As expected, the 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona got under way Saturday afternoon in rainy conditions. The opening six laps were run behind the pace car under yellow flag conditions as the rain led off, with the green flag waved at 3:51 p.m. at the beginning of lap seven as the track quickly began to dry out.
Polesitter Max Angelelli led the opening circuits behind the pace car, but Scott Pruett, Oswaldo Negri and Michael Valiante all got by on the opening lap. Pruett led one lap before giving way to Negri. "Be patient," Angelelli radioed to his crew.
While Wayne Taylor's car lost the overall lead, his 17-year-old son Jordan Taylor took the GT lead from polesitter Jeff Segal shortly after the beginning of green flag conditions.
After 90 minutes, Scott Dixon held the overall lead in the No. 02 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley. He was the seventh driver to lead, with Angelelli, Pruett, Negri, Memo GIdley, Dane Cameron also leading. Robin Liddell was in front in the Stevenson Camaro.
The second caution was for an incident involving Henri Richard in the No. 63 TRG Porche GT3, who hit the wall in Turn 5, causing major right-front damage. The third caution was for debris on the front straight after Cameron cut a tire and spun in Turn 1.
Live SPEED coverage runs until 10 p.m. ET and resumes at 7 a.m. Sunday, running through 4 p.m.