20 minutes into the event.
The FCY was after a monster incident, involving the AFS/PR1 Ligier of Sebastian Saavedra, which had a spin at the final turn, the car hitting the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari, sending the 488 GT3 onto its roof and into the barriers. Thankfully Frankie Montecalvo was ok, climbing out of the Ferrari under his own power.
Behind Taylor, second place is currently being held by the #31 Action Express Cadillac DPi V.R, Felipe Nasr is at the wheel setting fast laps, putting pressure on the leader at the end of the hour.
Third meanwhile, was the #22 ESM Nissan DPi of Pipo Derani, the Brazilian taking third at the end of the hour off Tristan Vautier who led the race early from pole position in the Spirit of Daytona Cadillac.
ESM’s sister #2 Nissan meanwhile, was an early retirement, the car not completing a single racing lap. Olivier Pla, who started the race second, collided with Vautier at Turn 1, sending him sliding off the circuit. Pla avoided the wall, but when he brought the car in for checks, the team discovered that the internals of the gearbox had been shattered from the impact.
Completing the top five is is the #5 Action Express Cadillac in fourth, ahead of Vautier, his Cadillac now down to fifth.
Towards the back of the pack, the #99 Gainsco JDC Miller ORECA had a tough start, the team failing to make it out for the start, receiving a penalty for starting from the pit lane. The team suffered electronics issues which prevented them from making it out to the gird. The outfit’s 07 Gibson is 12th in class, but crucially, on the lead lap.
In GTLM Jesse Krohn overhauled team mate and pole sitter Connor De Phillipi for an early 1-2 for BMW. The start saw the #3 Corvette picking up a Left Rear puncture having run wide at Turn 1. Despite replacing the Left Rear handling issues remained evident.
After the FCY caused by the aforementioned incident at Turn 1, Krohn’s #24 BMW RLL M8 resumed at the front, but now chased by the Ford GT’s of Richard Westbrook and Joey Hand, the #25 BMW having dropped down to eighth in class, splitting Corvettes. James Calado was now up to fourth having started the #62 Risi Ferrari second but having lost places lost earlier on. Krohn’s BMW ended the hour six seconds ahead of a closely matched GTLM field.
Meanwhile, in GTD it’s Lexus leading the way. Jack Hawksworth put his stamp on the opening hour of the race, lining up the #15 Lexus for the inside advantage into Turn 1 to take the lead, but made contact with pole sitter Daniel Serra’s Spirit of Race Ferrari, which pitted with left rear tyre damage.
The young Brit comfortably pegged the lead to Madison Snow’s Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini and Christopher Mies’s Audi R8 as the race settled down after the FCY. The #93 Acura is up to eighth having made the start and an aggressive push through the field.
