Pruett holds edge as hour 9 ends with caution at Daytona

The 12th caution covers the remaining field as the 9th hour is now in the books at the Rolex 24 at Daytona event, but there still is a long way to go. Earlier in the race the two Chip Ganassi Racing Daytona Prototypes has a problems but as other teams also felt the sting that is usual for a long endurance race, CGR has bounced back to the top of the scoreboard with Scott Pruett behind the wheel of the No. 01 BMW Riley.

#01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley prior to the gearbox change.

Photo by Eric Gilbert.

The field was returning to green flag racing just as the 10th hour was starting with Oswaldo Negri Jr. sitting second for the Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley. Along with the No. 01 car, MSR's No. 60 is not racing just for the glory of taking the 24 hour victory but for the points needed in this year's battle for the championship.

Third belongs to Ricardo Zonta in the Krohn Racing No. 76 Ford Lola but sitting ready to bounce with the green flag restart is Juan Pablo Montoya in the second Ganassi team's No. 02.

There has now been 11 leaders and as the night continues, changes are expected with eight of the top runners within reach of the leader.

Earlier Christian Fittipaldi handed the No. 9 Action Express Racing over to JC France. The winner of the 2004 Rolex 24 said, "We have to basically run our own race and hope for the best. Depending on the time of the stints, the Ganassi cars are a little bit quicker. Towards the end as the tires go off, we are running the same speeds. I guess it's a 24-hour race. We have to wait a little bit. We'll probably decide what to do 20 hours into it. I'm enjoying myself. The team is doing a great job, and I hope to keep up."

The GT class battle is still going strong with Andrew Davis leading the contest in the Brumos Porsche GT3 Cup as the team challenges for the victory this year in GT, instead of DP.

Second is Patrick Dempsey. The team owner/driver has been bouncing between attending the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and Daytona but obviously he got enough rest as he races the Mazda RX-8 around the Daytona 3.56 mile-circuit.

Bryan Sellers is third in the Paul Miller Racing's Porsche GT3 Cup.