The sun has risen over the Daytona International Speedway, but a thick blanket of fog that left the race under a more than six hour safety car has still not lifted. That has left little time for anything resembling a shake-up on track, leaving Porsche Penske Motorsports in control of a race the team has commanded since the opening laps. The two factory Porsche 963s have never built out a massive lead in the race, but the team has led early and often.
At the 18-hour mark, the program's No. 7 car leads the No. 6 with a narrow cushion over the No.
25 BMW in third. Wayne Taylor Racing's No. 40 entry is the top Cadillac in fourth, while Meyer Shank Racing's top Acura runs in fifth.
While running behind a safety car may have made up the bulk of the last six hours of racing, the segment was not without drama in GTP. Action Express racing received a 60-second stop-and-hold penalty, effectively holding the car back a full lap for leaving the pit lane behind a red light. That car now runs tenth, just behind the No.
93 Acura that is also a lap down after a pit lane miscue saw the car shed a wheel in the infield. The sole Aston Martin Valkyrie in the field remains many laps down after dealing with the race's only GTP-class reliability issues early in the night. Porsche Penske Motorsports has been at the forefront of the action, with their two factory cars leading the charge.
R GT3s have also held strong in the GTD Pro class, with their No. 4 car currently leading its No. 3 entry.
The Turner Motorsports BMW M4 leads the pro-am GTD class over the No. 57 Winward Mercedes. With six hours remaining in the 24-hour classic, another long safety car could be on the way very soon.
As the fog continues to roll back in, it's unclear what the rest of the race will hold, but one thing is certain: Porsche Penske Motorsports is in control for now.
The dominance of Porsche Penske Motorsports is a testament to their experienced team and well-prepared cars. However, the reliability issues faced by other teams, such as Aston Martin Valkyrie, highlight the challenges of competing at this level.
