Tower Motorsport’s LMP2 Victory Overturned; United Autosports Inherits Win at Daytona 24 Hours
Daytona International Speedway, FL — Tower Motorsport’s #8 ORECA-Gibson 07, originally declared the provisional winner in the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Daytona, has been stripped of its victory due to a technical infraction. The post-race inspection revealed that the skid block on the car exceeded the maximum wear limit of 5mm, as stipulated in the technical regulations.
Following the penalty, Tower Motorsport’s entry was relegated to 12th place in its class. The team has lodged an appeal against IMSA’s decision, which has since been denied.
In light of Tower’s disqualification, the victory has been awarded to the #22 United Autosports Oreca, driven by Paul di Resta, Daniel Goldburg, James Allen, and Rasmus Lindh. This marks United Autosports’ first win at the Daytona 24 Hours and comes after their success in the LMP2 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours the previous year.
Tower Motorsport’s Team Manager, Ricky Capone, expressed disappointment and frustration regarding the ruling, stating, "We did not intentionally violate any technical regulations… The infraction relates to wear that can naturally occur in an intense endurance race." Capone emphasized the team’s commitment to the sport’s integrity and their intention to review available options in response to the penalty.
The implications of this ruling not only alter the final standings but also raise questions about the stringent technical regulations governing endurance racing, underscoring the fine line teams navigate in maintaining compliance while pushing performance limits.
