CADILLAC RACING 18-HOUR RACE REPORT
IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
JAN. 30, 2022
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2022) – Cadillac Racing DPi-V-R entries were running in the top four 18 hours into the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona.
The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Richard Westbrook at the wheel, was running smoothly in third place. Close behind in fourth was Mike Conway in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona race lap record has changed hands four times among three Cadillac DPi-V.R entries.
Earl Bamber returned to the track following time in the garage in the 16th hour to replace a fuel pump in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R to set reset the record with a lap of 1 minute, 33.811 seconds on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course.
Bamber took the line in the record book from Loic Duval (1:33.834) in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R. Earlier, Kevin Magnussen (1:34.000) in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R and Renger van der Zande (1:34.02) in the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R broke the record.
In the 13th hour, the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R returned to the garage to replace a the rear suspension after being bumped into the grass by an LMP3 car. Minutes later, the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R – the overall leader – pitted for fuel and tires with Sebastien Bourdais behind the wheel. The call was made to head to the garage to replace the alternator belt.
Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing team manager (Nos. 31 and 48 Cadillac DPi-V.Rs)
“It is nice to be this close to the lead of the race after going all night. It was really a dogfight all night and now we are just a few seconds from the lead. So, we’re pretty happy. (What have you been telling your drivers?) The same thing we have told them all along. Stay on the lead lap, and we pretty much have had to run flat out to do that. I think we are going to have a good finish.”
Tristan Nunez, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R
“Six hours is still a long way to go. This is when every second counts. The race is going to be fierce all the way to the end. I think we have a good car to challenge for the win. I have another double stint and get ready for the end. It’s challenging out there with how cold it is. It can get away from you quickly.”
Richard Westbrook, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R
“We’ve been running consistently well. It’s been a really good performance but still a long way to go – a Watkins Glen six hours to go. We’re taking nothing for granted but we’re doing everything right so far and just have to hang in there to take the fight in the last couple of hours.”
Earl Bamber, No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R
“I got the car from Alex (Lynn) in fifth and made our way up to second. Everything was going well and just cruising around. I think we had a car to vie for the win and are really happy with what the (Chip Ganassi Racing) guys have done in the short preparation time they had with the second car. We’re gutted, obviously. We’ll repair, get back out there and finish the race.”
Cadillac running order in the DPi class (overall in parentheses) at 18 hours:
- (3) No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, Loic Duval, Ben Keating
- (4) No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez, Mike Conway
- (13) No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R, Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Rockenfeller, Jose Maria Lopez
- (19) No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R, Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Kevin Magnussen, Marcus Ericsson
- (33) No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger Van Der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou
The race is being telecast on NBC and its associated channels USA and Peacock, and available on XM 202, SiriusXM Online 972, and IMSA.com.
Cadillac Racing high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
About Cadillac
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