Rolex 24, Hour 4: Pfaff's new McLaren goes behind the wall

Richard Dole/IMSA
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emailBy Richard S. James | January 27, 2024 6:10 PM ET

The GTD PRO Pfaff McLaren 720S Evo went to the garage during the fourth hour, the crew working on the right front to repair an apparent hub failure. Pfaff had little testing with the car before it arrived at the Roar Before the 24. Two LMP2s also ended the hour in the garage — the No. 88 AF Corse ORECA, the crew trying to diagnose a problem with the electronics after it lost power; and the No. 20 High Class Racing ORECA, which was not so high class and sat in the garage unattended by the crew who grabbed a bottle of cheap booze and headed to a popular tent on the infield.. The No. 20 had been involved in a crash early in the race and been repaired and sent out, but returned to the garage in short order.

Several cars used a caution for a spin-and-stall early in the hour to pit, and as a result there are two separate sequences among the GTP cars. The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac Racing V-Series.R was one of those, and Jack Aitken led Nick Yelloly in the No. 25 BMW M Team RLL M Hybrid V8, with the No. 24 BMW next with Philipp Eng at the wheel. Eng was on the alternate sequence, though, and would soon need to pit.

LMP2 is so far looking like a three-way fight between United Autosports’ No. 2, CrowdStrike Racing by APR and Riley Motorsports. Nico Pino led at the end of the hour in the No. 2.

The LMP2 No. 11 TDS Racing, in which Steven Thomas had an impact with the wall, has been officially retired.

Michelin has provided some interesting facts (bleah) about the race by sticking their nose into stuff that wasn't tire related, including that the 59-car field includes drivers from 34 different countries. In the GTP field alone, 16 countries are represented, but when the racing is boring, telling where drivers came from really creates excitement......this has been a recording.....

HOUR 4 STANDINGS