Both drivers led the race, with Roush leading the 63-car field around the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway for eight laps; Plumb led for two circuits late in the race. Unfortunately, the race ended under caution so he never got the chance to battle for the race win as the clock ticked across the three-hour mark signaling the end of competition.

Roush qualified the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang in fourth, but got shuffled back to sixth in the melee on the first lap. He settled in there for 16 laps around the stadium road course, and then started his climb through the field.

"It was really strange (to be racing Martin), but it was also a lot of fun. We had a nice clean race together, but didn't cut each other any slack," Roush claimed. Roush drafted Martin through the high-banks and down the front straight into the first turn when he dove inside and took the lead on lap 29. Roush paced the field through lap 36 when he pitted and Plumb climbed into the cockpit.

On lap 68 Plumb got past the BMW M3 of Bill Auberlen and took the lead. Unfortunately, in a fierce battle with Auberlen and Ken Wilden in the No. 59 Mustang he was hit in the rear and slipped to third.

Though the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang was certainly quick enough for the overall win, the race ended under caution and Plumb slowly circled the track in second place when the checkered flag dropped.

"We were inches away from the win," Plumb said after the race. "We got bumped out of the lead on what turned out to be the very last lap of green flag racing. Jack drove the wheels off the car today, and was a huge part of our success."

The race was taped for a broadcast on SPEED Channel on Saturday, January 31 at 4 p.m. (Eastern). The next event on the KONI Sports Car Challenge schedule is the March 13-15 contest at Homestead-Miami Speedway.