That driver, Bill Lester, did not offer a decent comment for such a move.
As I saw it, the #70 car had the line at full throttle closely followed by Jeff (#69). Bill Lester is a NASCAR Vet from Atlanta and has not changed his freeway driving style, meaning that whether he is contending or not, he'll cut you off...
His team info : http://www.grand-am.com/rolex/teams/team.cfm?tid=1263

 

Didn't see this link posted in the thread yet, and I'm sure those of you who follow Rolex closely have already seen it, but to those who have not...Jeff Segal's comments re: the Daytona crash with Bill Lester:
http://www.grand-am.com/rolex/news/index.cfm?cid=17956

Glad he's OK.

 

i cant remembe,r but did that happen on the yellow, or right after the restart?

 

Right after restart.

 

I don't know about the rest of you but I was f_ _ kin' pissed at what happened to the 69. If he was in contention for anything I might have excused Lester for trying to squeeze thru on the top side and not allowing the 69 to track out all the way. It's pretty apparent from the accident that he is just used to mashing on the throttle going around ovals.
I'm not oblivious to the fact that things can happen fast when you've got different classed cars on the track together but Lester had no freakin' regard for anyone else but his need to pass under dubious circumstances.
I'll be at Infineon for the race next month....

 

sorry guys.. this is about the 6th gtp / gt race i have seen at daytona live... watch the race, you will see it is true.

the gt cars do not track all the way out, unless it is for position, and no gtp cars are around....

if you want to place blame i would say it was about 80/ 20 the 69 was in the wrong.

and both drivers are less than experienced at daytona.

beers

 

If the 69 car should be there, isn't the issue (he shouldn't have been). The issue is that the DP car keep pushing and wouldn't back off once they made contact. That had the potential of being a very serious accident. Damaging more than just the car.

 

so if you was that person driving the DP car , would you of just plowed on thru, even though you had a chance to brake and slow down?

 

no,

i would have not.. but only one person know why that part happened.

beers

 

Sorry, I can't agree. Check the line the #70 car took, just ahead of the #69. Segal was following that line...wide. Perhaps all GT cars DON'T go wide, but Lester did not have the right-of-way as far as I'm concerned. He was just hellbent on putting his foot to the floor, regardless of what was in front of him. Granted Segal should have seen him coming out of the busstop, but that shouldn't just grant carte blanche to some DP driver to run over anyone he wants to. Hell, by the time Segal got his line set, Lester was already well into his blind spot. Such a shame...that car was really starting to kick some serious tail.

 

I think this is the issue here. He had to be thinking this is questionable when he tried to get thru before Segal's line was set. I could accept it as a risk worth taking if you're battling for a podium but not this way. The dude needs to take a few lessons from some of the other DP drivers. Outside of Rojas the majority of these guys (off the top of my head) can run a hell of a tight race and even if contact is made they don't flip each other. There are teenagers running in Grand-Am that I'd feel safer on the track with then Lester.

What a pivotal outcome for the 69 car!!! They finish the race and the picture looks quite different. I just hope they're able to rebound from this and get the car back to the front.

 

thanks, you pretty much proved my point. if lester does not know what the middle peddal between the clutch and gas pedal is for, then he shouldnt be driving.

 

Would you believe that I predicted a 1-2 Mazda finish previously in this thread?

I agree with you on the error, good point.
I'm not normally a whiner myself, but Lester's non-braking act was just as wrong... I have followed these races since I was a kid, this used to be a gentlemens race, courtesy was standard. Lester is just rotten. Also being one that has followed African American and Ethnic racers for a while, I can also confirm Lester's "plow-driver" style in NASCAR.

If Jeff can get over it, I guess I can too... Hope you guys kick *** for the rest of the season!!!

Did you collect any #69 debris at the speedway?

Thanks for the find, I missed the article since my last visit was the day before the press release.

 

So how many of you guys are goin to the race at Thunderbolt raceway in August???

 

I'll be heading down. Not sure if it will Be Friday of Saturday though. I think Marlon might be setting something up, not sure. I haven't spoke with him in a while.

Bob

 

i was lucky enough to be standing in the speedsourse pits all night... we all watched the wreck on the jumbotron behind us..

it was very sad. both cars ran so well all night..

as to the not slowing down.. the momentum would have pushed him through the 69 car. and i dont think anyone would just jump on the brakes at that speed on the banking..

i really think it was just a racing deal.. but it was sad..

beers

 

Just a reminder...
Porsche 250 at Barber
109 Laps or 2:45
This Sunday Live on SPEED @ 3:00PM edt

Wonder why the Koni Challenges are not telecast? ...Maybe another week-old, taped one, huh??

 

the koni series is almost alway tape delayed.

beers

 

#70 at the Pole, #69 close up front in the grid...
My 1-2 day???

 

hey guys this was posted in another thread so you may have already seen it but still good stuff,,, first vid is a tech review from Nick Ham of the #70,,,, http://www.nyrotary.com/Pages/multimedia2.htm

 

Race Is Starting! (well Coverage Is)

 

forget this DP clutch slip issue what the hell happened to the 69 that it was in the pits for the last 5mins????

 

yah repost, but still worth seeing again

 

#70 FTW,, anyway the commentators never touched on what happened to the 69 and why it was in the pits for 10mins

 

Engine problems was the only explanation...

Congrats to Speedsource once more!!!