Morris Fastest at Daytona – BHA Squad Set for 4-Hour Season Opener

BMW Endurance 120

Round 1 of 10 of the 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

Pre-Race Notes

Bryson on Pole: Bryson Morris opened the season strong earning his third IMSA pole on Thursday with a time of 1:56.457/110.049 mph.

New to The Team: BHA expands to a four-car team in 2025 with Maddie Aust and Suellio Almeida making their TCR debut in the #9 Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Aust joins BHA from a successful campaign in the SRO series. She is a multi-championship winning cheerleader having won on both the national and world stage. Aust is a sophomore at Texas Christian University where she is studying mechanical engineering. Brazilian Suellio Almeida’s racing resume is untraditional in that he became a SIM Racer at the age of 21 with no previous on track experience. He then became a SIM Racing coach and purchased a Radical Cup car with his coaching funds. He won the North American Radical Cup Championship in his rookie season and has since opened a SIM Racing academy in Dubai where he coaches Radical and GT drivers.

Also New for 2025: Young gun Bryson Morris returns for his second full season with BHA. This year he is paired with the 2019 Champion Mark Wilkins in the #33. 2023 TCR Champion Harry Gottsacker and 10x TCR race winner Mason Filippi will co-drive the #98 Elantra N TCR. The pair were previously paired as co-drivers in their rookie TCR season with BHA in 2019. Denis Dupont and Preston Brown return after their extremely successful debut season with BHA in 2024. They return in the #76 Elantra N TCR.

Last Year at Daytona: Earning the team’s best ever finish at Daytona, Denis Dupont and Preston Brown finished second in their debut with BHA and Hyundai. Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi finished third, matching their 2023 result.

HHOW is Back: Hyundai Hope on Wheels (HHOW) returns with their “Lap Leaders” program in 2025. HHOW donates $100 for every lap led by a Hyundai to a local children’s hospital. Advent Hospital of Central Floris will be the benefactor of tomorrow’s four-hour race. HHOW donated over $30k for laps led in 2024.

Race Car Drivers vs. Pilots: The 2025 Hyundai Drivers Camp kicked off on Tuesday at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University where the Hyundai drivers had the opportunity to test-fly a variety of flight simulators. The test run included aircraft landing, F22 canyon flights, crosswind training and the CRJ 200 commercial jet flight simulator. Mark Wilkins commented: “What an incredible experience. We were curious to see how much cognitive crossover there is between pilots and race car drivers. It turns out there are many similarities, especially with focus and reactive abilities. (BROLL Available)

Photos and Quotes Below

Bryson Morris celebrates his pole winning lap at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, January 23, 2025

The 2025 Bryan Herta Autosport Team: L-R: #33 Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins, #9 Suellio Almeida and Maddie Aust, Bryan Herta, #98 Harry Gottsacker IV and Mason Filippi and #76 Preston Brown and Denis Dupont.

#9 Elantra N TCR

Starting: 6th 1:58.079/108.537 mph

Maddie Aust (R) and Suellio Almeda (R)

Maddie Aust: “I’m looking forward to my first race in TCR. It’s been amazing experience working with BHA and I’m excited to see what we can do during the season starter!”
Suellio Almeida: “It’s been a fast learning experience: the driving, the team, the driver changes, the communication, the confidence! I am excited to have the support of so many people on track including my followers and students in person this weekend and will do my best to deliver the best result possible.”

#33 Elantra N TCR

Starting: On Pole 1:56.457/110.049mph

Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins

Bryson Morris: “It’s been a good start to the 2025 season in our brand new Hyundai Elantra N TCR with the roar under our belts!

We got rained out on the last day, but we gained good information coming into the race weekend feeling strong. Turn 1 is a really an amazing corner with the braking while coming off the banking creating a really cool sensation. Hopefully the race goes smooth and we can start the year off on the top step of the podium!”

Mark Wilkins: “We had a really productive ROAR test and focused on some new test items for the car. Daytona is one race we’d love to win! We’ve come close a few times but always just a little short. Our Elantra N TCR is feeling great and I think we have our best shot yet at getting to the checkered flag first.

It’s a new pairing and partnership with Bryson this season and our first few days working together have been fun! It’s going to be a great season and I’m excited to get racing on Friday.

All Hyundai’s will be working hard to lead as many laps as possible for HHOW! We’ll be pushing to lead more laps in 2025 in support of this great cause.

I’m also excited to see our friends from N Club Florida who have been incredible supporters of ours since day 1! “

#76 Elantra N TCR

Starting: 9th 1:58.226/108.402mph

Denis Dupont and Preston Brown

Denis Dupont: “I’m thrilled to kick off the season at Daytona after last week’s productive training sessions. Last year, Preston and I had a strong race here, and we’re aiming to build on that performance for another great result!”
Preston Brown: “We started the year on a high note at Daytona last year and built a strong season from there. We’ll look to improve our performance one step further for the win!”

#98 Elantra N TCR

Starting 2nd 1:56.735/109.787 mph

Harry Gottsacker IV and Mason Filippi

Harry Gottsacker IV: “I’m looking forward to racing with Mason tomorrow. I had a decent qualifying run, we are starting on the front row. It will be a long race though and we need to hit our marks on all fronts as the field is as competitive as it has ever been.”
Mason Filippi: “Daytona is about preparation and focus. We have never won here at Daytona, but I am confident that Harry and I are locked in and ready to go for the win. The Hyundai Elantra N TCR has been dialed in, thanks to the hard work of the BHA crew. We are starting on the front row…in good shape for tomorrow.”

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