Gutsy performances from the five AMRs to all finish in WRLs 14 Hours of Daytona

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Whilst the twenty-four hours of Le Mans continues to thrash itself out over in France, the World Racing Leagues own equivalent did likewise as their fifty-six multi-class entry battled it out around the GT infield circuit of Daytona.

With all Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 crews running within the top-flight GTO class, the business of racing got off to at least a good start as the #909 Automatic car claimed Pole Position ahead of yesterday’s fourteen-hour marathon with the #453 Ruckus Racing car close behind in P4.

Just like any endurance event, teams game plans do not always go as planned as the #453 Ruckus crew suffered technical issues whilst the #172 and #888 TLM Racing Astons (at least) all suffered from tyre disintegration issues with their road specification treaded tyre.

In between the bouts of forecasted lightning which necessitated the temporary red flagging of the event, it would be the older normally aspirated #909 Automatic Aston Martin of Brandon Kidd, Rob Ecklin, Ramin Abdolvahabi and Steven Davison who would suffer the least to eventually finish just eight laps off the winning pace in P8 overall and P6 in GTO.

The race debuting #48 JR111 car of father/son duo Marc and Tyler Sharinn with Mike Skeen were next best P8 in class (-11 laps down) just ahead of the #888 TLM Racing car of Brian O’Shaughnessy, Pippa Mann and David Tuaty in P9 (-15 laps down).

Despite something mirroring recovery drives from both crews after earlier adversity, the #172 TLM Racing Aston of Jim/Stephen Hamman and Tom Herb were next best P14 in class (-48 laps) before the #453 Ruckus crew of Scott Blind, Evan Stamer and Spyke Kohlbecker rounded the AMR contingent off P15 in class (-55 laps down).