The Eighth Running of the Historic Sportscar Racing Classic Daytona presented by IMSA featured a full day of competition and three hours of night practice Thursday at Daytona International Speedway where this week’s first winners were crowned in a trio of feature races.
A packed five-day schedule of events at the “World Center of Racing” includes not only this weekend’s HSR Classic 24 but also the Daytona Historics that are part of HSR’s full-season championships. Thursday’s Daytona Historics feature races included the HSR Sasco Sports International/American Challenge and the HSR Stoner Car Care Global GT and HSR Classic RS Cup races
The Sasco Sports sprint kicked things off and was won by Angus Rogers who overcame transmission issues on the race’s final lap to take the victory in his KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR. Photo: HSR
The Global GT sprint shared the track with Classic RS Cup race which was won by Damon DeSantis in his 1974 No. 82 Porsche 911 RSR from Heritage Motorsports. Photo: Robin Thompson
Friday’s on-track schedule features a one-hour B.R.M. Chronographes Prototype/Historic and GT Modern (GTM) Endurance Challenge race at 10:40 a.m. EDT, Classic 24 qualifying races and the first WeatherTech Sprint Races of the weekend for all groups.
The off-track highlight is the first HSR Classic 24 Panel and Q&A since 2019. This year’s guest list is led by Bob Riley and Bill Riley, the father-and-son team behind the success of this week’s HSR Classic 24 Featured Marque Riley Technologies.
Photo: Robin Thompson
Thursday’s night practice is the first opportunity for drivers to prepare for the Classic 24, Photo: Robin Thompson
Even at the age of 91, Bob Riley still works every day and never stops designing and developing race cars. His partner for more than the last 30 years has been his son, Bill, who is an accomplished designer and engineer in his own right but has also built the Riley Motorsports team-related business into a true global power. The Rileys will be joined by their fellow engineering and design partner with Riley & Scott, Mark Scott, longtime Riley customer competitor George Robinson and three-time Rolex 24 At Daytona overall winners Andy Wallace and Butch Leitzinger.
The Riley Panel and Q&A is open to all ticket holders and credentialed guests, media and competitors tomorrow, Friday, November 4, at 4:30 p.m. EDT in the Daytona International Speedway Drivers Meeting room.
Photo: Robin Thompson
Photo: Robin Thompson
Information on the 2022 HSR Classic Daytona and the accompanying HSR Daytona Historics, including the event schedule and much more, can be found by clicking HERE.
