24h Daytona

 

 

 

 

Daytona, January 31st, 1999

Fredy Lienhard and Lista replacing Moretti and MOMO

Bad luck for Jimmy Vasser

Doyle-Risi vs. Dyson

Europeans complete the 2-3-4-success

Will Allan McNish stay in the Ferrari?

Results

Unfortunately, the 24 Hours of Daytona which took place on January 30 and 31 did not end again with a Ferrari victory. The favorite 333 SP entered by Doran Racing (since Giampiero Moretti resigned from motor racing, the Swiss enthusiast Fredy Lienhard is the driving power behind this team) which started from the second position on the grid had to get into the pits in the fifth hour already due to a gearbox problem; the team consisting of Mauro Baldi, Didier Theys, Arie Luyendyke and Lienhard himself were able to get back onto the track after some two hours, but the eighth position which they eventually achieved was probably the best result the team could still hope for.

The second Ferrari entered by Doran did somewhat better: It came in on third, although a better result might have been possible for this car as well. The team of Stefan Johansson, Max Papis, financier Jim Matthews and Champcar ace Jimmy Vasser were involved in the battle for the lead for a long period, but superstar Vasser proved that mistakes may happen even to him: When changing from the infield into the banking, he spun and slightly damaged the 333 SP, causing a long pitstop.

The Ferrari entered by Doyle-Risi Racing piloted by Massimiliano Angenelli, Didier de Radiguez, Allan McNish and Wayne Taylor was in front of the Riley & Scott-Ford of Andy Wallace, Elliott Forbes-Robinson and Butch Leitzinger for a long time, but eventually it became inevitable to change the brake discs, enabling the Riley & Scott-Ford to take the win. The second Riley & Scott entered by Dyson which had been driven to pole position by James Weaver in qualifying was less fortunate: After a collision with the GT3-Ferrari 348 of Michael Jacobs, George Biskup, John Steinmetz, Michael de Fontes and Frank del Vecchio, it ended up on 22^nd position only.

The Italian-Swiss team consisting of Enzo Calderari, Lilian Bryner and Angelo Zadra, supported in the Daytona 24 Hours by Englishman Carl Rosenblad, could be happy about their result: Their 333 SP, entered by Auto Sport Racing, came in on fourth, thus completing the 2-3-4-success for Ferrari in the 1999 edition of the legendary endurance race in Florida.

After the 24 Hours it was made known that Porsche works-driver Allan McNish, whose engagement for the Doyle-Risi Team was thought to be a unique venue, might possibly perform in some more races for the team in the U.S. The Scottsman who won the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans does not have any contractual obligations for Porsche this year since the Germans are not going to compete this season. McNish did apparently not yet decide whether he will eventually go for the offer to drive the 333 SP.

Gregor Schulz

1. Dyson Racing Team Inc.- Riley & Scott Ford, 708
Andy Wallace, England, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Sherrils Ford, North Carolina, Butch Leitzinger, State College, Pennsylvaia, CA,

2. Doyle-Risi Racing - Ferrari 333 SP, 706, r#7
Massimiliano Angelelli, Monaco, Didier de Radigues, Monaco, Allan McNish, Scotland, Wayne Taylor, Altomonte Springs, Florida, CA,

3. Doran/Matthews Racing - Ferrari 333 SP, 694, r#36 s/n 026
Jim Matthews, Warsaw, North Carolina, Stefan Johansson, Sweden, Jimmy Vasser, Las Vegas, Max Papis, Rancho Santa Margarita, California, CA,

4. Auto Sport Racing - Ferrari 333 SP, 679, r#00 s/n 020
Enzo Calderari, Switzerland, Lilian Bryner, Switzerland, Angelo Zadra, Italy, Carl Rosenblad, England,

.

8. Doran/Lista Racing - Ferrari 333 SP, 632, r#72 s/n 025
Fredy Lienhard, Switzerland, Didier Theys, Belgium, Mauro Baldi, Italy, Arie Luyendyk, Scottsdale, Arizona, CA,

.

32. Supertech S.B. Racing - GT3, Ferrari F355, 517, r#42
Gianni Biava, Italy, Gian Luca De Lorenzi, Monaco, Marco De Iturbe, Monaco, Pier Angelo Masselli, Italy, Franco Scapini, Italy,

.

53. - GT3, Ferrari 348, 326, Crash, r#24
Michael Jacobs, Stamford, Connecticut, George Biskup, Naperville, Illinois, John Steinmetz, New York, Michael De Fontes, Baltimore, Frank Del Vecchio, Trumbull, Connecticut,

.

66. - Ferrari 333 SP, 168, Mechanical, r#88 s/n 004
Mike Davies, Deland, Florida, Bill Dollahite, Austin, Texas, Doc Bundy, Gainesville, Georgia, Paul Dallenbach, Basalt, Colorado, CA, .