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Ganassi repeats in close one.

Sunday, 28th January 2007

In one of the most spectacular finishes in the 45-race history of the Rolex 24, the #01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley trio of Scott Pruett, Juan Pablo Montoya and Salvador Duran emerged on top in a three-car battle over the final hours of the 2007 race.

In one of the most spectacular finishes in the 45-race history of the Rolex 24, the #01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley trio of Scott Pruett, Juan Pablo Montoya and Salvador Duran emerged on top in a three-car battle over the final hours of the 2007 race.

While the #01 team never fell out of the top-three overall in the final 21 hours of the race, the battle came to a head late in the 20th hour with Ryan Dalziel in the #11 CITGO/SAMAX Pontiac Riley leading Montoya and Max Angelelli in the #10 SunTrust Pontiac Riley in a nose-to-tail fight for the overall lead. Dalziel managed to keep both vaunted road racers behind him, although Montoya and Angelelli did exchange second place a handful of times.

The battle continued for nearly an hour before Dalziel surrendered the lead to Angelelli when he pitted for fuel and tyres. Angelelli led one lap before Montoya claimed the lead for good in turn four with slightly less than two hours and 45 minutes remaining. At the conclusion of that lap - 578 - Angelelli pulled onto pit-lane and Montoya moved out into the lead.

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The Colombian got customary stellar service from the TELMEX/Target crew when he pitted two laps later and managed to maintain the lead of the race. He was pressured from behind by both Dalziel and Angelelli for the better part of another hour before both pursuers pitted before him to turn their cars over to co-drivers Jan Magnussen and Patrick Carpentier respectively.

Montoya gave control of the #01 machine, and the race lead, to Pruett with slightly more than 90 minutes remaining and the 2004 Rolex Series Daytona Prototype champion steadily pulled away over the remainder of the race, crossing the stripe 1min 15.842secs ahead of Carpentier to secure the victory. It was the third-closest finish in Rolex 24 history.

It was Pruett’s second overall victory and seventh class triumph in the Rolex 24, moving him into sole possession of first place on the all-time Rolex 24 class winners list. He entered the race tied with Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg with six class victories.

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