2025 HSR Daytona Classic 24/Daytona Historics, Day 1

2025 HSR Daytona Classic / Daytona Historics
Practice and Qualifying, Thursday, 06 November 2025

Daytona.  A name synonymous with racing and speed, steeped in the history of stock and sports car racing.  It is inseparable from the many greats who have raced here.  In the world of racing, this is hallowed ground.  Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile tri-oval racetrack, with a 3.56-mile road course. It has been host to the Daytona 500 since 1959 and the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1966.  Now, some fifty-nine years later, the HSR hosts the Daytona Classic 24/Daytona Historics racing event.

Getting Started At the 2025 HSR Daytona Classic

I know my way around this track. I’ve been here several times for other events but this was the first time I was here exclusively for an HSR event .  It was also the first time that I covered an event here with media credentials. 

There are plenty of great spectator areas around the track for photography. Honestly, you don’t need any sort of credential or special pass to do it. Some of the best locations are the infield grandstands. There are two sets by turn 3 and a few more by turns 5 and 6. Almost anywhere along the fenceline is good as well. The only place not accessible is the back straight outside Taylor Lake (which sadly, includes the “bus stop”).

The 2025 HSR Daytona Classic was split into seven lettered groups A thru G for testing.

HSR Classic 24 Group A: Early FIA and SCCA (pre-1972) sports cars

• FIA Prototypes
• WSC and Grand Touring cars
• International GT through 1968
• Unclassified HSR Group 2/3

HSR Classic 24 Group B: Early IMSA GTX/AAGT/GTO/GTU 1973-1982

• FIA sports cars
• IMSA / SCCA TransAm / FIA GTO and GTU
• GT3 / World Challenge
• IMSA RS Early and Late models
• unclassified HSR Group 5A.

HSR Classic 24 Group C: Late IMSA GT/GTP era (1983-1993) cars

• IMSA GTP, GTPL / Camel Lights / FIA Group C2 Prototypes
• IMSA GTX / AAGT
• IMSA GTO / GTU / FIA Groups A and B
• Unclassified HSR Groups 5B and 8.

HSR Classic 24 Group D: Early GrandAm / GT era (1984-2003)

• GrandAm SRP-I / II / LMP 900/675
• Grand American Daytona Prototypes (gen 1 unmodified)
• IMSA / FIA WSC
• Grand Touring Supreme
• World Challenge / Cup.

HSR Classic 24 Group E: Modern Era GT (2004-2020)

• FIA/IMSA GT1/GTLM/DTM/GTE
• FIA/IMSA GT2/GTD/Current GT2
• FIA/IMSA SRP and Current GT3
• Current Cup/Challenge cars
• GrandAm GT1/GT2/GS/GT3
• Unclassified HSR Group 9

HSR Classic 24 Group F: Modern Era Prototype thru 2020

• GT/LMP1/Dpi
• GT/LMP2, LMP1, LMP2 / LMPC, LMP3 / P3
• Dpi (Gen 2 & 3)
• Unclassified Modern Sports Racers

HSR Classic 24 Group G: Modern Era GT (2004-2020)

• FIA/IMSA SRO GT4
• Modern Cup / Challenge
• IMSA/SRO TCR

The event weekend included:

• The 2025 HSR Daytona Classic
• Weathertech sprint races for the HSR groups
• Prototype Challenge Enduro
• Global GT race
• GTC/H/V B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge 1-hour race
• HSR Mission GT Challenge
• GTM/HS/PM B.R.M Chronographes Endurance Challenge 1-hour race
• SascoSports International-American Challenge

Quite a busy itinerary, to say the least.

Hitting The Paddock

My day started in the paddock just before lunch, while the HSR Prototype Challenge practice session was underway.  I usually hit the paddock at least once or twice during an event, usually after the first day. I started there first.

I found a smattering of GT cars, a prototype that wasn’t on track, and a Bizzarini.  Other odd lots including an AMC Spirit set up as a display.

Images from the Paddock

HSR Classic 24 Group Practice Sessions

I started shooting Group C/D from the corner of the pit wall, just past the paddock re-entry.  Florent Moulin anchored the top spot in the #92 2000 Dodge Viper GTS-R.  Behind him was Mark Drain in a 2004 Courage C65. In the third quickest spot was Nicholas Karangelen / Pedro Torres in a 2008 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup/3.6.  The next session, Group B, featured quite a few early- to mid-1970’s Porsches, BMWs and two Chevrons. Andy Willis in the 1976 Chevron B36 took top honors.  Second quickest went to Todd Treffert in a ’74 Porsche 935 Baby / 2.1T.  That Black Corvette from the paddock shots belongs to his father, Bill Treffert.  One of the more interesting cars in the session was a 1975 BMW CSL.

Images from the HSR Group Practice Sessions

HSR Mission GT Challenge Qualifying 2 (for Groups 9/10/11)

I missed the practice session for Group A. For GT Challenge I walked a bit to take a position along the infield road course, past turn 3.  My coverage picked up midway through Mission GT Challenge qualifying.  This session was filled primarily with Porsches, but a few other brands were represented. BMW, Nissan, Dodge, Audi, Ferrari VW, and Bentley all were present.

HSR Sprint Group Qualifying Sessions

Through the afternoon there were several sprint race group qualifying sessions.  Group 6/7 was out first.  It was a small field—just 7 entries—but they were fast.  James Matthews qualified on pole for sprint race 1 in a 1996 Riley & Scott Mk IIIa.  Over half of the cars in the field I had seen before at other events.  All were quite fast and fun to watch. 

I walked along the fence line to the outside of turn 5. From there I captured some pan shots with the massive main straightaway grandstand structure serving as the background.  This shot might seem be difficult to get from the spectator side of the fence, but it can be done. A long lens and a stepladder is sufficient.  I was closer, so I had my lens fully retracted to the 100mm focal length. 

The next group out was HSR Groups 5/8, led by that Bizzarini that I had found earlier in the paddock.  Carlo Falcone wasn’t just here for show, he came to race, qualifying mid-field with a respectable time of 2:06.779.  Jeff McKee took top honors in a 1998 Ford Taurus. Following him was Kevin Owens and Nigel Greensall in a 1987 Chevrolet Protofab C4 Corvette. By the stickers, I’d say this car once ran in the IMSA Camel GT series.

Images from Friday’s qualifying sessions

A New Perch at Daytona

During the session I used a new spot; the apex of road course turn 6.  This is one of the few photos that cannot be taken without a vest. There is a small bleacher close to the corner marshall’s stand that gives a nice shot and is close. That has served me well over the years.  It’s an excellent shot for high speed pans, and catching glowing brake rotors at night.  At the apex, I had to my 24-105mm f/4 lens. At that distance, I was at a maximum effective focal length of around 60mm.

More Sprint Group Qualifying

Ken Greenburg came flying around the corner in his 1964 Morgan 4/4 for the first lap of Group 2/3 qualifying.  That car was a thing of beauty, and it is a lot faster than it looks.  Immediately behind him on track was the #14 1974 914/6 driven by Wayne Jackson.  It looks like one that Holbert would have driven in the 1972 SCCA season. It is listed as a 1974 model, so it may be a tribute livery.

Besides the various Porsches, there were also other notables. Some of these were a 1965 Ginetta G4, A ’65 Ford Falcon, and Bill Treffert’s classy 1960 C1 Corvette. Also running was a very psychadelic 2005 SRF.

HSR Prototype Challenge Qualifying

As the sky darkened and the lights began to glow, the prototypes took to the track and set blistering times.  They were well under the two-minute mark, with Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss leading the way.  Gerard Lopez was hot on their heels putting the 2019 Cadillac Dallara Dpi in second with a time of 1:38.538. This was a good 20 seconds faster than the #27 he ran in Group 8 just a half hour before.  The #60 Acura ARX-05 driven by Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo took third spot.

HSR Classic Group G and F Night Practice

The first night practice session was Group G, a 31-car field showcasing many mid- to late-2000s Porsches.  I was ready to go in turn 5 when Group F came around. The first car out was the former Riley Motorsports #74 Ligier. I got a nice, well-defined brake rotor glow out of that one.. 

HSR Classic Group E Night Practice

Group E followed, and Richard Meins was first across my viewfinder. He powered by in a thundering 2012 BMW Z4/E89.  Although the Porsches dominated the session in number, they only took two of the top seven slots. They had to share the spotlight with Mercedes-Benz and Audi. 

HSR Classic Group C/D Night Practice

Groups C and D took to the track running in relative darkness.  Mark Drain brought his 2004 Courage C65 through the corner. Following him was the #43 2003 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup car driven by Steve Cheetham.  Florent Moulin capped the field in his 2000 Dodge Viper GTS-R, posting a time of 1:52.250.  I noticed the #52 of Mike Smith, a 1979 Porsche 935.  Sleek, beautiful, orange.  The lines of the 935 are simply unmatched.  It also had a row of pop-up headlights akin to what you might see on a rally car. 

HSR Classic Group B Night Practice

For Group B, I moved to the Horseshoe carousel, trading darkness and glowing brakes for a better-lit area.  One of the first cars out was the #5 entry by Brian Pritt/Rick Knoop, a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR/3.0, built specifically for the inaugural IROC season in 1974.  What was interesting about this car was the name “Unser” on the side.  I am fairly certain that this was one of the 15 original IROC RSR’s. There were 12 used in actual races, and this one was most likely driven by Bobby Unser, taking third place in the series.  It is the right color.

The #241 was another Jägermeister 911 RSR with Paul Puchalski as the driver.  This is one of the cars that ran in endurance and GT racing series for the Jägermeister Racing team. Historically, Eckhard Schimpf, Niki Lauda, Hans-Joachim Stuck, and Jochen Mass were all involved in driving this or related cars.

The quickest overall was the #34A of Andy Willis / George McDonald / Graham Adelman. This car was a light blue 1976 Chevron B36, posting a few seconds under the two-minute mark.

HSR Classic Group A Night Practice

Group A clocked the final night practice. This was my first look of the day at this set.  I noticed the #5 Maniac team 1968 Lola T70 Mk III. It was stomping out a slow but convincing couple of laps around the circuit. I saw it in the paddock hours earlier with its body sitting off to the side. As I stood there they fired it up for an engine test of some kind.

Of course there was not one, but two of these in the session. The other one was a 1969 version which also posted the quickest time. At 1:53.602, it was 7.5 seconds faster than the 1965 Shelby CSX 4000 of Alain Rüede.  Cars like this are not common. To see one is fabulous, but two in the same race is…all I can come up with is extremely fabulous.

Images from the Night Practice Sessions

Before Group A ended I headed to the hotel to clear cards and re-charge batteries.

My next report will cover Day 2 of the HSR Daytona Classic 24/Daytona Historics, Qualifying and Sprint Races.  Please have a look at this and my other reports. You can check out my website as well in the link below.

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