Yahoo Autos 42 entries for Michelin Pilot Challenge opener
IMSA has published the provisional entry list for the opening round of the 2025 Michelin Pilot Challenge, the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona.
A showcase event for the dual-class series, the entry list features 42 total entries: 26 GT4 cars in the GS (Grand Sport) class, and 16 TCR touring cars. 36 of these cars will also take part in testing during the Roar Before The Rolex 24 weekend.
“Two new models, the BMW M4 GT4 EVO and Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, will each make their Michelin Pilot Challenge debuts at Daytona. Turner Motorsport will enter two new M4 GT4 EVOs, as will Auto Technic Racing and CarBahn with Peregrine Racing — while two previous M4 GT4 models will appear, from Team ACP-Tangerine.
Francis Selldorff and Dillon Machavern will drive the No. 95 Turner BMW, with Matt Dalton, Patrick Gallagher, and Vincent Barletta in the No. 96. Stevan McAleer will join Roland and Austin Krainz in the No.27 Auto Technic BMW, while Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal reprise their roles in the No.39 CarBahn/Peregrine machine.
Francis Selldorff and Dillon Machavern will drive the No.95 Turner BMW, with Matt Dalton, Patrick Gallagher, and Vincent Barletta in the No.96. Stevan McAleer will join Roland and Austin Krainz in the No.27 Auto Technic BMW, while Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal reprise their roles in the No.39 CarBahn/Peregrine machine.
The restructured RAFA Racing, Hattori Motorsports, and Kingpin Racing will each enter a new Toyota.
The defending GS class champions, Team TGM, arrive with two new Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 ‘Evo’ models. 2024 GS drivers’ champion Matt Plumb will share the No.46 Aston Martin with Paul Holton, opposite Ted Giovanis, Hugh Plumb, and Kris Wilson in the No.64.
Last year’s GS runner-up, RS1, returns with a new line-up in the No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4: Teenage rising star Luca Mars, and Porsche veteran Jan Heylen. They’ll also be joined in a five-car Porsche contingent by last year’s TCR championship-winning team, Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports, moving up to GS with the No. 17 Porsche of Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor.
There are five Ford Mustang GT4s — including two from KoHR Motorsports. Billy Johnson Jr., the joint record-holder for most wins in the Michelin Pilot Challenge with Matt Plumb, returns to the series full-time in the No. 59 KoHR Ford Mustang. Johnson and Bob Michaelian will team up with the No. 60 KoHR Ford of Christian Bach, Dean Martin, and inaugural FEL Sports Car Championship Canada GT4 Champion, Marco Signoretti.
There is also a single McLaren Artura GT4 from Accelerating Performance, and a single Mercedes-AMG GT4 for Winward Racing, Bryce Ward and Daniel Morad.
TCR’s 16-car field has seven Hyundais, including four from Bryan Herta Autosport. 2024 series runners-up Mason Filippi and Mark Wilkins will be split up within the BHA camp: Wilkins will join Bryson Morris in the No. 33 Hyundai, and Filippi will join Harry Gottsacker in the No.98 car. Denis Dupont and Preston Brown remain together in the No.76 Hyundai.
Gou Racing, and the father-son team of Eddie and Eduardo Gou, will drive the new No.55 Cupra Leon VZ TCR that will make its American debut at Daytona. This is in preparation for Cupra entering the U.S. car market before the end of the current decade.
Five Audi RS3 LMS TCRs are entered, most notable the new two-car program from Precision Racing LA. Veteran Ryan Eversley will share the No. 7 PRLA Audi with 2025-26 IMSA Diverse Driver Scholarship recipient Celso Neto. They’ll be joined by three Honda Civic TCRs.
There are a few drivers still to be confirmed before the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona, which starts Friday, Jan. 24 at 1:45pm ET. The race will air in the United States on Peacock, and elsewhere around the world on YouTube and IMSA TV.