Good afternoon, all. After taking a one year pause last year because Ivelis and I were actually on-site, I'm back to watch as many hours as possible of this year's Rolex 24 at Daytona. I won't stay up all night like Roger Penske does, but I hope to cover at least eighteen hours.

cor123 has all the references here, but I'm depending mostly on three things:

NBCSN and the NBC Sports app

Live timing at https://scoring.imsa.com/

Andy Blackmore's Spotter Guide, which I have printed out at 11 x 17 so my aging eyes can read the fine print.

Qualifying results from Thursday:

DPi—Mazda #77 (Oliver Jarvis broke the course record at 136.792 mph), Acura #7, Acura #6

LMP2—Oreca #81 (12th overall), Oreca #52, Oreca #18

GTLM—Porsche 911 #911 (16th overall), Corvette C7.R #3, Ford GT #67 (Corvette C7.R #4 is 9th in class)

GTD—Ferrari 488 #13 (25th overall), Mercedes-AMG #33, Acura NSX #86

47 cars plan to take the green flag at 2:35 PM.

So many stories this year, but the biggest one pre-race has to be that Alex Zanardi is racing in a specially outfitted BMW M8. Alex just never gave up after that horrific crash in that race immediately post-9/11 they shouldn't have run.

One big change for the cars: everybody is now running on Michelins.

Scott Pruett (who I finally got to meet last year) is grand marshal: "Hi to my family at home … drivers, start your engines!"

The #50 Cadillac DPi car is having issues and is in the pits as warm-up laps continue. Which reminds me—it's a little chilly in Daytona—57 degrees.

Green flag!

The #50 Cadillac DPi had a throttle calibration issue and had to reset—they're now on track.

15 minutes in:

DPi—Mazda #77, Acura #6, Acura #7

LMP2—Oreca #81 (10th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #52

GTLM—Corvette C7.R #3, (16th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #911, Porsche 911 RSR #912 (Corvette C7.R #4 is 9th in class)

GTD—Mercedes-AMG #33 (25th overall), Ferrari 488 #13, Acura NSX #86

All 47 cars are running.

The #18 Oreca has cut down a tire and is trying to get to the pits.

The #99 Porsche 911 RSR is reported to have some problem that it is making it essentially undrivable. They have dropped to last.

Half an hour in:

DPi—still Mazda #77, Acura #6, Acura #7

LMP2—now Oreca #81 (12th overall), Oreca #52, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Corvette C7.R #3 (15th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #911, Ford GT #67 (Corvette C7.R #4 is 7th in class)

GTD—now Ferrari 488 #13 (23rd overall), Mercedes-AMG #33, Acura NSX #86

All 47 cars are running.

The #50 Cadillac DPi takes an excursion off-track, but comes to no harm.

One hour in:

DPi—now Cadillac #31, Cadillac #5, Acura #6 (the Cadillacs seem to be getting better fuel mileage than the other DPi's)

LMP2—now Oreca #18 (12th overall), Oreca #38, Oreca #81

GTLM—now Porsche 911 RSR #911 (16th overall), Corvette C7.R #3, BMW M8 #25 (Corvette C7.R #4 is now 6th in class)

GTD—now Acura NSX #86 (23rd overall), Mercedes-AMG #33, Lamborghini Huracan #11

All 47 cars are running.

Zanardi is in the #24 BMW M8! I've got something in my eye …

The #99 Porsche 911 R gives off a ton of smoke and lays a lot of fluid on the track. Many cars spinning leads to an immediate full course caution—the first one of the race.

Back to green, two hours in:

DPi—now Acura #6, Cadillac #31, Cadillac #5, Mazda #77

LMP2—now Oreca #81 (12th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ford GT #66 (16th overall), Corvette C7.R #4, Porsche 911 RSR #911 (Corvette C7.R #3 is now 8th in class after the Corvettes collided again in pit lane)

GTD—now Lamborghini Huracan #11 (20th overall), Lexus LC F #12, Audi R8 LMS #29

46 cars are running—I'm declaring the #99 Porsche 911 R finished and have used "the Sharpie of death."

Last year's overall winner (the #5 Cadillac) has gone behind the wall.

The #24 BMW M8 has stalled on pit exit. Full course yellow.

Back to green, three hours in:

DPi—now Mazda #77, Acura #7, Acura #6

LMP2—now Oreca #18 (12th overall), Oreca #81, Oreca #52

GTLM—now Ferrari 48 #62 (15th overall), Corvette C7.R #4, Ford GT #66 (Corvette C7.R #3 is now 7th in class)

GTD—now Audi R8 LMS #29 (20th overall), Lexus RC F #12, Acura NSX #86

46 cars are running—the #5 Cadillac DPi is back on track.

We're in our third full course yellow, as the #50 Cadillac DPi loses power on track.Four hours in:

DPi—now Cadillac #10, Acura #7, Mazda #77

LMP2—now Oreca #52 (10th overall), Oreca #81, Oreca #18

GTLM—now Porsche 911 RSR #911 (14th overall), Corvette C7.R #4, BMW M8 #25 (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class)

GTD—now Audi R8 LMS #29 (22th overall), Mercedes-AMG #33, Acura NSX #86

45 cars are running.

A little over five hours in:

DPi—now Cadillac #10, Mazda #77, Acura #7

LMP2—now Oreca #18 (10th overall), Oreca #52, Oreca #81

GTLM—now Porsche 911 RSR #911 (14th overall), BMW M8 #25, Corvette C7.R #4, (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class)

GTD—now Audi R8 LMS #29 (21st overall), Mercedes-AMG #71, BMW M6 #96

45 cars are running.

The #52 Oreca spins and the #84 Cadillac hits him. Full course yellow.

Six hours in, still under yellow:

DPi—now Cadillac #31, Cadillac #10, Acura #6

LMP2—now Oreca #18 (9th overall), Oreca #81, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Corvette C7.R #4 (12th overall), Ferrari 488 GTE #62, Porsche 911 RSR #911 (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class)

GTD—now Mercedes-AMG #33 (22nd overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Mercedes-AMG #71

43 cars are running.

Back to green.

The reliability concerns about the brutally fast Mazda DPi cars seems to be coming to the fore—the #55 car has been shutting off.

Now the #77 has caught fire on track.

The #55 Mazda makes it back out while the #77 Mazda is towed back to the garage.

The #77 car has been retired. Back to green.

Seven hours in:

DPi—now Cadillac #10, Acura #6, Cadillac #85

LMP2—now Oreca #81 (8th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (12th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #911, Ford GT #66 (Corvette C7.R #4 is now 5th in class, Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class but is back on the lead lap)

GTD—now Mercedes-AMG #33 (22nd overall), Porsche 911 R #73, Audi R8 LMS #29

42 cars are running.

The #73 Porsche 911 R has at very least a flat tire.

At eight hours in, one third done:

DPi—now Acura #6, Cadillac #31, Acura #7

LMP2—now Oreca #18 (8th overall), Oreca #81, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #911, BMW M8 GT #25 (Corvette C7.R #4 is still 5th in class, Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class)

GTD—now Mercedes-AMG #33 (22nd overall), Acura NSX#86, Audi R8 LMS #29

42 cars are still running.

Everyone expects the rain to come in the early morning. We'll see—last year, the rain didn't come until the race had ended.

Nine hours in:

DPi—now Acura #6, Acura #7, Cadillac #10

LMP2—still Oreca #18 (8th overall), Oreca #81, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Porsche 911 RSR #911 (11th overall), Corvette C7.R #4, BMW M8 GT #25 (Corvette C7.R #3 is 4th in class)

GTD—now Lamborghini Huracan #11 (22nd overall), Lamborghini Huracan #48, Audi R8 LMS #29

42 cars are still running.

I'm getting some sleep—should be back in six or seven hours.

Good morning.

The night and early morning was not good for Corvette Racing. Tommy Milner has crashed the #4 Corvette in the heavy rain.

Under full course yellow for about an hour at this point, due to the expected rain finally showing up. Eight hours to go:

DPi—now Cadillac #10, Acura #6, Acura #7

LMP2—now Oreca #81 (7th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #912, Ford GT #66 Corvette C7.R #4, BMW M8 GT #25 (Corvette C7.R #3 is 7th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 is 8th in class, many laps down)

GTD—now Mercedes-AMG #33 (18th overall), Acura NSX #86, Audi R8 LMS #29

I'm not sure how many cars are still running—my estimate is 39.

They thought of going green, but have now red flagged the race, with 7:12 left.

The clock continues to run.

Under red flag for about twenty minutes at this point. Seven hours to go:

DPi—still Cadillac #10, Acura #6, Acura #7

LMP2—still Oreca #81 (7th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—still Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #912, Ford GT #66 Corvette C7.R #4, BMW M8 GT #25 (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 is still 8th in class)

GTD—now Acura NSX #86 (18th overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Porsche 911 R #540

I believe 39 cars will be in the running if/when they get this race going again.

Still in red flag, hoping to get going again at 9:00 AM.

Back to yellow at 9:00 AM.

Back to green!

A crash, maybe two—back under yellow.

Likely down to 37 or so cars running.

Under yellow, five hours to go:

DPi—still Cadillac #10, Acura #6, Acura #7

LMP2—still Oreca #81 (7th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Ford GT #66, Porsche 911 RSR #911 (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 is still 8th in class)

GTD—still Acura NSX #86 (18th overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Porsche 911 R #540

37 of the original 47 cars are still running.

Still under yellow, four hours to go:

DPi—now Cadillac #31, Acura #7, Cadillac #10

LMP2—still Oreca #81 (6th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Ford GT #66, Ford GT #67 (Corvette C7.R #3 is still 7th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 is still 8th in class)

GTD—still Acura NSX #86 (18th overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Lamborghini Huracan #11

36 of the original 47 cars are still running.

Back to green at 10:48 AM.

More crashes, including the GTLM leader.

The Ford GT #66 and Porsche 911 RSR #911 both have damage. We stay green for now.

Both the Ford and the Porsche are in the pits.

Back under yellow. The #66 Ford GT is still in the pits.

Still under yellow, 3:15 to go:

DPi—now Cadillac #10, Acura #7, Cadillac #31 (the only three cars remaining on the lead lap)

LMP2—still Oreca #81 (6th overall), Oreca #18, Oreca #38

GTLM—now Ferrari 488 GTE #62 (11th overall), Porsche 911 RSR #912, BMW M8 #25 (Corvette C7.R #3 is now 6th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 is still 8th in class)

GTD—now Acura NSX #86 (18th overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Lamborghini Huracan #11

36 of the original 47 cars are still running.

Back under green.

… and back under yellow—another GTD crash.

Back to green—we'll try this again.

Second red flag; the first time ever at a Rolex.

Still under the same red flag with one hour to go.

The race has been called with 11 minutes to go—it never got out of the second red flag. Final results:

DPi—Cadillac #10, Cadillac #31, Acura #7

LMP2—Oreca #18 (6th overall), Oreca #38, Oreca #81

GTLM—BMW M8 #25 (10th overall), Ferrari 488 GTE #62, Ford GT #67 (Corvette C7.R #3 6th in class, Corvette C7.R #4 8th in class)

GTD—Lamborghini Huracan #11 (17th overall), Audi R8 LMS #29, Lexus RC F #12

36 of the original 47 cars were still running when they parked them.