Each year since its inception the event has grown in stature with competitors and in popularity with race fans,
as witnessed by the large number of motor homes and tents lining the infield section of the circuit this year,
despite the inclement weather forecast. They were not disappointed as they had plenty of action spanning a
wide variety of classic race categories, together with the finale of the Trans Am season with a pair of one hour
races for each of the two groups, one on the Friday and the other on the Saturday preceding the start of the
Daytona 24 Classic. Each of these races had 26 entrants, featuring a colourful array of Ford Mustangs,
Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Challengers in the TA2 class race, whilst the TA/SGT/GT class race had a
broader span of cars, including examples of the above, along with Porsches, Corvettes, Mercedes-AMG
GT4s, and loan examples of an Aston Martin N24, a Dodge Viper and a Cadillac CTSV. Both races were real
“Rolling Thunder” with plenty of close action, a number of incidents, which unfortunately meant that the TA2
race ended under a full course caution, with Thomas Merrill’s Mustang taking the race win from 16 year old
Sam Mayer on the road, although the latter’s Camaro was disqualified in post race scrutineering for a non
compliance. Victory in the TA/SGT/GT race also went to a Ford Mustang, this being the example driven by
Chris Dyson, who finished just ahead of TA class season champion Ernie France Jnr. The season
championship title in the TA2 category had already been won by Mark Miller in his Dodge Challenger at the
penultimate round of the series at the Circuit of the Americas.
Within the Daytona 24 Classic entry list, which ran to some 180 cars, there was a wide span of models and
types, ranging from a 1964 Jaguar E-Type to a 2017 Porsche 911 GT3. Within this broad span of years, there
were examples of saloon cars, like a BMW M3 and a Subaru Impreza, GT cars including Ferrari 360 and 458
Challenge cars plus a 458 GT3, a veritable raft of Porsche 911 variants together with 962 sports racing
models, one of which Derek and Justin Bell shared the driving with Gunnar Jeanette and Rodrigo Sales to win
the Group C/D class. Then there were Daytona Prototypes like the Riley-BMW and Corvette Coyote, and
further evocative sports prototypes like the beautiful TOJ SC204 from 1976, to more modern examples like the
pair each of 2005 Audi R8s and 2007 Pescarolo 01-Judds, plus the rare chance to see the very attractive
blue, black and chrome liveried Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, also from 2007, being driven spiritedly to take the
Group E class win driven by David Porter.
Apart from the race activity there were the car corrals for various marques, which also did parade laps, an
exotics display courtesy of Festivals of Speed, including a McLaren Senna in black and yellow, and the
vendor area. Of the corrals, the most intriguing and interesting was the one for VW Kombi variants, with an
amazing selection of restored, distressed, customised and original examples in virtually every form that it
must have been supplied in, and then some – imagination knows no boundaries! These also did a parade
around the infield portion of the track.
Race Podiums
24 Classic Group A
1st - #771, T. Seiler,Lola T70 Mk IIIb
2nd - #86, M. Lauber/N. Colyvas, Chevron B16
3rd - #29, G. Bryant/O. Bryant, Chevrolet Camaro Z28
24 Classic Group B
1st - #21, A. Ruede, Chevrolet Camaro IROC
2nd - #8, R. Blain/M. Devis, March 75 S
3rd - #26, G. Gregory/R. Buck, Chevron B26
24 Classic Group C/D
1st - #14, R. Sales/G. Jeanette/D. Bell/J. Bell, Porsche 962
2nd - #54, F. Barber/T. Borcheller, Doran JE4 DP
3rd - #19, R. Howe/R. Cox, Ford Mustang T/A
24 Classic Group E
1st - #7, D. Porter, Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
2nd - #18, J. Gonzales Moreno/B. Leitzinger, Pescarolo 01-Judd
3rd - #16, R. Johnson/R. Bradley, Pescarolo 01-Judd
24 Classic Group F
1st - #9, J.C. France/T. Jernum/J. Barbosa, Corvette Coyote DP
2nd - #20, D. Yount/R. Lewis, Oreca LM09
3rd - #33, J. Reisman/E. Curran, Corvette Coyote DP
24 Classic Group G
1st - #39, T. Napieralski/L. Saunders, Chevrolet Camaro
2nd - #99, D. Russell/R. Adalnahabi/S. Davison, Aston Martin Vantage
3rd - #151, A. Rogers/K. Wheeler, Porsche 911 RSR
BRM Vintage/GTC Enduro
1st - #441, T. Truffet/L. Keen, Porsche 911 IROC
2nd - #151, A. Rogers/K. Wheeler, Porsche 911 RSR
3rd - #82, E. Wilding/J. Wilding, BMW M3
BRM H/P/GT Enduro
1st - #8, M. Kvamme, Oreca FL09
2nd - #333, M. Schultis/P. Simon, Mercedes-AMG SLS GT3
3rd - #27, M. Montour/L. Montour, Aston Martin Vantage GT3
Daytona Historics Groups 2, 3 & 5
1st - #6, B. Hoyt, Chevrolet Corvette
2nd - #441, L. Treffort, Porsche 911 IROC
3rd - #13, M. Banz/K. Blaha, Porsche 911 RSR
Daytona Historics Groups 6, 7 & 11
1st - #9, J.C. France/T. Jernum/J. Barbosa, Corvette Coyote DP
2nd - #5, N. Leutwiller/M. Marateotti, Lola B07/18
3rd - #241, C. & M. DeQueseda/D. Morad/S. Gabel/B. Johnson, Riley-BMW DP
Daytona Historics Groups 8, 9 & 10
1st – #27, M. Montour/L.P. Montour, Aston Martin Vantage GT3
2nd - #333, M. Schultis/P. Simon, Mercedes-AMG SLS GT3
3rd - 28, C. & M. DeQueseda/D. Morad/S. Gabel/B. Johnson, Porsche 911 RSR
Sasco Sports International Cup
1st - #441, T. Treffert, Porsche 911 IROC
2nd - #13, M. Banz/K. Blaha, Porsche 911 RSR
3rd - #59, F. Beck, Porsche 914/6
Global GT
1st - #55, S. Pagliaroli, Porsche 997.2 Cup
2nd - #901, P. Gilsdorf, Porache 996.1 Cup
3rd - #22, S. Davison, Aston Martin N24
Classic RS Cup
1st - #158, B. Johnson, Porsche 911 RSR
2nd - #9, J. Lewis, Porsche 911 RSR
3rd - #28, B. Refenning, Porsche 911 IROC
Trans Am TA2
1st - #99, T. Merrill, Ford Mustang
2nd - #34, T. Buffemante, Ford Mustang
3rd - #77, D. Machavern, Ford Mustang
Trans Am TA/SGT/GT
1st - #20, C. Dyson, Ford Mustang
2nd - #98, E. Francis Jnr, Ford Mustang
3rd - #17, A. Andretti, Chevrolet Corvette
Keith Bluemel
11/2019
|
