Rolex 24 at Daytona

Motorsport has always been one of our passions here at Status Shades.  We decided to head up to Daytona for a weekend full of racing.

The Rolex 24 is a grueling 24 hours of endurance racing.  Meant to test man and machine on their ability to endure the most extreme conditions.

Within only a couple of hours two cars collided on the infield section of the track.  Memo Gidley made contact in his Gainsco Corvette with Matteo Malucelli in his Ferrari while trying to make it around traffic.  Gidley had to be cut out of his prototype and both drivers were sent to the hospital.  The race had already taken it's first two casualties.

The sun set and the drivers got settled in for the coming hours of racing in the dark.

Race fans are greeted with all sorts of attractions to bide their time during the 24 hours.

Team BMW monitors all aspects of the race and car while their drivers complete steady laps in hopes of seeing the checkered flag.

A Ferrari 458 exits pit road to an empty straightaway.  Lucky timing considering the field of 70+ cars.

No matter how much time teams prepare and spend on R&D there are always problems.  Aston Martin garages one of their cars with only two hours left in the race to swap out air filters and battery to get the car back on track.

The only things moving slowly are the eyelids of team members falling as they doze off against the early morning sun – 21 hours down, three to go – it could take its toll in worse forms.

Team Action Express No. 5 Coyote-Chevrolet Corvette DP being led to the winner's circle.  Piloted by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Sebastien Bourdain and Burt Friselle, they grabbed the win by a mere 1.4 seconds after 24 hours of racing.

Photo Credits: Jessica Moosang