In 24 Hours, Action Express Racing a quick winner

(AP) — Joao Barbosa has powered Action Express Racing to the 24 Hours of Daytona title with an improbable victory in the organization's first appearance in the sports car endurance race.

The newly formed team avoided major mechanical problems and benefited from a late blunder by star-studded Chip Ganassi Racing to win by 50 seconds Sunday. Ganassi's Justin Wilson was leading before he made an ill-advised stop into the garage late, believing something was wrong with the No. 01 BMW Riley.

The crew didn't find anything, and the difference was too much for teammate Scott Pruett to make up in the final two hours. The group that has dominated the race recently could only watch as it lost to a team with few sponsors that, weeks ago, didn't exist.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Engine problems gave the 24 Hours of Daytona a twist Sunday, with the Chip Ganassi Racing car that dominated the first day falling out and the organization's second entry one of two cars on the lead lap more than 18 hours into the sports car endurance race.

Scott Pruett was guiding Ganassi's No. 01 BMW Riley about 10 seconds behind Mike Rockenfeller of Action Express Racing.

But some of the biggest names were far out of contention come sunrise.

The most startling development came shortly after midnight, when Ganassi's No. 02 car had a piston failure in the engine. Drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Jamie McMurray had led a combined 132 of the opening 247 laps.

Then suddenly, stunningly, they were out.

Ganassi had three straight wins in the prestigious endurance race until finishing second last year in the closest finish in the event's history. The organization might still recapture the top spot this time around.

Just not with the car everybody expected.

Pruett, Max Papis, Justin Wilson and Memo Rojas were powering ahead toward the lead. But the wear-and-tear of the twice-around-the-clock race offers no guarantees of a strong finish.

A.J. Allmendinger was in the lead to begin the 18th hour until the No. 6 Ford Riley punctured a tire after contact with a slower GT class car, losing a lap. Ryan Hunter-Reay of NPN Racing was also a lap back, and the rest of the field was at least five behind the leader.

For others, time to catch up was running out.

Four-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and the Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing team were off to a fast start after the first day. But they lost about seven laps in the 13th hour with engine problems, and remained about seven laps behind after 18 hours.

Conditions were much better than the rain-soaked start.

There were 16 cautions, including at the beginning Saturday with rain still falling, before the green flag was waved five laps into the race. Daytona International Speedway was slick Saturday and kept the track even cooler over night.

Overcast and cool Sunday, the limited sun was expected to change the track temperature slightly.

But most of the 44-car field that began — that included 29 of the slower GT class cars — were out of contention. Still, the 3.56-mile road course that encompasses about three-fourths of the NASCAR oval would get warmer with the sun rising, perhaps giving others more traction and time to catch up.