Action Express leads into final hours

Chip Ganassi Racing has had to work hard for victory, with a three-way battle raging into the final six hours. Following a strong stint from Ganassi's Justin Wilson, the lead has been swapped several times with the #6 Michael Shank Racing Riley-Ford and the #9 Action Express Riley-Porsche.

Max Papis drove the Ganassi car in a cold early morning before handing driving duties back to Scott Pruett. The Italian had to recover from a penalty for passing before the start-finish line on a restart and during his stint a brake change was performed under caution.

Following that he had a great battle for second place with AJ Allmendinger's #6 car, both fighting it out in the traffic while powering along the backstretch. The American eventually came out on top and later grabbed the lead of the race.

However, just after the 18 hour-mark Allmendinger's car suffered a right rear puncture, caused by contact with a GT Porsche. He was able to nurse the car back to the pits to get a new set of tyres, but he went a lap down in the process, leaving Rockenfeller leading for Action Express ahead of Pruett, with a comfortable gap splitting the two, although they were still both on the same lap.

Allmendinger and his team-mate Brian Frisselle are taking long stints behind the wheel, as the team's third driver Michael Valiante is feeling unwell and Matt Patterson is not expected to drive the car again.

"The #9 and the #01 are just really fast so at this point we've just got to go," said Frisselle. "The cold has saved us. I don't know about our car, but driver-wise, I would be dead right now if it was still as hot as it was, so thank God for the cold.

"I'm going back in, unfortunately Michael is feeling really sick and Mark is done for the day so it just might be up to AJ and I."

In the GT class the #71 TRG Porsche leads the way with former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte behind the wheel. They have already pulled two laps ahead of the #67 TRG/Flying Lizard Porsche, which was hampered by a sticking throttle. The #70 Speedsource Mazda RX8 runs third in class, three laps behind the leaders.