Castrol EDGE and Ford GT win the 24 Hours of Le Mans - Speedway Digest

History was made on the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe as the No. 68 Ford GT driven by Sébastien Bourdais, Joey Hand and Dirk Müller crossed the finish line to claim victory in the LM GTE Pro category at 24 Hours of the Le Mans. Known globally as the world’s most famous endurance race and the ultimate test of man and machine, the No. 68 Ford GT ran 340 laps and was ahead of the rival Ferrari 488 GTE that had to settle for a second place finish. The No. 69 Ford GT of Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon and Richard Westbrook also joined the winners on the podium after scoring third place. The Nos. 66 and 67 Ford GTs finished in fourth and ninth places, respectively.

A slew of strategically planned pit stops and driver changes allowed the No. 68 Ford GT to maximize the car’s fuel mileage while maintaining a solid lead among the other competitors. The twin-turbo 3.6L Ford EcoBoost V6 engine, producing over 600 horsepower, ran flawlessly throughout the 24-hour race as Castrol® EDGE® oil provided the performance needed for the Ford GT’s vital internal engine components in the most torturous and competitive racing environment.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to make this happen,” said Bourdais. “There was so much effort, so much emotion, and to be the one that wins the trophy to give to the Ford family and everyone involved is very special. Everything aligned for us today – – the history, the Ferrari/Ford battle, 50 years on and the Ford family being here. To come out on top of all that is an amazing feeling.”

The 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans marked the 50th anniversary of Ford’s triumphant victory, when in 1966, the Ford GT40 race cars crossed the finish line in first, second and third place. In preparation for this year’s race, the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing stable brought four Ford GTs to compete for another remarkable and historic win on the hallowed grounds of Le Mans.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.