Subscriber Photo Gallery form the Jan. 26–27, 2019, Daytona 24 Heritage Exhibition Laps.
Photo: Martin Spetz
1997 BMW M3 4 Door #E36 STC 95 020 car#: 10 Owner/Driver: Scooter Gabel
This BMW M3 was one the first of 4 four door cars built by PTG to IMSA specs. Its first appearance was the middle of the 1997 season and it was crashed at the season finale at Sebring due to brake failure. After being repaired, this car finished 16th overall and 7th in GT3 in the 1998 Rolex 24 at Daytona, driven by Ross Bentley, Les Delano, Andy Petery and Derek Hill, run by PTG and won the 1998 USRRC GT3 Championship. In 1999, the car would finish 13th overall and 5th in GT3 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, driven by Shane Lewis, Randy Pobst, Bob Mazzuocola and Mark Raccaro entered by TC Kline Racing. The cars final appearance at the Rolex 24 at Daytona was in 2003, where the Marcus Racing car finished 13th overall and 6th in class driven by Brian Cunningham, Hugh Plumb, Craig Stanton and Cory Friedman.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1984 Porsche 962-001 car#: 1 Owner: Porsche Museum Driver: Patrick Long
This car was the first ever Porsche 962, chassis number 001. The 956 made its racing debut in 1982 and dominated the WSPC, winning Le Mans and the World Championship. IMSA teams wanted the car as the 935 was proving no longer competitive against the new ground effects, purpose built prototypes from March and Lola. IMSA’s John Bishop refused to bend on the rule stipulation the driver’s feet had to be behind the center line of the front wheels. In late 1983 Porsche relented and added 5” to wheel base of the 956 as well as installing the single turbo, air cooled 2.8 liter engine to better work in the power to weight ratio formula of IMSA as opposed to the fuel consumption formula run in Europe in the WSPC. This first 962 was entered at the 1984 SunBank 24 at Daytona as a Porsche factory entry to be driven by the father and son team of Mario and Michael Andretti. Mario put the car on pole by just under 2 seconds and the car would lead easily over the eventual winning Kreepy Krauly Porsche-March 83G. 962-001 would eventually drop out after transmission issues followed by crankshaft problem. This car would never race again and was recently completely restored by Porsche Motorsports in Southern California and Gunnar Racing in West Palm Beach, FL.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1979 Porsche 935 Kremer K3 #000 00011 car#: 52 Owner/Driver: Mike Smith
Porsche stopped production of the hugely successful 935 in 1978 and from then it would be left to the privateers to build them. The most successful of the privateer 935 builders was the Cologne, Germany based brothers Manfred and Erwin Kremer with the 935 K3. Kremer built K3’s won every major endurance race and sports car championship in the world between 1979 and 1983. The Jägermeister sponsored Kremer K3 was very successful in the German DRM in 1979 and 1980. In 1981 John Fitzpatrick brought it to the USA to run in the GTX class of the IMSA Camel GT series. At the 1981 Daytona 24 Hour, the John Fitzpatrick Racing entry had drivers Jim Busby/Bob Wollek/John Fitzpatrick on board and qualified 2nd. The car would fail to finish the race, going out with engine trouble and was classified 48th.
Photo: Martin Spetz
Al Holbert, Derek Bell, and Chip Robinson raced this Porsche 962-HR1 in the 1988 Daytona 24 Hours. Photo: Griffith Bean
1973 BMW CSL #2275465 car#: 42 Owner/Driver: Dick York
BMW built the CSL as a homologation special so the cars could be raced in the European Touring Car Championship. Toine Hezemans won that Championship in 1973 and won the class at Le Mans the same year driving with BMW factory driver Dieter Quester. BMW would expand the program forming BMW Motorsports North America in the US in 1975 and having success with the 3.0 CSL winning the Sebring 12 Hours in 1975 and the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1976. As with Porsches and Corvettes, privateers in the 1970’s turned BMW CSL street cars into race cars to race in IMSA. This particular CSL was Dieter Quester’s personal car while he was a factory driver for BMW. It was acquired by the current owner in 2013 and converted into an IMSA spec CSL racing car by Heritage Motorsports.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1984 March 84G Porsche #84G-3 car#: 0 Owner/Driver: Vincent Vento
March was an English race car manufacturer who embraced the IMSA GTP series from the outset. The cars were manufactured as rolling chassis with the customer having the option which engine to install. This car has the twin turbo, water cooled Porsche flat six from the Porsche 956 installed. After winning the 1984 SunBank 24 at Daytona in their single turbo, air cooled March 83G, this car would be brought into service in April of
1984 at Road Atlanta but would not make the race after suffering from a fire in testing. A 4th at Pocono and 6th at the 1984 Daytona Finale would be highlights for the IMSA season. For 1985, new tire partner Yokohama would prove ineffective at the SunBank 24 at Daytona where the tires could not hold up to the forces of the famous Daytona banking. The team would take the car to the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 22nd overall. Costas Los Cosmik Racing would run the car in the WSPC sporadically in 1985 and 1986 with mixed results, outclassed by the series factory entries. The car is currently configured as it was when it ran the 1985 SunBank 24 at Daytona.
Photo: Griffith Bean
2005 Porsche 996GT3RSR WP0ZZZ99Z5S693092 car#: 44 Owner: Gary Kachadurian Driver: Bob Russo
The Flying Lizard team was formed in 2004 and focused primarily on racing Porsches with this very distinctive and popular paint scheme designed by helmet scheme designer Troy Lee Designs. Team owners/drivers Seth Neiman and Lonnie and Lonnie Pechnik finished inside the top ten in class at every ALMS race in 2005. At Le Mans in 2005, the now #80 finished 3rd in class driven by Darren Law/Johannes van Overbeek/Jon Fogarty. For 2006 Pechnik/Neiman finished top 10 in class at every ALMS race with four top 5’s. For Le Mans in 2006, Neiman was joined by van Overbeek, Fogarty and Porsche factory driver Patrick Long to finish 4th in class.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1970 Porsche 911S #911 030 1263 car#: 59 Owner: Brumos Racing Driver: Brandon Starks
This Porsche 911S is the last Brumos Racing entry to race in tangerine orange, a famous and recognizable paint scheme until Peter Gregg switched to one of the most famous liveries in racing history. This car was also the 2nd ever IMSA GT Champion following the Brumos Racing Porsche 914/6’s win in 1971, both Championships won by Hurley Haywood. Competing in all 10 of the IMSA Camel GT races during the 1972 season winning 4 races in the GTU class, 2 of those also being overall victories. This 911S was the Brumos Racing entry at the 1972 Daytona 6 Hours finishing 7th overall and winning the GT 2.5 class with Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg driving. The IMSA Championship was also the first of many won by a Porsche 911 and just one of many Championships won by Hurley Haywood in his illustrious racing career.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1970 Porsche 911S #911 030 1263 car#: 59 Owner: Brumos Racing Driver: Brandon Starks
This Porsche 911S is the last Brumos Racing entry to race in tangerine orange, a famous and recognizable paint scheme until Peter Gregg switched to one of the most famous liveries in racing history. This car was also the 2nd ever IMSA GT Champion following the Brumos Racing Porsche 914/6’s win in 1971, both Championships won by Hurley Haywood. Competing in all 10 of the IMSA Camel GT races during the 1972 season winning 4 races in the GTU class, 2 of those also being overall victories. This 911S was the Brumos Racing entry at the 1972 Daytona 6 Hours finishing 7th overall and winning the GT 2.5 class with Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg driving. The IMSA Championship was also the first of many won by a Porsche 911 and just one of many Championships won by Hurley Haywood in his illustrious racing career.
Photo: Martin Spetz
1988 Mercury Merkur XR4Ti #RR M-002 car#: 11 Owner: 3 Dog Garage Driver: Chris Liebenberg
Roush Racing built six cars with the 4 cylinder turbo charged motor based on the Merkur XR4Ti street car to race in the Trans Am Series during 1986 and 1987. For the 1988 IMSA GTO series this car was converted to the more reliable normally aspirated V-8 engine (Trans Am races were short, single driver series with no pit stops.) The car debuted at the SunBank 24 at Daytona with 2019 Rolex 24 Grand Marshall Scott Pruett teamed with Pete Halsmer and Paul Miller qualifying 5th in GTO and 23rd overall. The sister car with the more powerful but fragile 2500cc turbo 4 would qualify on the GTO class pole 1.537 seconds faster but would fail to finish due to a fire during the night. Scott Pruett, Pete Halsmer and Paul Miller would be joined by Bobby Akin to win the GTO class and finish 10th overall. The car is currently in the configuration and livery from its win at the 1988 SunBank 24 at Daytona.
Photo: Griffith Bean
1984 Porsche 962-001 car#: 1 Owner: Porsche Museum Driver: Patrick Long Photo: Griffith Bean
1973 BMW CSL #2275465 car#: 42 Owner/Driver: Dick York Photo: Griffith Bean
1984 March 84G Porsche #84G-3 car#: 0 Owner/Driver: Vincent Vento Photo: Griffith Bean
Photo: Martin Spetz
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