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Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. In auto racing - and especially endurance racing - it's really better to be both.
With an hour to go in the 2008 version of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, the #01 Lexus Riley driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas has about a four lap lead and is coasting towards Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing's third straight Daytona Prototype victory at America's premier sports car race.
Speed TV is doing a great job covering the event that - probably - only geeks like me have watched for hours on end. They just showed an image of Brian France - yes, the Prince of the France Republic - up on the pit box with Chip himself. Pretty cool, actually.
The Ganassi/Sabates cars have led more than half of all the laps contested in this race the last three years. That's lucky and good.
Picture credit: Randy Stevens Photography
As a fellow geek, I'm jealous, the 24 hours wasn't available way out here in mid-Pacific.
But it wasn't a total loss, I got to see the Inaugural Speedcar race in Dubai and it's companion event in the first GP2 Asia Series.
There was a lot of "ole-time" bumping and banging by former F1 pilots at the wheels of 3500lb stockers, kinda like the NCTS on a road course.
Posted by: marc | January 27, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Marc, sorry you missed the Rolex. It kicks the year off for me. But I too am envious. That Speedcar series has appeal. I hope that Speed gives us some. Doubt it though with the tight NASCAR conection. I think Brian F. may think that Bernie E. is playing with HIS ball.
Posted by: Charlie | January 27, 2008 at 08:22 PM