2007 Rolex 24 at Daytona - Live reporting from the XM Satellite Radio VICI Racing pits

5:45 PM With just a quarter of an hour to go before the pit garages are shut, there is much discussion going on between the technical guys; Doug meanwhile shoots away, procuring a supply of golf carts, which he reveals, are like "gold dust". Another key figure in the multinational team personnel line-up is Alfred Herberth, the Technical Director of VICI Racing (Germany) who is over in Florida this week to play a key role in the Daytona operation. He is also a veteran of the successful 1993 GT class win in the Daytona 24 Hours, a result that put the team on the map, and Alfred has been an integral part of the VICI Racing set-up now for more than two decades.

4:15 PM There are just two Fabcar chassis at Daytona this week, and the VICI engineering team are very confident that there is much potential to be coaxed out of the chassis. "It's a very solid car, there is little flex," comments VICI Racing Technical Director & Chief Engineer Roland Wall. "Tomorrow we will be working on the car's balance in particular, and dialling in new suspension setups which we have drawn from the test days earlier this month," he adds. Roland is a highly experienced motor racing engineer, and was working earlier this month with Volkswagen on their Lisboa-Dakar Rally challenge.

3:30 PM VICI Racing Logistics Manager Doug Smith has a very busy day. While the pace up and down the pitlane is somewhat on the sedate side today, Doug though is busy making sure all the equipment is in the right place, in the right quantities, and that people know where they should be - and when. With motor racing having coursed through his veins since a very early age, he's a steady hand, and he exudes a calm air around him as he resolves the myriad of issues that arise.

2:53 PM The team's youngest driver in the XM Satellite Radio VICI Racing Daytona line-up is 21-year-old Robert Renauer, one of two German drivers in the line up (the other is Uwe Alzen). He's looking forward to the action getting underway, "We have good drivers, the engineers are working hard, and the car will hopefully progress over the next two days." Robert is also busy eyeing up the sky, which is becoming more and more overcast as the afternoon progresses, "I hope it doesn't rain," he adds.

2:00 PM The #18 XM Satellite Radio VICI Racing Porsche-Fabcar has swiftly passed through the Grand American organisers' technical checks and scrutineering procedures; with this out of the way the mechanics can now get down to work preparing and setting up the car for tomorrow's opening practice sessions. And while today is seeing the team getting itself set up, it is really the calm before the storm, tomorrow will see a string of track practice sessions building up to final the qualifying runs.