The 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona (also known as the 24 Hours of Daytona) marked the first race of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series, which was created from the merger of the American LeMans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series.
For 24 hours, race cars zipped around the Daytona International Speedway, testing the patience of man and the durability of machine. The team of Action Express Racing, consisting of drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais took the checkered flag.
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A massive wreck between driver's Memo Gidley and Matteo Malucelli momentarily stopped the race early on. Both drivers survived the incident, though Gidley suffered a broken back among other injuries as a result of the accident. After around 90 minutes, racing resumed and it was business as usual.
Below are images of the crash, the rest of the race and the changing environmental conditions that come with racing for 24 hours straight.
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Before You Go
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Rescue workers move driver Memo Gidley, center, to an ambulance after he was involved in a crash during the IMSA Series Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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The GAINSCO Corvette DP is hauled away on a wrecker after driver Memo Gidley was involved in a crash during the IMSA Series Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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The #0 DeltaWing Racing Cars driven by Andy Meyrick, Katherine Legge, Alexander Rossi and Gabby Chaves races during the ROLEX 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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The #5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Sebastien Bourdais and Burt Frisselle races during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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Patrick Dempsey poses with team of the #73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America during a media event for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 23, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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Patrick Dempsey, co-driver of the #27 Dempsey Racing Porsche 911 GT America waits in the pit area during practice for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 23, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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The #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Telcel-Target Riley DP driven by Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Jamie McMurray and Sage Karem races during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26, 2014 in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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The #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports driven by Nelson Canache Jr, Spencer Pumpelly, Tim Pappas and Markus Winkelhock races during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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Jerry Markland via Getty Images
The #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Telcel/Target Riley DP driven by Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Jamie McMurray and Sage Karam races during the night at the ROLEX 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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Race cars under the lights during practice for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty Images)
Chris Trotman via Getty Images
The #28 Dempsey Racing Porsche 911 GT America driven by Christian Engelbert, Rolf Ineichen, Klaus Bachler, Lance Wilsey and Franz Konrad drives during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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The #51 Spirit of Race Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Matt Griffin, Marco Cioci, Michele Rugolo and Jack Gerber races during the ROLEX 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
Jerry Markland via Getty Images
The #7 Starworks Motorsports ORECA FLM09 driven by Alex Popov, Martin Fuentes, Issac Tutumiu, Kyle Mercelli and Pierre Kafer races during the ROLEX 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
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The #5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Sebastien Bourdais and Burt Frisselle takes the checkered flag at the finish line to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Action Express team, from left, Christian Fittipaldi, of Brazil, Joao Barbosa, of Portugal and Sebastien Bourdais, of France celebrate in Victory Lane after winning the IMSA Series Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. (AP Photo/John Raoux)