The 24 Hours of Daytona are the first highlight of the year in iRacing’s Special Event calendar, and with more than 16.000 drivers, the 2023 edition was a success. Keeping an eye on everything that has happened proved difficult, of course – which is why we assembled a few clips for you, ranging from funny and frustrating to ecstatic – have fun watching!
Forget the debate about the apron on the start/finish straight, this line beats them all. It is not exactly recommended if you value your car’s health, but it is likely entirely unique.
This is how quickly things can go south – even without an evident collision: Netcode problems can never be ruled out entirely in online races, which does not make them any less frustrating – you think that you left enough space, only to be punted off or incur damage to your car regardless.
When a small collision has grave consequences due to the unique pit exit at Daytona, keeping your cool has to be that much harder. The visible gap between the cars should have been big enough – until the netcode struck.
What’s even more frustrating is a competitor not judging distances correctly or ignoring them entirely on purpose – bump drafts were not uncommon in this year’s Daytona 24 – and causing chaos because of it. Hours of hard work basically vanish into thin air – just like the car that started it all, if you look closely.
Of course, it is also important not to be too harsh on yourself when it comes to mistakes and maybe even to be able to laugh about it. Donuts after a pit stop cost valuable time and are probably rarely planned, but at least they look spectacular. Bonus points for avoiding to hit pit wall in the process.
Fun should also be a factor in endurance races – we will not comment on whether it was technical problems or, as stated, sleep deprivation that caused this unique version of Daytona as seen in the clip.
A different kind of great timing, just like Murray Walker used to have: Seconds after mentioning how quickly things can go wrong at Daytona, they actually do – and even though Atte Kaupinen of Williams Esports likely will not have heard the commentary at that time, he could not help but smirk.
It is the small things that make all the difference – which is true in this case as well: Just slightly going over the curb and into the gras is enough to cause a crash. The attiuted of wanting to learn from this mistake is commendable, however.
That was close! This incident did not lead to a crash, but rather to spectacular evasive action in the Bus Stop Chicane, which was pulled off with millimeters to spare. Raised pulse and relief guaranteed.
But at the end, there is excitement over what the team has been able to accomplish – like in this case, where a comeback after being ten laps down is rewarded with a spot on the podium in the end. After all, there are reasons why the motto of endurance racing is “Never Give Up”.
Which of these clips is your favorite? Which one is missing from our list? Let us know in the comments!