2025
News

Late incident denies Sheena Monk and Triarsi teammates strong result

at 24H Daytona

1/27/25 (via racers-behindthehelmet.com)

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Sharing the 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 for the first time with James Calado, Stevan McAleer and Mike Skeen, Sheena Monk was denied a potential strong finish at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona when her teammate Calado was hit in the final hour by a competitor while battling at the front of the GTD class.

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Sheena Monk, who shared the #021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 for the first time with teammates James Calado, Stevan McAleer and Mike Skeen, was denied a potential strong finish at the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona when Calado was hit in the final hour of the race by a competitor - who was the handed a drive through penalty for causing the accident - while battling at the front of the GTD class.

 

The crew had been running solidly in the top ten for the entire race and built on a clean race, with no incidents or issues that had placed Ferrari factory driver Calado in a prime position for a strong finish at the final restart.

 

On her third participation at the endurance classic, Sheena Monk completed her driving shifts with precision and consistency, cautiously keeping the car out of trouble and navigating traffic with efficiency. The American bronze-rated driver, in her first race at the wheel of the Ferrari 296 GT3, collected valuable experience after switching from the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22, which she had driven to a fourth place finish in 2022 on her GTD debut.

 

Monk, who shares the car with McAleer for a full time campaign like in 2024, when she claimed her first podium in the series at Road America, has traditionally been a very reliable bronze driver and the 2025 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona seemed to be another showcase of her skills until the collision with the #32 Mercedes, which halted their chances. The team would be classified in eleventh place, completing 688 laps.

 

Ferrari had shown strong pace since the ROAR Before the 24 collective test, and this optimism continued into official practice, where the car ran close to the top five.

 

On Thursday, James Calado in the #021 Triarsi Ferrari tackled the qualifying session.

In the 15-minute session, Calado quickly moved into the top 2, then took provisional pole with a 1:46.9. While falling to 6th with 5 minutes to go, he then pitted from tenth place, not attempting a final run. The Triarsi Competizione driver concluded the session in P11, a strong effort for the team ahead of the 24-hour race.

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61 cars, 4 classes, and 24 hours of pure racing: the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona got underway on Saturday afternoon at 1.30pm local time.

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A spin for the #2 United Autosport LMP2 Oreca at turn 1 caused some mayhem among the GTD classes, but everyone avoided the incident and got through cleanly.

 

James Calado, starting in the #021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari, made an incredible start, moving up from P11 to P5 in class. Calado eventually settled in P6, passing a couple of GTD Pro entries, and continued running strong on a 1:48 pace in the early stages.

He gained on Daniel Serra as the two battled for position, before eventually settling into seventh place with a healthy margin over the car behind.

 

Calado closed the gap and joined the leading group of GTD drivers, with the top seven within less than 3 seconds as the race reached the 1-hour mark.

 

After 1 hour in the books, James Calado brought the green #021 Ferrari onto pit road for the team’s first stop of the race. Sheena Monk took over in sixth place after a remarkable first stint by Ferrari factory driver.

 

Sheena settled into 8th place, running on a 1:50 pace and holding her ground, maintaining a spot in the top ten in a highly competitive GTD field. Monk fell slightly back but remained consistent in her rhythm in the following hour. She was overtaken by Gatting, but as several GTD cars began their second round of stops at the 2-hour mark, Monk stayed out a bit longer, then pitted on lap 60, having cycled up to seventh.

 

Monk improved her pace, going under the 1:50 barrier, setting a 1:49.3, and running in P15. She stayed close to Salih Yoluc, matching his pace. The first caution of the race came at 21 hours and 50 minutes to go when the #11 TDS Racing LMP2 Oreca found the barriers at turn 3, leading to the first neutralization. When the pit lane opened, all the GTD class cars pitted to refuel.

 

Triarsi Competizione executed a good pit stop, and Monk emerged in P11. The green flag waved with 21 hours and 25 minutes to go: Sheena managed the restart well, maintaining P14, keeping the car clean and out of trouble in a gaggle of GTD cars. She climbed to P15 on lap 82, passing Potter's Aston Martin.

 

She came under pressure from Lilou Wadoux, who had served a drive-through for a pit lane infraction. While Wadoux hot past the Ferrari, Monk caught up with Graham Doyle in the #45 WTR Lamborghini as the race hit the 3-hour mark. Sheena was up to 15th and had gained a few seconds—a solid run for the bronze-rated driver.

 

As GTD cars began their fourth round of pit stops, Monk extended her stint and ran as high as fifth. The American brought the car back into the pits on lap 104, with Stevan McAleer taking over with 20 hours and 32 minutes to go. McAleer overtook Doyle’s WTR Lamborghini and climbed to P16; just as the race reached the end of the fourth hour, the second caution of the race came when the Tower Motorsports LMP2 spun and there was an issue for the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing GTP car of Alex Palou, which came to a halt and had to be towed back to the pits.

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McAleer had managed to move into P14. As the sun set over Daytona and the temperatures dropped, the pit lane opened for GTD on lap 130, and everyone pitted.

 

Mike Skeen took over the #021 Triarsi Ferrari, rejoining in P12. The restart came almost 30 minutes later, now in the dark, as the sun had quickly gone down.

 

Skeen had a brilliant start to his stint, immediately passing four cars and moving up into P9. He continued his great recovery drive, reaching P8 by lap 150. After a stellar run, he pitted, and James Calado returned to the wheel of the JG Wentworth Ferrari, now in contention for a top five finish.

 

Calado put in some great laps and continued the charge for the #021 Ferrari and passed Farnbacher’s Forte Racing Lamborghini for fourth. The third full-course yellow of the race came when the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin of Andy Lally came to a halt at turn 2 due to a fluid leak. Most of the field pitted when the pit lane opened for GTD.

 

Calado stayed out, which moved him up to third, behind the #70 Inception Ferrari and the #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche. The restart came with 18 hours to go, and the top three in GTD battled for the lead, with Calado attacking Tom Sargent for second, with a big train of cars right behind. Calado made the move stick and then hunted down Schandorff: he eventually took the lead on lap 184, however, Schandorff fought back - with four cars vying for the lead.

 

Schandorff eventually pitted, leaving James Calado in the lead, 1.5 seconds clear of the closest pursuer. Calado’s stint ended from the lead, and Sheena Monk returned behind the wheel for her second stint of the race in a strong position.

 

Monk stayed close to Bechtolsheimer in P13, maintaining a safe margin to Patrese, who, however, was making up some time. The fourth full-course yellow came when the #007 Aston Martin from The Heart of Racing lost a wheel and caused a caution.

The neutralization wiped out the margin Monk had over the cars behind; she was running a bit quicker than the Gradient Mustang at around a 3-second gap.

 

Sheena Monk pitted and stayed in the cockpit, keeping 14th. Chaos ensued at the restart, with several cars involved in an incident, which brought out another caution. The #48 Paul Miller Racing BMW, #40 WTR Cadillac, #77 Inception Racing Ferrari, #73 Pratt Miller Oreca, #2 United Autosport Oreca, and #9 Pfaff Motorsport Lamborghini were all caught up in the melee.

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Sheena Monk lost one place at the restart, falling to 16th but then improved her times. She overtook Doyle for 15th, further settling into P14 before pitting again, with Stevan McAleer taking over.

 

Over the next stint, McAleer made up positions, climbing back into the top ten. He set some really good laps and sectors, as the #021 Ferrari passed Skeer, moving up into 8th as the team approached midnight. McAleer passed the #78 Lamborghini as well before the next full-course yellow, when he had made it back to seventh.

 

This triggered a collective pit stop when the pits opened. Mike Skeen took over and cycled down to 13th after the stop. Once back under green, Skeen ran the team’s best sector times, overtaking the sister Triarsi Ferrari, and kept the top ten position after the round of pit stops.

 

Skeen cycled into the lead before pitting on lap 337, with Calado taking over and rejoining in seventh. Calado quickly became one of the fastest in class, making it back into the top five. The Brit passed Agostini for 4th, pitted under caution, and alternated with Stevan McAleer.

 

The Scottish driver found himself right in the mix of the top ten at the following restart, with 14 cars packed together within seconds; he now had a group of three cars really close to defend, including Lilou Wadoux, and was passed by Stevenson.

 

The Triarsi Ferrari pitted with 10 hours and 35 minutes to go, and McAleer stayed in control.

 

With 10 hours to go, a new caution came out when Tom Dillmann came to a halt. McAleer stayed out during the round of pit stops, taking the GTD lead.

 

The Triarsi Ferrari led the restart but fell behind Stevenson’s Heart of Racing Aston and came under pressure from Alessio Rivera in the sister car, which had also stayed out. McAleer still ran among the front-runners, settling in fourth for the remainder of the stint. He then had to stop off sequence, and Skeen jumped back in the JG Wentworth Ferrari.

 

Skeen lost a few places but steadily stayed in the top ten, holding P9 with 9 hours to go.

His pace was improved on his second-stint after a pit stop, as he managed to overtake the #96 Turner BMW and started gaining on the #45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini.

 

With two-thirds of the race in the books, Mike Skeen made his way back into P10, off sequence but untroubled.

 

On lap 486 James Calado returned onboard: the Brit immediately put in blistering pace, setting the new fastest lap overall in the GTD class at 1:47.403. The Ferrari factory driver steadily gained ground. As the field progressively cycled through the stops, James Calado made his way back into ninth place with 7 hours to go. He pitted with 6 hours and 38 minutes to go but stayed in the car.

 

Light emerged in the sky, with the sun starting to rise over the iconic Daytona Speedway. The Triarsi Ferrari cycled from P14 to the top five in between rounds of pit stops, having gone off sequence. Next up was Stevan McAleer once again.

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The FCY came when the #04 Crowdstrike by APR Oreca overshot turn 3 and hit the barriers. The pit lane opened, and most of the GTD field pitted. At the green flag, everyone was on cold tyres, and multiple collisions occurred at turn 1. Alessandro Pier Guidi in the #21 AF Corse Ferrari went deep and collided with the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes and the #78 Lamborghini, ending up in the barriers. Another FCY was called.

 

McAleer was in sixth for the new restart; he survived the restart, falling to seventh, but then recovered on Dontje’s Winward Mercedes. He stayed in the leading group with 5 hours to go, still in the top ten, despite some cars being on different strategies. He pitted on lap 578and stayed onboard.

 

McAleer returned to a competitive pace and was in the clutches of the #96 Turner BMW, second among the bronze entries. Mike Skeen was up next in the #021 machine with 3 hours and 40 minutes to go.

 

With 2 hours to go, the leading LMP2 car, the #88 AF Corse Oreca, ground to a halt at turn 1, triggering a full-course yellow and opening new opportunities.

 

Skeen was in P9 at the time of the neutralization: he pitted when the pit lane opened for GT cars, and James Calado was ready for the final push. After 23 hours and 10 minutes of racing, 11 cars in GTD were still in the hunt for the win, with all to play for.

 

The green flag waved, and Calado aimed to use his experience, gaining a position on Mattia Drudi, whose #27 Aston Martin had picked up some damage in a previous unrelated incident. Calado continued to apply pressure and passed Arthur Leclerc, moving into seventh, then battled with Goetz, found a way past, but Drudi fought back.

 

Calado found himself in a big gaggle of cars, and there was contact in traffic as the BMW GTP tried to navigate the GTD field. He was then again hit by Goetz's Mercedes - who received a drive-through penalty - picking up suspension damage and was forced to pit. Their chances were gone with 59 minutes to go.

 

Unfortunately, the race ended with less than one hour to go, with realistic chances for a podium and even a victory. Nevertheless, it was a very positive first outing for the JG Wentworth Ferrari, with Sheena Monk once again showcasing clean and reliable driving. The strong lineup could have topped her personal best at Daytona, but instead, the team was classified in 11th place.

 

Despite the result, it was a season opener that showed plenty of promise for Monk, who will return behind the wheel for the second round at the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 15th.