Motorsport: Daytona to forget for Scots

By JIM McGILL
Published on 28/01/2013 12:00

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya powered his No. 1 Ganassi Riley-BMW to victory in the Daytona 24 Hours.

There was disappointment for the four leading Scots in the race when they were all hit by mechanical problems. Airdrie’s Ryan Dalziel and Allan McNish from Dumfries, sharing the Starworks Riley-Ford, had moved into fourth, before McNish was forced on to the grass when the throttle on the car stuck.

Multiple IndyCar champ Dario Franchitti from Bathgate, in the No. 2 Ganassi car, led at the halfway stage after starting from second.

Minutes later, his American team-mate Jamie McMurray clattered a wall, damaging the car as he was dealing with his pitlane speed limiter. A storming drive saw them back up to seventh place, but with three hours 40 minutes remaining the car stopped on track.

Franchitti’s race lasted longer than his younger brother Marino’s. Debuting the SkyActiv diesel Mazda6, the car retired within two hours.