McLaren and Hyundai Triumph in Season-Opening MPC Races at Daytona
McLaren claimed a thrilling victory in the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway, with Michael Cooper delivering a masterful performance in the final stages of the four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge opener.
Racing car at Daytona International Speedway
Cooper steered the No. 44 Accelerating Performance McLaren Artura GT4 from fifth to first in the last 20 minutes, securing a 0.327-second victory over Jan Heylen's No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Billy Johnson completed the podium in the No. 59 KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4.
The winning drive began with Moisey Uretsky's impressive 2-hour, 40-minute opening stint, handing over to Cooper in eighth place. Cooper capitalized on Heylen's slight error at Turn 7 with seven minutes remaining, making a decisive pass that would secure McLaren's first Daytona win since 2021.
In the Touring Car (TCR) class, Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian finally captured their elusive first Daytona victory. Denis Dupont and Preston Brown piloted the No. 76 Hyundai Elantra N TCR to victory, narrowly defeating teammates Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins by just 0.067 seconds in a dramatic finish.
The victory marked a significant milestone for Bryan Herta Autosport, adding a Daytona victory to their impressive record of five consecutive drivers' championships and six manufacturer titles in the TCR class.
Ryan Eversley and IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship recipient Celso Neto rounded out the TCR podium in their No. 7 Precision Racing LA Audi RS3 LMS TCR, marking the first podium finish for a scholarship recipient in Pilot Challenge history.
The 2025 Michelin Pilot Challenge continues with the Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 at Sebring International Raceway on March 14.
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