Record eight HSR Classic 24 run groups produce notable winners

The 12th running of the HSR Daytona Classic 24 presented by Mission Foods came to a competitive close Sunday afternoon with a diverse and deserving group of both first-time and repeat race winners. A record eight different run groups combined for 24 straight hours of racing from 2 p.m. EST on Saturday to just a few minutes before 2 p.m. EST today.

Among the notable victories was a first-time HSR Classic Endurance Championship series victory for a Mission Foods sponsored team in Run Group F by Juan Gonzalez, Roberto Gonzalez and IMSA Hall of Famer Butch Leitzinger aboard the 2017 No. 81 Cadillac Dallara DPi. Roberto Gonzalez won his first HSR Classic race, but his uncle Juan – in addition to an overall nighttime win in an LMPC car in a B.R.M Endurance Challenge race at Daytona in 2019 – previously scored an HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour Run Group victory co-driving his 2007 Pescarolo Judd LMP with Leitzinger in 2021.

This weekend's victory, however, was the first in HSR Classic for Juan Gonzalez in a Mission Foods liveried car, which was a trifecta of sorts for the largest tortilla and flatbread producer in the United States. It marked the first time a Mission Foods sponsored car won in a Mission partner series in a premier race sponsored by the global food producer. Leitzinger joins Juan Gonzalez as a three-time Classic 24 winner with his 2015 triumph, joining their 2021 and 2026 victories in the twice-around-the-clock race.

Juan Gonzalez, Roberto Gonzalez and IMSA Hall of Famer Butch Leitzinger scored their first series victory aboard the 2017 No. 81 Cadillac Dallara DPi. HSR photo

Another milestone victory was secured by Xavier Dayraut and Benjamin Chiron, who emerged early in the opening segment in Group P aboard their 1963 No. 139 Shelby Cobra 289 and led the way to secure the inaugural Sixties’ Endurance by Peter Auto victory at the Daytona Classic 24.

The result brought the weekend full circle, with the Shelby Cobra carrying the weekend’s Ford Feature Marque celebration to the top of the legendary group’s standings.

“We're French guys, and we race all around France and Europe with Peter Auto,” Dayraut said. “But to come here at the end of the year and win at Daytona was a real dream. Winning at Daytona is a big dream, and it's really special for us as Europeans.”

Chiron also reflected on the significance of making his Daytona debut after the pair’s win, highlighting the challenge of adapting to both the historic circuit and the Shelby Cobra, which he drove for the first time during the weekend.

“The banking was totally new for me, and the second surprise was the Cobra” Chiron said. “It was totally new for me, and this was my first time driving one this weekend. It was a perfect week, a perfect weekend.”

A pair of Jaguar E-Types rounded out the run group’s podium, with James Thorpe and Phil Quaife guiding their 1965 No. 43 Jaguar E-Type second as Olivier Breittmayer completed the podium with a third-place result in his 1963 No. 153 Jaguar E-Type.

Among the drivers and teams joining Juan Gonzalez and company as repeat HSR Classic Daytona winners were Scooter Gabel and Alegra Motorsports, who combined for an encore performance of their 2020 and 2024 run group victories.

Gabel co-drove with first-time HSR Classic 24 race winner Nick Padmore in the 1970 No. 60 Loka MkIII B in Run Group A as the duo battled with perennial HSR Classics powerhouse Toni Seiler in his Waite-and-See Motorsports 1970 No. 7 Lola T165 throughout the race.

While Seiler and team closed the lead gap on the No. 60 with a perfectly timed and executed pit stop in the final race segment, he was unable to overcome the advantage held by Gabel and Padmore, who endured a fuel pickup issue during the final two segments to secure the Run Group A victory and overall honors. It was the first win in HSR Classic competition for Padmore.

Seiler ultimately settled for second, while Craig Watkins and co-driver Taylor van Overbeek maintained their position inside the top three through the closing stints to secure third in the 901 Shop-prepared 1968 No. 46 Porsche 911 S/T as the top GT competitors in the class.

Run Group B, which joined Run Group A during the weekend’s running, saw Angus Rogers and KMW Motorsports put the crowning touch on a dominating weekend. In a controlled performance from start to finish, Rogers and co-driver Rocco Pasquarella swept all four segments aboard their KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR to claim the overall division win. The victory was the first HSR Classics run group win for both drivers and followed a previous run of five-straight podium showings by Rogers.

In a controlled performance from start to finish, Angus Rogers and co-driver Rocco Pasquarella swept all four segments aboard their KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR to claim the overall division win. HSR photo

Rogers carried his winning form from the HSR Daytona Historics into the endurance event after previously capturing victories this week in the SascoSports International/American Challenge presented by Hoosier and the B.R.M. Chronographs Legacy Enduro.

The consistency extended to the remainder of the Group B podium as Dean De Santis and Josh Tuggle held on for runner-up honors after moving into the position during the second segment in their AJR Heritage Motorsports-fielded 1969 No. 33 Porsche 911 RSR. Dick York and Automatic Racing team owner David Russell also remained inside the top three throughout all four segments, securing third in the popular 2001 No. 90 "Pinky" BMW E46 M3.

Another dominating performance produced a repeat and third career HSR Classic Daytona 24 Run Group win for Andrew Jordan and Mike Jordan aboard the Jordan Racing Team 2011 No. 77 Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup. The father-son duo controlled the competition throughout the event, in which they provided a clean sweep of all four segments.

Travis Bedson and Cory Friedman held on to the second-place position they established following the third segment to secure the runner-up finish aboard their Autometrics 2008 No. 014 Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup. Kevin Clayton and Kingpin Racing team owner Tyler Hoffman rounded out the podium, continuing their strong 2026 HSR campaign with a third-place finish in the 2018 No. 03 Mercedes-AMG GT4.