- Preston Brown and Denis Dupont win back-to-back years at Daytona
- Bryson Morris, Mason Filippi, and Josh Buchan brought home a podium finish
- Hyundai Hope on Wheels donates $11,400 to a local children’s hospital
Bryan Herta Autosport launched the 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season in unforgettable fashion, delivering a historic win at the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona, the four-hour season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting the No. 76 Hyundai Elantra N TCR, Denis Dupont and Preston Brown captured back-to-back TCR victories at the legendary venue, marking the first time a TCR team has won consecutive years at Daytona.
BHA arrived at the Roar Before the Rolex weekend with a four-car Hyundai Elantra N TCR lineup featuring full-season driver pairings across the No. 18, No. 33, No. 98, and No. 76 entries. The Daytona opener also welcomed additional one-race drivers to complement the season-long rosters, adding depth and flexibility for the endurance-style opener.
Full-season driver pairings for 2026 include:
- No. 18 Hyundai Elantra N TCR: Harry Gottsacker / Lance Bergstein
- No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR: Bryson Morris / Mason Filippi
- No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR: Mark Wilkins / Maddie Aust
- No. 76 Hyundai Elantra N TCR: Denis Dupont / Preston Brown
For Daytona, BHA added three additional drivers:
- Andre Castro joined the No. 98 entry
- Josh Buchan joined the No. 33 entry
- Jon Miller joined the No. 18 entry
From the drop of the green flag, BHA’s Hyundai Elantra N TCR program showed front-running pace. The No. 33 machine became the race’s early benchmark, leading the majority of the event while controlling the tone at the front of the TCR field. But as the clock wound down in the final moments, the battle tightened between Morris in the No. 33 and Dupont in the No. 76.
In a thrilling run to the checkered flag, Dupont executed a decisive charge in the closing stages to secure the win. Morris ultimately crossed the line in third, closing a strong performance for the No. 33 team highlighted by dominant time at the front.
Behind them, the No. 98 Hyundai overcame adversity to deliver a resilient result. Despite being spun during the race, the team regrouped and fought back to finish fourth, salvaging critical points.
The No. 18 Hyundai also showed solid speed but saw its day complicated by contact that caused damage and compromised performance. They continued on and finished seventh, limiting the loss after an unfortunate incident.
With the season opener now complete, Bryan Herta Autosport leaves Daytona with momentum, a landmark victory, and a podium finish.
BHA Daytona Results (TCR):
- P1 – No. 76 Hyundai Elantra N TCR (Preston Brown and Denis Dupont)
- P3 – No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR (Bryson Morris, Mason Filippi, and Josh Buchan)
- P4 – No. 98 Hyundai Elantra N TCR (Mark Wilkins, Maddie Aust, and Andre Castro)
- P7 – No. 18 Hyundai Elantra N TCR (Harry Gottsacker, Lance Bergstein, and Jon Miller)
For every lap led by a Hyundai in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Hyundai Hope on Wheels (HHOW) donates $100 to a local children’s hospital. In addition to the per-lap contribution, HHOW donates an additional $5,000 if the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR finishes on the podium, and $10,000 if the No. 33 secures a race victory. Since the No. 33 car achieved a podium finish and Hyundai cars led 64 laps in the race, $11,400 will be donated to a local children’s hospital.
