Advertisement

Who's in the BMW M Endurance Challenge? What is the Michelin Pilot series? What to know.

ryan pritt, daytona beach news-journal
·5 min read

For those who have peaked at the Rolex 24 at Daytona schedule, a four-hour race on Friday afternoon, the last on-track event before the start of the twice-round-the-clock headliner on Saturday, serves as one of the highlights of the five-day-long slate.

But what is the BMW M Endurance Challenge? How does it work? Who’s driving in it? How long does it last?

All are great questions and, well, we’ve got answers.

For starters, the event is the opener for the Michelin Pilot Challenge, a series consisting of two classes of cars — the Grand Sport and Touring Car classes — and one that will run 10 events in conjunction with the IMSA WeatherTech Championship schedule thus far. The races will be two hours long with a couple of exceptions, including Daytona this week.

ROLEX 24 SCHEDULE: Mazda, Michelin Endurance races lead to 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona

The No. 38 from BGB Motorsports exits pit road during IMSA Michelin Pilot challenge for the Roar Before the 24 on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 at Daytona International Speedway.
The No. 38 from BGB Motorsports exits pit road during IMSA Michelin Pilot challenge for the Roar Before the 24 on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 at Daytona International Speedway.

And while no NASCAR drivers can be found in the Rolex 24 field, a full team of them will compete on Friday as Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek and Corey Heim team up in the No. 23 Smooge Racing Toyota Supra. Last year, Zane Smith and Harrison Burton, two Cup Series regulars, teamed up to take the overall win.

The race is set for a 1:45 p.m. start time.

So, who else is driving and what does the season schedule look like?

Find out below:

BMW M Endurance Challenge team, driver lineup

Grand Sport Class (GS)

  • No. 09 Automatic Racing, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Rob Ecklin, Ramin Abdolvahabi, Brandon Kidd.

  • No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing, Ford Mustang GT4. Drivers: Chad McCumbee, Jenson Altzman.

  • No. 16 Skip Barber Racing, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Ken Fukuda, Carter Fartuch, Will Lambros.

  • No. 19 van der Steur Racing, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Rory van der Steur, Valentin Hasse Clot, Dominic Starkweather.

  • No. 21 Rearden Racing, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Jake Pedersen, Vesko Kozarov.

  • No. 23 Smooge Racing, Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO. Drivers: Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek, Corey Heim.

  • No. 28 RS1, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Austin Krainz, Stevan McAleer, Trent Hindman.

  • No. 34 JMF Motorsports, Mercedes AMG GT GT4. Drivers: Michai Stephens, Jesse Webb.

  • No. 38 BGB MOTORSPORTS, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Thomas Collingwood, Spencer Pumpelly, Jeroen Bleekemolen.

  • No. 39 CarBAhn Motorsports, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Sean McAllister, Jeff Westphal.

  • No. 43 Stephen Cameron Racing, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Sean Quinlan, Gregory Liefooghe.

  • No. 44 Baby Bull Racing, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Moisey Uretsky, Michael Cooper.

  • No. 46 Team TGM, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Matt Plumb, Owen Trinkler.

  • No. 50 Hattori Motorsports, Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO. Drivers: Jack Hawksworth, Tyler Maxson.

  • No. 51 Hattori Motorsports, Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO. Drivers: Matt Forbush, Nick Galante, Mark Kvamme.

  • No. 57 WINWARD RACING, Mercedes AMG GT GT4. Drivers: Bryce Ward, Daniel Morad.

  • No. 59 KOHR MOTORSPORTS, Ford Mustang GT4. Drivers: Luca Mars, Bob Michaelian.

  • No. 64 Team TGM, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Ted Giovanis, Hugh Plumb, Kris Wilson.

  • No. 67 Czabok-Simpson Motorsport, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Sebastian Carazo, Nikita Lastochkin, Gordon Scully

  • No. 68 Smooge Racing, Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO. Drivers: Kevin Conway, John Geesbreght, Corey Lewis.

  • No. 69 Motorsports in Action, McLaren Artura GT4. Drivers: Michael de Quesada, Jesse Lazare.

  • No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing, Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo. Drivers: Frank DePew, Robin Liddell, Andrew Davis.

  • No. 88 Archangel Motorsports, Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Drivers: Todd Coleman, Aaron Telitz.

  • No. 91 Kellymoss with Riley, Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Drivers: Riley Dickinson, Michael McCarthy, Brady Golan.

  • No. 92 Random Vandals Racing, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Paul Sparta, Kenton Koch.

  • No. 94 Team ACP by Random Vandals, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Catesby Jones, Ken Goldberg, Terry Borcheller.

  • No. 95 Turner Motorsport, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Dillon Machavern, Robert Meginnis.

  • No. 96 Tuner Motorsport, BMW M4 GT4 (G82). Drivers: Francis Selldorff, Robby Foley.

Touring Car Class (TCR)

  • No. 5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering, Alfa Romero Giulietta Veloce TCR. Drivers: Tim Lewis, William Tally.

  • No. 6 Montreal Motorsport Group, Honda Civic FL5 TCR. Drivers: LP Montour, Bryan Ortiz.

  • No. 8 Victor Gonzalez Racing Team, Honda Civic FK7 TCR. Drivers: Colton Reynolds, Clayton Williams.

  • No. 15 Rockwell Autosport Development, Audi RS3 LMS SEQ. Drivers: Eric Rockwell, Douglas Oakley, Tom O’Gorman.

  • No. 17 JDC-Miller MotorSports, Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Drivers: Chris Miller, Mikey Taylor.

  • No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Harry Gottsacker, Robert Wickens.

  • No. 55 Gou Racing, Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Drivers: Eddie Gou, Eduardo Gou.

  • No. 61 Road Shagger Racing, Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Drivers: Gavin Emstone, Jon Morley.

  • No. 70 Deily Motorsport LLC, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Jacob Deily, Jordan Wisely.

  • No. 73 Racers Edge Motorsports, Honda Civic FK7 TCR. Drivers: Daniel Wu, Tazio Ottis.

  • No. 76 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Preston Brown, Denis Dupont, Nick Looijmans.

  • No. 77 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Taylor Hagler, Bryson Morris.

  • No. 80 Victor Gonzalez Racing Team, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Morgan Burkhard, Julian Santero.

  • No. 89 HART, Honda Civic FK7 TCR. Drivers: Chad Gilsinger, Steve Eich, Tyler Chambers.

  • No. 93 Montreal Motorsport Group, Honda Civic FL5 TCR. Drivers: Dai Yoshihara, Karl Wittmer.

  • No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Mason Filippi, Mark Wilkins.

  • No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing Team, Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Drivers: Tyler Gonzalez, Victor Gonzalez.

Michelin Pilot Challenge schedule

  • January 25-26: Daytona International Speedway (4 hours)

  • March 13-15: Sebring International Raceway (2 hours)

  • May 10-12: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (2 hours)

  • June 7-9: Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course (4 hours)

  • June 27-29: Watkins Glen International (2 hours)

  • July 12-14: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2 hours)

  • August 2-4: Road America (2 hours)

  • August 23-25: VIRginia International Raceway (2 hours)

  • September 20-21: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2 hours)

  • October 9-11: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (2 hours)

When is the Rolex 24?

  • Start time: 1:40 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27

  • End time: 1:40 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 28

  • How to watch: All 24 hours on Peacock. 1:30-2:30 p.m. (NBC). 2:30-8 p.m. (USA). 10 p.m.-midnight (USA). 6 a.m.-noon (USA). Noon-2 p.m. (NBC)

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: BMW M Endurance Challenge driver lineup | Rolex 24 at Daytona