Filipe Albuquerque found himself at the helm of the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 as it came to a standstill on the track, necessitating recovery by a tow truck.
Teamed up with Ricky Taylor, Brendon Hartley, and Marcus Ericsson, the car had assumed the lead after the first hour due to a strategic maneuver. Despite running with the leading pack for the initial eight hours, a sudden issue shattered any hopes of contending for victory.
In response to NBC’s inquiry about fixing the problem in the garage, Albuquerque expressed uncertainty, recounting the moment he detected a burning smell at the Bus Stop. Initially thinking it was the GT car in front, he soon realized the smell persisted after passing it.
Albuquerque reported the issue, but moments later, the car lost all power and systems as he shifted to seventh gear on the straight line. Attempting to troubleshoot, he found the car stuck in first gear due to the electric clutch, rendering towing impossible.
Albuquerque conceded that the Acura wasn’t realistically in contention for victory, citing the Cadillac V-Series.R as the frontrunner with what felt like a Formula 1-spec engine. While victory seemed unlikely, he believed the team could have fought for a podium position and expressed enjoyment despite the setback.
Team boss Wayne Taylor expressed disappointment as the team aimed to stay on the lead lap for the initial six hours. The car appeared to gain momentum but encountered the issue, with no clear indication of its origin.
Earlier, the No. 40 WTRA Acura lost a lap due to a power steering failure in the fourth hour. However, capitalizing on a full-course caution with Colton Herta at the wheel allowed the team to rejoin the leaders.
Herta, partnered with Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, and Jenson Button, who joined for the Rolex 24, remained optimistic about their competitiveness, especially after swiftly fixing the power steering issue.
By Hour 9, Button had steered the car to fifth place, positioning the team for potential recovery.