More from Daytona!
The BMW M Endurance Challenge race is four hours long on Friday, January 24 at 1:40 PM. See the replay on Peacock TV or on YouTube.
WEDNESDAY NOTES:
Awaiting Track Time: We are all tucked into either the trailer or the garage this morning. Doors are closed. All the layers, hats, gloves, and warmest jackets have been donned because Florida is cold this morning. Nothing like the rest of the country today of course (it's a mere15 degrees for the high at home), but still. It’s very damp and very windy and the sun is hiding. The racecars haven’t run yet so they aren’t providing any heat in the garage either.
We don’t go out until 3:00 so there is a lot of standing around and talking. Morgan’s depth of knowledge is substantial. He seems able to absorb and retain every bit of information he comes across. He’s driven a lot of different things too so he can speak from a position of authority about those cars and their capabilities and challenges. Listening to him banter details with other drivers is fascinating!
While we wait for our time on track, the drivers take the opportunity to practice their changes. Those need to be smooth and automatic so that no time is wasted during the pit stops while still being sure that everything is fastened and adjusted correctly.
Practice 1: Once it is finally time for practice to start, everyone is excited and smiling. Morgan has first stint. He takes his time to properly warm up everything before starting to push it more. Within a couple laps, he is in P4! That is awesome and we high five!
But he isn’t done. He moves up to P3 and then P2 pretty quickly and stays there a long time. That’s excellent especially in the freezy conditions today. Gordon goes in second and runs well but his time in the car is interrupted by several red flags. If a car goes off and doesn’t move along quickly enough or at all, IMSA stops the session to allow the safety crews to fetch it. It can throw your plan out the window. Still at the end of it, again the team is pleased with our final rank in Practice 1 in 3rd place.
And with that, the day is done. We are back tomorrow morning early for another practice at 8:45 am and then for qualifying at 1:35 pm. Remember, if you are watching live timing, some columns can show different data (look for the yellow arrow) and there are buttons at the bottom of the page that show the track map with sectors and the schedule.
THURSDAY NOTES:
Practice 2: We are back for another chilly morning at Daytona International Speedway! It is still only 44 degrees, overcast and breezy, but less misty.
Practice 2 goes off early, 8:45 am and is the first session of the day. Naturally, there is a plan for the time on track. Each driver gets laps in the car and the crew gets lots of pit stop practice. Getting the tools and equipment set up correctly makes it all go smoothly and efficiently - putting the fuel jugs, air jack, tires and wheel guns all in the right places means the crew simply reaches for them without looking and hunting around. The choreography of who moves where and when and with what items is important to keeping the flow going and avoiding stumbles. Make it all easy. At the same time, the drivers get more practice with their swaps too.
This one is all about practicing the plan. Once it all becomes automatic, it’s easy and smooth and fast. It also frees up brain processing to be able to assess and react more quickly and correctly should something go awry.
Join us again at 1:35 for qualifying. As our friends at Full Send Sims say, “Practice makes Podium.” Here’s hoping it continues to go well!
Qualifying: What can I say? So much anticipation. So much focus and concentration. Nerves? Maybe some, but no drama. Everyone is prepared for this. Morgan is in his zone. He knows what he needs to do. He’s ready. He listens to his tunes and runs the track in his head.
This time, we wait for the TCR cars to have their time with the track. We sit on the grid and watch and wait and count down the minutes until we can take the track.
Finally, we get to go! Our pit box is closest to pit out and we get onto the track first. It’s still cold (for Florida) and it takes a lap or so to get everything up to operating temperature. The spotter helps Morgan get a good position when it’s time for the hot lap.
He lays down a good one and it’s P2!!! Holy cow! Unbelievable!! It stays that way until the very last moment when a Ford nicks us with a lap in the draft. We finish the session with the #67 CSM Porsche in P3. This is a fantastic place and everyone is smiling and high fiving. This is So Thrilling to have our car right up at the top!
There is one more practice session scheduled tomorrow morning. After that, pit lane festivities begin. The race is a long one, but Morgan will have a good view when the green flag flies. Then it’s all in his hands to get a solid opening stint.
Join us on Peacock TV tomorrow at 1:40, won’t you?
FRIDAY NOTES:
Practice 3: If you were watching timing and wondering why we had so few laps, worry not. We did one quick lap to scrub off stickers from a new set of tires. The rest of the session, we stayed in the pit lane and practiced the driver change. They get smoother and more methodical with each go. They are looking really good!
It won’t be long before the pit lane festivities begin and that is a very special time. The atmosphere is electric and invigorating. The sun is shining and the day is gorgeous (if still a bit cool for Florida).
Speaking of threading… I am very glad I travel with a sewing kit. The seam below the back stretch panel on one of the driver’s suits split open while they were jumping in and out of the car during driver change practice. I was able to sew it back up and keep them looking good! We are ready to rock!
Pick up Peacock TV at 1:40 this afternoon.
RACE! YouTube Race link
Oof! What a day! I know you all need a race report and it’s swirling around in my head all afternoon and evening. But once the race ends, there’s all this stuff to do and people to talk to and things to gather up. The lane between garages and trailers is pure chaos! Carts and tuggers loaded with heavy, delicate, and expensive equipment start and stop as the throng ebbs and flows moving from the pit lane to garage spaces. People laden with bags and all manner of items hustle back and forth. The sun is going down and the sky is lit up with a cinematic sunset.
It’s two hours after the checkered flag and we are finally headed back to the car. And then, after another round of hugs, goodbyes and see you in Sebring’s, we actually start walking in that direction.
Can’t write on the bumpy tram in the dark. Home, but no time to write. Drop stuff, change clothes, Morgan needs a shower, go eat, and hang out with peeps. We talk a bit about the race, but mostly we relax, tell stories, laugh, and enjoy time together. Finally, back home to crash in bed with hardly a phrase set down at all.
At last, in the light of day (yes, Saturday is sunny again) and before returning to the excited crowds at the track, I finally have a moment to sit by the ocean and let the words flow.
Short version: We are thrilled and disappointed with today’s race and very optimistic for the coming year.
Fan walk: SO different this year! We are at the opposite end of the grid from last year, a fact that somehow didn’t really sink in until we walk up to the pit lane. The grid fills up with so many people, the cars are hardly visible at all. Morgan and Gordon were all smiles, reveling in the joy of being at the top end of the grid and doing it in a Porsche! Morgan is one who draws positive energy from the enthusiasm of the grid walk and his interactions with the fans. Especially the kids and the fans recalled from last year who are here again to cheer us on. Lots of folks from home are here for the experience in person as well. It's so special and uplifting to have so much support! Love them all!
Go Time: Because Morgan qualified the car, he is the one to start the race. There is much discussion about what might be expected and how to handle various scenarios. However we all know that no plan ever survives first exposure to the green flag. We also know that Morgan is well prepared and able to handle whatever the start brings.
The green flag finally flies! And boy does he show his mettle! He maintains 3rd at the start, but takes an opportunity to move up to 2nd early. Beginning with an outside move in Turn 5, he completes the pass on the 2nd place Porsche going into Turn 6 and up onto the banking. Now, he's in 2nd with the Ford leading. At Turn 1 on Lap 2 he takes the #67 CSM Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to the Lead!! And then he just stays there. With two clean and perfect passes he's out front. The other Porsche gets by the Ford on lap 2. The Ford drops back a bit and then Morgan and the other Porsche pull away. During a couple of early yellows, Morgan controls both restarts perfectly! The first pit stop at a little more than an hour in goes very smoothly, giving him 4 tires and fuel. Morgan stays in the car for a second stint.
The racing Porsche is very like the street version, but with a few differences. The windows don’t go down at all. It’s a very physically demanding car to drive fast. With the engine in the driver’s space, it gets pretty toasty in there, even in the chilly January weather. After almost 93 minutes, by the end of his second stint, he is pretty spent. In this fantastic drive Morgan led 27 of the first 41 laps!!
Unfortunately, we get a drive through penalty when Morgan pulls into the lane of pit boxes too early on his way in for the driver change thinking the one lollipop he can see is his. It isn’t. His lollipop further down is obscured in the visual clutter of the pit stalls. It's a bit of a setback, but recoverable. (The lollipop is a sign on a stick that is waved at the driver to help find the right pit pox.)
After a smooth stop and driver change, Gordon has to serve that penalty and it drops us down the order a bit ultimately to 15th. Still, Gordon drives a solid middle stint for almost an hour. He gains back a few spots and keeps us in touch with those in ahead.
Robert takes the last stint. He has about 90 minutes to go to the finish. He’s a really good dog fighter and makes up a lot of positions. Restarts bring opportunities as well as risk and Robert makes a solid inside pass going into turn 3 in a restart after a yellow. Unfortunately, the stewards view that the minor contact resulting in a spin as needing a penalty. We appeal that, but don't win and have to do another drive through. The stewards have a tough job. They have to make their calls quickly with the best info they have, but it often isn’t a complete picture.
At the checkered flag, we finish on the lead lap in 14th place. The team is in high spirits. It's a new team and we are all still learning. They have a strong driver line up, a willingness to work to win, and they know what success looks like. We have so many positives from the day. To lead so much of the race is truly fantastic. We can't wait for the next event!
Next stop: Sebring March 12-14!