Ex-Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen had raced to a 30-second lead aboard the #02 Ganassi Cadillac DPi-V.R in the early morning hours, but an as-yet unexplained technical issue dropped the car to fourth with nine hours to go.
That meant it was Pipo Derani in command aboard the Whelen Engineering-sponsored #31 AXR Cadillac, just ahead of Loic Duval in the #5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Caddy.
All seven DPi entries remained on the lead lap at the halfway stage, but it wasn’t long before two cars hit trouble, namely the #48 Ally Racing and #01 Ganassi Cadillacs.
First to hit trouble was the Action Express Racing-run #48 car, as Jimmie Johnson made contact with a backmarker in the infield and sustained right-rear damage, the NASCAR ace-turned IndyCar driver limping back to the pits.
The car went behind the wall, with Johnson eventually emerging 23 laps down.
Soon after, it was the turn of the #01 Ganassi Caddy, which briefly led in the hands of Sebastien Bourdais, to hit trouble. An…
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