Podiums and Penalties: a mixed bag for Kiwis at Daytona

Rolex 24 veteran Scott Dixon delivered a standout performance for Acura Meyer Shank Racing, teaming up with experience endurance campaigners Tom Blomqvist, Felix Rosenqvist, and Colin Braun. The #60 Acura finished an impressive P2 overall. While stoked with the result, Dixon reflected on challenges during the race:

“It was a difficult race. Like it definitely wasn't easy. There was lots of deg and you know, speed issues, I think through some of the double stints early on, I would say it also didn't go without mistakes and a few mishaps, you know, on a few, few different situations. But you know, Acura, I think as far as the team and the car ran flawlessly, they did a fantastic job strategy wise.” said Dixon

Shane van Gisbergen made a seamless transition into endurance racing, joining forces with compatriot and former rival Scott McLaughlin, alongside Ben Keating and Connor Zilisch. The quartet piloted a Corvette in the GTD Pro class and ran solidly in the top five during the race’s final hour. However, their hopes unravelled when Zilisch incurred a drive-through penalty after contact with an LMP2 car. The #91 Trackhouse Racing entry was relegated to the back of the class, finishing P9 in GTD Pro. Despite the setback, van Gisbergen was positive about the experience:

“Had fun during the night in my stints, battling for the lead for a while was fun! Put the car in the hunt at the end but it didn’t work out, it would be awesome to do this race again.” the Kiwi shared on Instagram.

Brendon Hartley’s #10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing GTP finished P5 after a strong showing across 780 laps. Meanwhile, Earl Bamber’s #31 Cadillac Whelen GTP suffered a mechanical failure at midnight, with the car returning to the track 50 laps down, leading to a P9 finish.

Despite mixed results, all Kiwis crossed the line—a solid result in a race where the greatest challenge is to finish.