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6X IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge CHAMPIONS!

Posted on by Katie Brannan
12
Oct

Congratulations Harry Gottsacker and the entire #98 Elantra N TCR Team on your title!  Well done Preston, Denis and the #76 Elantra N TCR team on 2nd in the 2025 Championship.  Huge congratulations to Hyundai on their sixth Manufacturer’s title!

BHA Wins Sixth Championship Title at Road Atlanta

  • Harry Gottsacker, Mason Filippi, and the #98 crew won the 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Championship
  • Gottsacker won his second driver’s championship
  • Hyundai won the manufacturers championship for the sixth year in a row
  • Denis Dupont and Preston Brown finished in second at Road Atlanta and second in the championship

 

After starting out as rookie teammates together in 2019, Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi in the #98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR won the 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge after finishing in fourth place at Road Atlanta.

This marks the sixth time Bryan Herta Autosport has won the championship since 2019.

Megan Ryder on the #98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR is the first female lead engineer to win a championship in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.

Gottsacker also won the driver’s championship and is now a two-time champion in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. His last championship win was with Robert Wickens in 2023.

Hyundai secured the manufacturers championship for the sixth year in a row.

The #76 team of Denis Dupont and Preston Brown finished the final race of the season in second place. They fought hard for the championship title and ultimately came in second, just twenty points behind the 98 crew.

Mark Wilkins and Bryson Morris in the #33 car finished the race in fourteenth after having to retire the car. They ended the championship in sixth place and Morris was given the award for most poles of the season.

Suellio Almeida and Maddie Aust in the #9 Elantra N TCR had one of their best finishes of the year at Road Atlanta with fifth place. The #9 team ranked seventh in the 2025 championship.

The #18 of Jon Miller and Lance Bergstein crossed the checkered flag in eleventh after suffering a tire puncture. They took twelfth position in the championship.

BHA Hyundai Elantra N TCRs led a total of 15 laps at Road Atlanta. For every lap led by a Hyundai, Hyundai Hope on Wheels (HHOW) donates $100 to a local children’s hospital. Therefore, $1,500 is being donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In total, $41,500 was donated to a various children’s hospitals in the 2025 season.

Photos and Quotes Below

Gottsacker secures his second driver’s championship title

Brown and Dupont celebrate second place on the podium

BHA’s 2025 crew

#9 Elantra N TCR

Started: 9th Finished: 5th

2025 Rank: 7th (2,360 pts)

Maddie Aust (R) and Suellio Almeida (R)
Maddie Aust: “Ending the season on a high note with our 2nd best result at Road Atlanta feels great! It was both Suellio’s and my first time at the track, and we had a good bit of pace and a good run. With this having been the last round I feel that I have learned a lot during my rookie season and my first time at many tracks. I’m extremely thankful to the team for all the work and support this season!”
Suellio Almeida: “This was one of my best races of the year, and a top-five was great to end the season in good terms! I’m ready to show true pace next year and fight for wins.”

#33 Elantra N TCR

Started: 3rd Finished: 14th

Laps Led: 6

2025 Rank: 6th (2,450 pts)

Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins
Bryson Morris: “Difficult way to end a difficult year at Road Atlanta but we showed great pace and results when luck was on our side. Lots of pole positions, podiums, and a win to be proud of. I want to thank all of the crew at Bryan Herta Autosport and Hyundai USA for making it all possible. Let’s see what 2026 has in store for us!”
Mark Wilkins: “It was another incredible season for Hyundai and Bryan Herta Autosport! It was a collective effort all the way; Congratulations to Hyundai on a sixth consecutive manufacturers championship, to BHA on the team championship and to Harry on his drivers championship. A huge congratulations to Mason, Denis and Preston on their fantastic seasons as well! It was a real pleasure to watch Bryson claim the most poles this season and win the Motul Pole Award; he drove us to victory at Road America which was undoubtedly the highlight of the season. There is no doubt it was a difficult season with many challenging moments both on the personal and professional side. With challenge comes the opportunity for growth and in that there were many positive take aways! Eight incredibly rewarding seasons in the books; a huge Thank You to Hyundai and the team for the opportunity to represent them both on and off the track. Speaking of off track, the N Clubs came out in massive numbers to support us at Road Atlanta. It is so cool to see the growth of the brand and meet so many passionate N owners! Let’s see what we can do in 2026!”

#76 Elantra N TCR

Started: 8th Finished: 2nd

2025 Rank: 2nd (2,800 pts)

Denis Dupont and Preston Brown
Denis Dupont: “We gave it everything this season — a strong race to close it out and P2 in the championship. Huge thanks to the team for the hard work all year.

Preston did an amazing season that allowed us to fight until the end.”
Preston Brown: “An unforgettable season with Bryan Herta Autosport, capped off by a hard-fought 2nd place at Road Atlanta and in the championship. Denis put in an amazing drive, and we both gave it everything we had right up to the final lap. I’m proud of the whole team and our Hyundai Elantra N TCR. It’s been a season full of grit and growth, and we can’t wait to build on this momentum for 2026!”

#98 Elantra N TCR

Started: 1st Finished: 4th

Laps Led: 9

2025 Rank: 1st (2,820 pts)

Harry Gottsacker IV and Mason Filippi
Harry Gottsacker IV: “It’s hard to believe that we came from behind to win the championship at Road Atlanta! It was an up and down season with so many defining moments.

I can’t thank Bryan, Sean, and Ross enough for putting me behind the wheel of this #98 BHA Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Phil Howard (TM), Megan Ryder (Engineer), and Andrew Kissinger (Car Chief) led us through the season with determination and the attitude that we can execute when it matters. Mason and Parker Chase killed it on track with me and we share this championship in 2025. It is a pleasure to chase our dreams every weekend as a team.”
Mason Filippi: “Amazing season for Bryan Herta Autosport. We clinched a 6th manufactures championship for Hyundai as well as many other accolades. It’s fantastic to be a part of a team that is always pushing for perfection year over year. We had a great race from pole to a 98 championship. What a season.”

#18 Elantra N TCR

Started: 10th Finished: 11th

2025 Rank: 12th (1,860 pts)

Jon Miller and Lance Bergstein
Jon Miller: “I can’t help but feel like this was the one that got away from us. First, a huge thank you to the BHA team, mechanics and engineers. Over the last four races of the season when they welcomed us into the team, we made so much progress. Unfortunately, two out of the four races ended prematurely for us with technical issues outside of our control at Road America and Indianapolis. This week at Road Atlanta we had a really good car and felt strong about our chances in the race. Lance drove a confident first stint, taking us from P10 to P8 while saving fuel. After the pit stop we came out in P6 with enough fuel to make it to the end and a few laps after the restart I had moved us up into P4, feeling like it was our day for a podium with the pace we had. The car was a dream to drive. Sadly, our result ended when I had to pit for a flat tire. Luckily it happened in turn 10, so I was able to dive straight into the pits but we fell to P12 and eventually finished P11. I almost caught the Audi for P10, but just ran out of laps. Huge congratulations to the 98 squad and Harry for the team and drivers championships and we’re proud to have contributed to Hyundai’s 6th manufacturers championship. Looking forward to 2026!”
Katie Brannan

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