(Photo: Wayne Riegel | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Twenty-four hours of racing decided by just 0.016 seconds. That’s what happened in LMP2 in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, when James Allen delivered a timely pass to win Proton Competition’s second-ever IMSA race.
Allen’s No. 55 car ran in fourth-place with just 25 minutes remaining after a late restart. But he navigated his way through traffic to second and trailed Ben Hanley in the No. 4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR car with just minutes left.
The cars crossed the start/finish line side-by-side with one lap to go, but Allen drove Turn 1 too wide and allowed Hanley to gain seperation. The two roared onto the oval and through the Le Mans chicane, but Hanley hit lapped traffice through NASCAR turns 3 and 4. Allen sucked up behind him and got a massive run, sneaking past allen on the inside for the class victory.
Proton won its first ever race in LMP2.
“I didn’t really think we were in with much of a shot,” Allen said postrace. “Honestly, was not at all thinking am I going to catch this guy up.
“But slowly but surely the gap sort of kept coming down and I could see even from like the penultimate lap I was getting a good run going to the start-finish line. I actually got in front before the start-finish line, so I thought, no point in trying to force an issue or take any crazy risk. I’ve got the straight-line speed. I can do it still.
“I did come out of the Bus Stop thinking, have I done this properly? Do I have enough time? Have I got an exit good enough? And luckily I did, and just got him right below the line. I don’t think I was breathing coming out of speedway 4 up to the start line. It was such a crazy moment for me. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like that, and I’m probably not sure I will ever again. It was really such an amazing feeling.”
The team battled back from damage suffered Thursday in a practice to win the class.
“It was quite a big hit in the barrier,” said Christian Reed, team owner. “We need four new corners and a new gearbox and some body work, and we asked IMSA to get approved for working a little bit longer than 10:00 [p.m.], which IMSA is always super kind to help.
“The guys worked until midnight and started in the morning at 6:00 [a.m.], and finally the car was not in perfect condition for the next session, but at least we could do a shakedown.”
Allen shared honors with Fred Poordad, Francesco Pizzi and Giammaria Bruni.
“I think James did an amazing job to hold it up. I mean, at the end, the overtake at the last finish — I wasn’t watching TV,” Pizzi said. “I just got on the main straight waiting for them to pass, and when I saw him winning I couldn’t understand anything anymore, because I never drove endurance before, and today to be in such a difficult race and end that way, it’s an amazing feeling.”
