Wednesday, January 17, 2024

ROLEX 24: 2023 Postscript – Roaring Thru the First Four-plus Hours

As Thars’ nothing quite like the sounds of internal combustion racing engines to get the Juices Ah-flowin’

 

Once again, decided to “watch,” Err listen to the first few Hours of the 61st Rolex 24 on Thy Telie’, since I’ll have plenty of time to get up during the relentless commercial breaks! And I haven’t Heard Leigh Diffey or any of the other Talking Headzz’ since last May’s Indianapolis 500! Since I now prefer listening to IndyCar races via IndyCar Radio, which provides a better “Picture” for your Blind Word Butcher to follow the Action…

 

So much for getting “Revved Up” over going motor racing! Although it was nice hearing Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish and (Townsend) T-Bell’s voice in the Broadcast Booth

 

Still Nothing But Commercials, be it Big NBC or Seester station USA Network. Seriously? Five minutes here, six minutes there, Urgh! Along with the obligatory six minute interview with that ‘Ol Dancin’ fool Hulio’, who’s going for a Hat Trick of victories this year, BOO!

 

Lap-1 and John Farano got His No. 8 Tower Motorsports LMP2 entry stuck in third gear, bringing out the first Full course Yellow.

 

Nice interview with ScottyMac’, aka Scott McLaughlin saying He wanted to drive nights; But I Didn’t mean 3AM Guys! With the Kiwi’ saying His first stint was 9-11PM. then two hours of sleep before getting back in for I’m guessing an 1-3AM stint.

 

Also said they were 10-laps down due to a ECU issue. Whilst I Didn’t get the Joke about the water bottle until later reading it had leaked onto the ECU, OOPS!

 

Pipo Derani Tags Nick Tandy’s Porsche in left rear diving into Turn-1, with Tandy saving His Porsche! But No Harm, No foul says Race Control…

 

First GTP issue was the BMW #25 before the end of Hour 1, with Kevin The Werewolf! Lee later reporting that it was a MGU issue. Which was followed by Felipe Nasr having an issue aboard His No. 7 Porsche 963.

 

Pipo Derani needing to take evasive action as we went to another Freakin’ commercial, Come On Guys! And Put A Sock in It Jeff Burton! Yuhs know I’m a NASCAR Guy; No Shit Sherlock!

 

And I’d already Arse-sumed that Jimmie Johnson would be in the RASSCAR G56 entry. Joined by Mike “Rocky” Rockenfeller whose been doing much of it’s development work. But I certainly Didn’t “See” the third “Cog” being former F1 Champion Jenson Button.

 

At the 2.5Hr mark and on Commercial No. 69, WTF! Seriously Comcast, How Greedy Are You? Uhm, now I can’t remember what riveting detail I was gonna type here… Oh yeah, believe somebody said that the No. 25 BMW was 49-laps down.

 

And as much as I was enjoying listening to Brian Till in the Booth. I finally turned off Thy Telie and switched over to listening to the race uninterrupted on IMSA Radio for the rest of the evening, before I called it an early night, since John Hindhaugh’s voice was making me sleepy…

 

The MSR #60 with Colin Brown at it’s wheel came in to change it’s rear bodywork which had gotten a big Hole punched into it by somebody’s Bodywork? As they made the change I believe during the race’s second caution period and resumed in P6. Taking the damaged Bodywork back to the “Garage” to repair it, since spares were crucial during this inaugural GTP race.

 

Think Symone’, nee Pageantry’, aka Simon Pagenaud was a bit Naughty! And should have gotten a Drive-thru penalty, since poor John Farano is having the race to forget. With the Hapless Farano getting Hip-checked by Pagenaud, and then in turn leaving Scott Dixon No where to go! With Dixon spinning and damaging His rear wing, for which a large carbon fibre part fell off when He finally came to Pitlane to replace it. Yet remarkably He got away with No further damage and resumed the race.

 

Uber’ Funny how I missed Castroneves spinning entering Turn-1, having gone off to make dinner. As it was weird how Nobody beside the two Acura’s had led the race. With the exception of a Porsche leading for a lap during Pit stop exchanges. As I marveled after dinner how it was so different to Hear that the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Caddy’ with Jack Aitken was leading. And from Hours 7-10 the Cadillac’s of Whelen and Chip Ganassi Racing ran 1-2 and I think they also played Leapfrog with each other? Actually CGR ran 1-2 at Hour 8 and then one of Cheeps’ Cadd-Oh-lacs’ led at Hour 9, with MSR’s Tom “the Bomb” Blomqvist charging hard.

 

Third Full course Caution for the Turner BMW M4 GT3 #96 entry that suddenly had No Power. As thought I heard one of it’s Driver’s say it had a Driveshaft issue during a later interview. Noting how they were just out on track circulating after repairing it…

 

And then like I said above, I decided to callit an early night. For which I’m always amused typically How much the race’s complextion changes over night. As I signed off with the following leaders in class: #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDH with Jack Aitken in GTP. Although the Hard Chargin’ Colin Brown in the Meyer Shank Racing #60 Acura ARX-06 was nipping at “Achey Breaky’s” (Aitken) Heels! And the #60 has been the Quickest GTP racecar since the Roar Before the 24 began…

 

The No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports with Nicolas Lapierre behind the Keypbaord led the way in LMP2.

 

Pole sitter Nico Pino at the controls of the #33 Sean Creech Motorsports led in LMP3. While not surprisingly, Jordan Taylor in the iconic #3Corvette led the GTD Pro Class.

 

While the NO. 70 McLaren 720s of Inception Racing led the GTD Class, albeit it was off sequence. Meaning the Hard luck No. 57 Windward Racing Mercedes was actually leading. But we still Had more than over Half the race to go…