Keep up with the action via Live Timing and on Speed (http://laptrax.racersites-cluster.com/OrbitsServer/jsp/ViewRace.jsp?sid=475). This year's event started at 3 and runs well into Sunday. Keep tabs on all of my commentary via Tumblr (http://rax262.tumblr.com/) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/home).

Updates:

Interesting fact: Last year's race winning Ganassi car spent a total of 18 1/2 minutes in the pits. That was 25 pits stops over 24 hours. Everything is set up for quick change: rear end assemblies, suspension, brakes, and even radiator.

Looks like Dempsey's team is going to need some spares. Jep Thorton puts it into the tire barrier and brings out the first caution 2 hours 50 minutes into the event.

Daytona 24 morning report

Settle in, have some breakfast and get ready for eight more hours of racing. Overnight both Michael Shank Racing and Krohn Racing DPs are out. Penske, Brumos, Ganassi, on the lead lap and in contention overall. Farnbacher leads GT and is eighth overall followed by The Racers Group at a mere 1:02 deficit.

Stay out of the pits

Lesson for the night brought to you by the #99 Gainsco team: Never change out hardware (gear cluster) when a sensor will suffice. The driver reported shifting problems so the team set about replacing the entire transmission gear cluster. The work put them many laps down but before they could return to the track they found that they *also* had a problem with a sensor that allows the driver to shift without lifting the throttle. Speculation is that this sensor could have been the problem and that changing the cluster unnecessarily put them further in the hole than they needed to be.