Another year and more strong performances by Skip Barber Racing School alumni at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. With a staggering 61-car starting grid, the odds of good results for our drivers were pretty good. They didn’t disappoint.

 

GTP
In the debut of the hybrid era, Meyer Shank Racing led an Acura 1-2 sweep in GTP with Skip Barber alum Colin Braun as part of the team’s efforts. The runner-up Wayne Taylor Racing Acura with, fellow Skip Barber grad Ricky Taylor at the wheel, finished a near 4.1-seconds behind the race winners. The lead pack of four GTP cars completed 783 laps over the 24 hours.

 

LMP2
The class victory in LMP2 came down to a photo finish as the Proton Competition team, consisting of Skip Barber grad Fred Poordad, drafted past the Crowdstrike Racing by APR team, featuring a pair of Skip Barber alumni Matt McMurry and Ben Hanley, to take the win by a near-margin of 0.016. The No. 55 Proton Competition team suffered a significant crash in the practice sessions, which looked to ruin their hopes at the win, but they were able to bounce back and take the LMP2 victory.

 

LMP3
The No. 17 AWA Duqueine LMP3 team with Skip Barber grad Thomas Merrill dominated in class, taking victory by 12 laps over second place. With the victory on the high banks of Daytona, Merrill claims his second IMSA career win. Performance Tech Motorsports finished third in LMP3 class, featuring Skip Barber alum Connor Bloum.

 

GTD
In GTD, Magnus Racing took runner-up with three Skip Barber graduates – Andy Lally, John Potter, and Spencer Pumpelly. The No. 44 Magnus Racing Vantage GT3 finished 5.3 seconds behind the class winners. The top four cars in GTD all completed 729 laps. The 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona road course. A pair of Skip Barber graduates finished runner-up in the GTD Pro category. The Corvette Racing team, with Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner behind the wheel of their Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, finished 3.9 seconds back from the class winners.

 

Want to add your name to list of Skip Barber’s winning drivers? The best way to start is with a Skip Barber 3-Day Racing School. In this unique program, students master the fundamentals of racing in classroom and driving sessions. After the completion of a 3-Day Racing School, you’re able to obtain your SCCA novice license. Join us at one of our upcoming programs across the country!

 

 

Feature image by Wayne Riegle Photography