- SascoSports International/American Challenge Presented by Hoosier Sprint Crowns Weekend’s First Three Race Winners to Kick-Off Packed Schedule of Races
- Full Weekend of Racing Includes the HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour Presented by Mission Foods and the HSR Daytona Historics Full-Season Championship Races
- North America’s Premier Vintage and Historic 24-Hour Race Featured in Saturday and Sunday Livestream Coverage by Greenlight Television on HSR’s Facebook and YouTube Pages
- Panel and Q&A Featuring Ford Sports Car Racing Champions, Major Race-Winning Drivers and Other Blue Oval Notables Set for Saturday, November 14 at 10 a.m. EST in the Drivers Meeting Room in the DIS Infield Near the FanZone
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 12, 2026) – A full day of practice Thursday at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) stretched into the early evening hours as the opening day of official competition for the 12th Running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona 24 Hour presented by Mission Foods and the accompanying HSR Daytona Historics went into the record books at the “World Center of Racing.”
The day’s highlight was the first race of a packed schedule of events this weekend that will stretch through Sunday afternoon at DIS. A field of 30 entries took the green flag for a typically competitive and exciting SascoSports International/American Challenge sprint race Thursday afternoon.
Angus Rogers held off the Daytona debuting John Spiers to claim the overall victory while also securing Porsche class honors in his KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR. Rogers, who started from pole, faced an immediate challenge from Spiers who charged into the lead battle in second overall and took control of the American division on the opening lap in his Olthoff Racing 1967 No. 28 Ford Mustang Coupe.
Rogers maintained his narrow advantage throughout the eight-lap contest to take the checkered flag just ahead of Spiers, who crossed the line in P2 and first in American. Ricky Park moved past AJR Heritage Motorsports teammate Dean DeSantis with two laps remaining to secure second in the Porsche class in the 1973 No. 44 Porsche 911 RSR and third overall. DeSantis completed the class podium in his 1969 No. 33 Porsche 911 RSR.
Olthoff Racing doubled down in the American division with Steve Piantieri securing second in his 1965 No. 95 Ford Mustang GT 2+2 prepared by the Dennis Olthoff-lead team. Joe Jacalone completed an all Ford “Pony Car” class podium in his Jacalone Racing 1965 No. 16 Ford Mustang.
Greg Ira made an early charge through the field on the opening lap, getting past Simon Foweather, and taking control of the International class for the victory in his 1972 No. 12 Datsun 240Z.
Foweather settled for second in his 2005 No. 81 BMW 330 while Austin Jabaley continued Olthoff Racing’s podium run with a third-place showing in his 1971 No. 71 Datsun 240Z.
Another Thursday highlight was the visiting Sixties’ Endurance by Peter Auto group running its first official laps on the legendary 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The 1965 No. 16 Shelby Cobra 289 of Damien Kohler and Michael Holden was fastest in the opening session as all of the guest competitors from overseas are impressed with their visit so far to the HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour.
Many of the regular competitors in the France-based Peter Auto series are visiting or driving Daytona International Speedway for the first time, including Spiers, who also owns and co-drives the No. 26 1965 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight prepared by CKL Developments.
“Wow – just wow!” Spiers said. “I mean, there’s nothing like it that I’ve ever raced on before. Just tremendous, huge, and I’m so glad I came over. Peter Auto run a very professional race series for historic cars; we do a lot of rounds with them in Europe, and I think it’s brilliant that there’s collaboration going on. Both sides can learn from each other and broaden our experience.”
A full Friday of additional HSR Daytona Historics races pave the way for this weekend’s featured HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour that for the fourth-straight year will be available all around the world through HSR-provided livestream coverage.
Greenlight Television returns as the production partner for the Classic 24 livestream for the third-straight year with a return to two-day coverage this weekend. This year’s Classic 24 programming is scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 14, through 8 p.m. EST. Coverage continues on Sunday, November 15, from approximately 7:45 a.m. EST through the final checkered flag before signing off at 2 p.m. EST.
Primary U.S. coverage of the livestream will be available on the HSR and IMSA YouTube Channels with additional distributions and availability in the U.S. and around the world. Among the global outlets featuring the Classic 24 livestream are the Goodwood YouTube Channel, MTRSPT1, Parc Fermé (Italy), Rev TV (Canada), Driven Studios, Unbeaten, ViaPlay (Scandinavia and the Netherlands) and Sport1/Sport2 (Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia), to name a few.
An off-track highlight of this year’s HSR Classic Daytona 24 is a can’t miss Panel and Q&A of notable Ford sports car racing champions, major race-winning drivers and other personalities with close ties to or an affinity for the Blue Oval. The Ford Panel and Q&A will be held in the Drivers Meeting room at 10 a.m. EST this Saturday, November 14, in the DIS infield near the FanZone. Admission is free to all HSR Classic Daytona 24 credential and ticket holders.
This year’s lineup includes Spiers and Peter Miles (pictured below), this year’s Classic Daytona 24 Hour Grand Marshal and the son of the late Ken Miles. Also joining is HSR Chief Steward and 1989 Trans-Am Champion with Ford, Dorsey Schroeder, Ford Racing record setter and World Endurance Championship (WEC) GT40 race winner Billy Johnson and Superformance GT40 driver Dan Long.
For additional information on both the HSR Daytona Classic 24 and HSR Daytona Historics events, including entry lists, ticket purchases, the event schedule and more, please click here.
For a direct link to HSR Daytona Classic 24 race tickets, please click here.
About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter X at @HSR_race and Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.
