Buckets of rain, important points and a solid start to the new season for Mario Farnbacher: At the 57th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 26-year-old in the Acura NSX GT3 finished fifth in class. The endurance classic in Florida took its toll on the young German driver and the Meyer Shank Racing team.
The unusual Florida weather made for a challenging race as night turned to day. The first half of the race was held in dry conditions, but just before morning a thick band of rain arrived. The rain was so heavy at times that the drainage systems were unable to cope and the rain gathered on the circuit.
“I’ve driven at Daytona a few times before,” the 26-year-old said. “But I’ve never experienced anything like this. For us drivers it was extremely difficult to keep the car on the track.” Regular incidents, collisions and accidents made for a stop-start race.
Despite not being able to achieve the podium result the team was aiming for, Farnbacher can still draw a positive conclusion from the Daytona weekend: “Fifth place in such difficult conditions is a great start to the new season. The points are also very important for the championship.”
Farnbacher’s next appearance in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship comes at Sebring International Raceway for the 12 Hours of Sebring from 13 to 16 March.
