A moment shorter than the blink of an eye – a memory for eternity. The legendary GTLM finish at the 2016 Rolex 24 is turning ten years old. Motorsport.com spoke exclusively with Antonio Garcia, who narrowly lost out in a head-to-head duel with his long-time teammate Oliver Gavin.
It was the perfect finish for General Motors: Two yellow Corvette C7.Rs thundering side-by-side toward the finish line at Daytona International Speedway. In the end, the transponders declared Gavin in the #4 (Gavin/Milner/Faessler) was ahead of Garcia’s #3 (Garcia/Magnussen/Rockenfeller) by a mere 0.034 seconds.
At the time, it was the closest finish in the history of the race. It wasn’t eclipsed until 2023, when the LMP2 class victory was decided by 0.016 seconds. But it remains the closest finish ever for the GT classes at the Rolex 24.
The moment still haunts Garcia, but nowadays with a smile. Especially when we asked him about it, the Spaniard loves telling the story. That wasn’t always the case, as the now 45 year old admits the narrow defeat took a toll on him for months.
Let them race
It was far from a given that this showdown could happen at all. In a world of team orders, Corvette Racing exhibited real guts. Both Vettes had moved to the front of the GTLM field after the final pit stop and checked out.
The race could easily have been frozen in that situation. But Doug Feehan, the legendary Program Manager of Corvette Racing until 2020, let Gavin and Garcia race – under one strict condition.
"The only rule was we couldn't touch," Garcia recalled. "As soon as there was any contact, the race would have been frozen."
"It wasn't an easy decision for them, especially with all the big GM directors there, and all they wanted was a Corvette 1-2. But Doug convinced everyone that he trusted us completely."
For Garcia, the fight was the climax of a furious comeback. Due to a fuel cell issue two hours before the end, the #3 car had to make an extra stop. Garcia went on the attack, clawed back the deficit, and fought his way onto the bumper of the leading Gavin.
It was a battle between pros. Absolute radio silence, just man against man. "We both desperately wanted to win," Garcia said. "The priority was obviously the Corvette 1-2, but both of us absolutely wanted it for ourselves."
An iconic photo
In the end, the GM managers got more than they could have dreamed of. They didn't just get the 1-2 finish; they got a photo finish that was better for marketing than any staged arrival could ever be. Two yellow Corvette C7.Rs, side by side. An image that made history because it was earned honestly.
For the runner-up of that photo finish, however, it meant he would not be allowed to quickly forge the loss. "I had to sign that picture hundreds of times," the Spaniard admits.
"For years, that photo was the most requested item at autograph sessions. Of course, I was happy for the team, but I was the one who came out second."
For months, almost a full year, Garcia replayed the finale in his head: "You’re constantly thinking: What could I have done differently in Turn 1? Where should I have gotten on the gas earlier?" 34 milliseconds after 24 hours – where exactly was the time lost?
Back on the top step in 2021
The impact of the finish was evident a year later at Le Mans. When Garcia and Gavin were running together before the race weekend a French fan recognized them, jumped out of his car, and had that exact photo of the Daytona finish ready to be signed.
Garcia couldn’t believe it. "In the middle of a sports session at 7 a.m.", he laughed.
The wound from 2016 has since healed. Garcia took the GTLM win in 2021 alongside Nicky Catsburg and Jordan Taylor. "Every victory resets the process", Garcia said.
What remains is one of the cleanest and most spectacular duels in endurance racing history and an iconic moment for GM. "I’ve won this race on other occasions. So, in a way, I’m glad today to have been part of that moment, even though I finished second."
Antonio Garcia had already won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2009 (overall) and 2015 (GTLM), but he didn't fully settle the score of 2016 until 2021.
His record in championships is even more impressive: In 2025, he crowned his career with his sixth IMSA title together with Alexander Sims in the GTD Pro class. All of his six titles were won with Corvette.
