2026 HSR IMSA Classic Featured Era Celebrates Eligible and Authentic Rolex 24 At Daytona Cars from 1990 - 2010
Fast off a spectacular 11th running of the HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour presented by Mission Foods this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), HSR Officials announced today that eligible car qualification submissions are now being accepted in the first step to determine the select field of 20 cars that will participate in the 2nd Annual HSR IMSA Classic invitational race at the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 22 - 25, 2026.
Debuting last year, the HSR IMSA Classic is a Rolex 24 At Daytona tribute race showcasing the legendary sports cars that have contested America's premier 24-hour race since the 1960s. The 2026 HSR IMSA Classic featured era will be authentic and period-correct sports cars between the years of 1990 and 2010 with a verifiable Rolex 24 At Daytona history. Interested competitors with era-eligible machinery between 1990 and 2010 are encouraged to submit details of their car's history and authenticity now Click here in order to be considered for selection to enter this year's full-weekend 2nd Annual IMSA Classic race.
"Just a few days ago at the HSR Classic 24 Hour presented Mission Foods, we saw a stellar field of cars from more than the past 60 years battle for 24 hours, throughout the day and night, and in the heat, rain and fog in another competitive edition of HSR's oldest and longest HSR Classic race," said IMSA President John Doonan. "Literally setting the stage for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the HSR IMSA Classic joins the HSR Classic Daytona 24 as yet another grand tribute to America's premier twice-around-the-clock race. Several eligible 1990 to 2010 era cars were in action at the HSR Classic 24, and we look forward to considering them all for the 2nd Annual HSR IMSA Classic next January."
A three-day race event that is part of the blockbuster 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona race weekend, the HSR IMSA Classic begins with practice on Thursday afternoon, January 22. Friday includes a morning qualifying session and a qualifying race early that evening. The main event is a 30-minute feature race for HSR IMSA Classic cars that is the last on-track activity prior to the start of the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, Saturday, January 24, 2026.
Competing HSR IMSA Classic cars and competitors will be paddocked in garages open to the public in the DIS infield. As in the past, several non-competing IMSA cars of historical significance will also be on display in the Hard Rock Bet Fan Zone.
In this year's inaugural HSR Classic, Tom Long drove the Mazda Heritage Collection 1991 Mazda RX-7 GTO to the overall and GT class victories while Scooter Gabel wheeled the Alegra Motorsports prepared Chevy-powered Lola Corvette GTP to second overall and first in the Prototype category. Long and Gabel went into the record books as the first HSR IMSA Classic winners in a race that featured cars from the first three decades of IMSA sports car racing from 1973 through 1993.
