January 26th, 2009 
T.C. We don’t normally do this, but I’m going to go a little bit off topic with this post. This is neither NASCAR, nor “inside,” but it’s my blog and I can do what I want. Anyways…
The whole reason I got into working in racing is because I love it. But not just NASCAR. I love most forms of motorsport. Be it drag racing, Formula 1, World Rally, sports car racing, anything. I’ll pretty much watch it all.
For those of you that don’t know, the racing season officially kicked off last weekend with the running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The 24 hour endurance race officially kicks off Speedweeks in Daytona and is the season opener for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. Between Fox and SPEED we got somewhere in the area of 16 hours of live coverage. Wait for it, wait for it…
Yes, I did watch nearly all 16 hours!
I know, I’m crazy [Insert you judging me here]. But it was definitely worth it. After 22 hours of racing, we had four cars running about two seconds apart all on the same lap! The two Brumos Porsches, a Chip Ganassi Lexus, and the Ford of SunTrust Racing were all battling for the lead. During the last two or so hours of the race, I saw some of the most intense racing I’ve seen in a long time.
We had CGR going for their fourth straight overall win, Brumos trying to win their first Daytona Prototype and Rolex 24 in many years, and David Donohue trying to win the Rolex almost 40 years to the day that his father, Mark Donohue, won the same race. Unbelievable.
Watching Juan Pablo Montoya use every ounce of his driving ability to keep the Brumos cars at bay was amazing. The Porsches seemed to have a little bit more horsepower, but JPM drove a great race. In the end, Montoya got caught in behind some GT traffic and Donohue was able to get past him with about 40 minutes left and take the win for Brumos.
After the race, Montoya had the following to say:
“Every corner it was 110 percent everywhere. And it was fun, because we drove like that the last two hours. And we didn’t make any mistakes. I gave it 110 percent, and I know I couldn’t go any faster if I had done anything different.” (Grand-Am.com)
That is exactly what you want to hear from a driver after a race.
So, I’ve been watching this race for a few years now, and after the 2009 version, I’m seriously considering trying to make it down for the race next year. Give me a case of Monster or Red Bull, a lawn chair, and a spot on the infield and I’ll watch the whole damn thing. Who’s with me?!
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Itwas an amazing race, especially the last 2 hours, my heart was in my throat, could JPM bring Ganassi win #4 or 3 straight for JPM, or David do as his father had done 40 years ago.
Damn straight, save me a seat on the bus, I want to go 2
Kudos to Speed for doing such a good job covering the Rolex 24. I watched for several hours, including the great racing during the last two hours.
JPM is one heck of a driver.
Speed was off the hook this weekend. Starting with the Rolex 24 on Saturday then the Toyota Showdown at Irwindale into Sunday then back to the Rolex 24. I probably watched 10 out of the 16 hours for the Rolex but those last 2 we’re great. It was great seeing JPM get right under Donohue in the corners then watch Donohue tear away from him on the banking lap after lap. Just waiting for someone to make a mistake that never happened.
The Showdown was the first race I ever saw at Irwindale & I’m a huge fan of the track now. You gotta love a short track where you can pass on the outside & not get freight trained. You also gotta love Joey Lagano’s poor attempt at imitating Carl Edwards on the last lap of the first feature. I thought I was going to see a brawl after Peyton Sellars & Lagano got done with each other on track for the last 2 laps.
I agree windowlicker, I wish one of the two SouCal Cup races could be moved to Irwindale. It would be a great show!
See this is why I think the July Cup race should be run on the 24 hr course. I’ve run that course several years and it looks tame until you try and manuever the bus stop chicane, at speed, w/ sand on the track, avoiding traffic w/o losing momentum for the run to the tri-oval. Great stuff!
I want 43 Cup cars to do battle for 250-300 miles on that course.
Pandamonium I tell ya!!!
Neon: What have you driven on that course? We didn’t know you were a racer!
You are absolutly right!! These guys are good, and their cars are’nt too bad either.How many NASCAR races are going to be as interesting as the Rolex? I say half if we are extremely lucky. No tire issues with the wrong ones, no “rough driving” penalties, very few holding up the leaders in the guise “I have to race too”. Other guys simply moved over. Altho they have contact, you don’t get put in the wall for some reason. No DWs. What a series. Somebody is doing something right.
Kudos to Mike Colucci and his crew for getting both cars on the podium.
Mainly SCCA stuff in what was SSGT (now T1), Porsche, spec racer and Neon Super Cup (hence the handle). Had a refueling business for Daytona 24 hr and Sebring 12 hr in the 80′s. Talk about a long day-night-day’s work! Actually got paid the same whether the car broke or finished. Broken cars aren’t all bad!
It was an exciting ending. I’ll take a seat on that bus for next year!!!