Daytona Beach, Florida
BMW M Endurance Challenge
Daytona International Speedway
We often write about our drivers making their way through a stacked field, blasting past competitors on their way to the podium. As a spectator, it’s easy to make that seem casual, even expected from experienced drivers piloting top-of-the-line machines. But in practice, it’s one of the most difficult things in sports to accomplish.
Successfully chasing the leaders from the pack requires an ability to make skillful moves at precise times, all while avoiding disastrous mistakes that lie in wait around every turn. At Daytona, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing team came face to face with that reality as the No. 19 Mustang found itself surging and receding through the field multiple times in its pursuit of a top ten finish.
Speed lasts
After successful practice runs at The Roar the weekend before, the team came into the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway with speed to spare. During the first official practice on Wednesday the team capitalized on their momentum and laid down the fastest Pilot Challenge lap of the entire weekend.
With the confidence that the No. 19 was capable of outpacing the field, Sean Quinlan started Friday in 12th position.
Right off the bat, it was clear the race wouldn’t be as smooth as the practice laps. The early turns were crowded and Quinlan worked hard to make it through unscathed. As he expertly moved around obstacles and managed tight turns on slippery front end grip, Sean kept the No. 19 within striking distance until a caution slowed him down 45 minutes into the race.
When the No. 19 came into the pits, it got tires, fuel and a new driver.
Back and Forth
Liefooghe wasted no time once the caution was lifted. Almost immediately, he kicked it up a notch, making passes and settling into third place with two and a half hours to go. As time wound down to the halfway mark, a caution gave the No. 19 an opportunity to pit for fuel and tires.
Despite losing seven positions while in the pits, Liefooghe emerged unintimidated by the task ahead. Over the course of an hour, he dug in, making passes when he could and laying down quick lap times. By the time there were just under 50 minutes left in the race, Greg pushed his way into the lead with the wind at his back.
But there was one final hurdle standing between the No. 19 and Daytona glory — a pit stop.
Needing to come in for one final stop before the race was over, the team hoped for a lucky break in the form of a damage-minimizing yellow flag. But the caution never came and the No. 19 was forced to pit during green flag conditions, dropping it from first to 15th. Liefooghe came back onto the track like a man on a mission, but his blistering efforts to regain the lead were cut short. The checkered flag waved while the No. 19 was in 8th place.
Despite the late hiccup, optimism abounded in the post-race paddock. During the first race of the season, the performance of the Mustang and its drivers was more than promising. At times, it looked as if the field couldn’t keep up with the No. 19’s speed and precision.
As the pieces continue to fall into place with more time on the track, we have no doubt that there will be plenty of podiums and victory celebrations to come.
Stay tuned.
