Drivin' in a Fast Parade... Daytona 2013, 24 Hours

Daytona 1968 with three Porsche 907 Long-tails logging a 1,2,3 finish. Photo via Porsche AG Archives.

The past hangs in the air like a mist, it's the history of Daytona. Forty-five years almost to the day, a Porsche had its first overall victory in 24 hour racing with the 907 LH(long-tail) at Daytona. No less, with the winning car sporting 5 drivers. How did this happen? After Gerhard Mitter had a big crash with the #53 car caused by tire failure on the banking, his teammate Rolf Stommelen supported the nearly identical car #54 driven by Vic Elford/Jochen Neerpasch. When the #52 car of the longtime leaders Jo Siffert/Hans Herrmann dropped to second due to a technical problem, these two also drove car #54 in case there car broke down. Due to this, five drivers won the race, and two of them scored also second. Jo Schlesser/Joe Buzzetta with car #51 in third place were there to make Porsche's first 24 hours overall victory ever, an 1-2-3 victory with headlites blasin'!

The 907 cars were fitted with a 2195cc eight-cylinder air-cooled engines which developed 270bhp and it was reported along with drivers fitted with cooling vests to withstand the heat in the closed cockpits. Shorty after a 907 went on to win the 12 Hours at Sebring in short-tailed form with another eight-cylinder engine. But, this story is not about 1968. It's about the 2013 Daytona 24.

Automotive racing photographer, Jackie Buys, was covering this years Daytona event and came away with some totally awesome shots. Jackie let "Along For The Ride" use her shots of last years "Petit" at Atlanta and she has also let us take a look at what she captured at the 24 hrs. At the end of the post, I've included her website, please check it out to see what she does and her view through the lens. Enjoy...

Brumos Racing finished 22 OA.

TRG finished 31st OA with Jorg Bergmeister.

Dener Motorsport had an DNF.

#38 BGB Motorsports, #62 Snow Racing and #18 Muehlner Motorsports.

Magnus Racing finished 18 OA with Andy Lally.

Napeleton Racing with a Cayman S.

Doran Racing witha Dallara Ford had a DNF.

The Audi R8 of APR Motorsports finished 20 OA.

#18 Muehlner Motorsports had a DNF.

#38 BGB Motorsports in their 3.8L Cayman GT.R

David Donohue finsihed 1st in class(GX) in the Cayman S 3.8L.

You can find Jackie's website, Motorsports Passion by clicking here. Or, you can link up with her on Facebook by clicking here.

Here's how some finished:
Top 3 DP  cars with the overall number listed first:
1.#01 DP Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates - BMW Riley- Juan Pablo Montoya his 3rd 24hr. victory
2.#10 DP VelocityWW - Corvette DP- Ryan Hunter-Reay
3.#60 DP Michael Shank Racing - Ford Riley- AJ Allmendinger-
Top 3 GT cars:
17.#32 GT Konarsd Motorsports Porsche GT3...first Porsche finishing
18.#44 GT Magnus Racing - Porsche GT3 Cup- Richard Lietz
19.#30GT Momo/NGT Motorsports Porsche GT3
Top 3 GTX cars:
26. #16 Napleton Racing - Porsche Cayman – David Donohue
30. #22 Bullet Racing - Porsche Cayman GX.R – Seth Thomas
34. #38 BGB Motorsports - Porsche Cayman GX.R – Ryan Eversley

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