Hurley Haywood Scholarship winner and IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama Champion Jake Eidson stormed onto the one-make championship’s schedule in strong style.

When the season had concluded he reaped title of one of the hardest-fought seasons to-date for the one-make championship. He also earned yet another valuable trophy in the process – the keys to a brand-new Porsche 911, his to use for the next year.

Appropriately equipped for a GT3 Cup Challenge Champion, Porsche outfitted the stunning black 911 with a seven-speed manual transmission to transfer power to the ground from the 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged boxer engine that produces 370 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque.

And if Eidson is late for an appointment, those six cylinders will propel him to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, while the Champion is wrapped in a leather interior listening to the tones of the optional Bose Surround Sound system and Sport Exhaust.

Eidson first got a glimpse of the car at the championship banquet at Motul Petit Le Mans. At the end of the celebration, the first year participant in the series was handed the keys to iconic machine by Dr. Daniel Armbruster, president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America.

Entering the Road Atlanta finale, the 22-year-old driver had already clinched the Overall and Platinum Cup Championships at the series' previous event at Sonoma Raceway in the No. 24 Kelly-Moss Road and Race Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry. However, he had to wait to the conclusion of on-track activities at Road Atlanta on Friday to collect the wares of his efforts. To celebrate the teamwork nature of the sport, Eidson said one of his first rides in his new 911 Carrera was with Kelly-Miss principal Jeff Stone.

While the fruits of the labor came at the season’s close, the young driver said a major career moment happened before his 2017 season even started when he got the call that he had won the inaugural Hurley Haywood GT3 Cup Scholarship, backed by IMSA, Yokohama, Porsche and Haywood himself. The scholarship allowed Eidson to grow his relationship with Kelly-Moss and put into motion his impressive rookie season.

Although winning a new Porsche and the scholarship were memorable, Eidson raved about his experience with “Racing For Kids” – a unique national charity, which supports children when they are most vulnerable, sick and hospitalized.

Drawing on the popularity of motorsports, “Racing For Kids” uses its distinctive position within the racing world to bring attention and funding to child health institutions. Around 100 of those children came out to Barber Motorsports Park for the GT3 Cup Challenge event weekend in April. Eidson started from pole position and won both 45-minute races at the Alabama track.

Jake Eidson, 2017 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama Overall Champion.

About winning the 2017 Championship and 911 Carrera. "They basically handed me the keys and said, 'Go have fun!’ There's six to seven drivers on any given weekend who could win the pole and the race so it's a lot of tough competition in this series.

"The amount of support I've received this year is overwhelming, I can't thank everyone enough. First of all, I have to thank my team - Kelly-Moss Road and Race. I think they're the best team at what they do. They've been a huge contributor with [owner and competition director] Jeff Stone and he's been an enormous amount of help and support for me. He's done a really good job of making us feel like we are part of the Kelly-Moss family - and it's truly more of a family than a team."

About winning the Hurley Haywood Scholarship. "Winning that scholarship was a bit of added pressure because a lot of people really want to see you do well. Trying to meet those expectations and standards was difficult at times, but I think if nothing else, it was more motivation.

About the Racing For Kids Experience. "Being able to meet some of those kids involved and put a smile on their faces has been really moving and memorable. It was special watching them enjoy the sights and sounds of racing and all the excitement of a race weekend."

United Autosports have confirmed that Paul di Resta will join the team for the 2018 running of the 24 at Daytona in January.
 
Di Resta is best known for racing in the Formula One World Championship from 2010 to 2013 for the Force India F1 Team. After a two-year absence from the sport, he returned in 2016 to become the Williams F1 Team reserve driver, a position the Scot retained for 2017. At the Hungarian Grand Prix this year, he stood in last minute for regular Williams F1 driver, Filipe Massa, for qualifying and the race. He is also part of the Sky Sports F1 commentary team, reporting alongside Martin Brundle, who has also raced for United Autosports at special events over the years.
 
Prior to his Formula One career, Paul raced in the DTM series for Mercedes for four years, clinching the championship title in 2010. Since his commitments to Formula One reduced, he has now returned to the DTM series, once again racing with Mercedes.
 
Di Resta will race the United Autosports Ligier JS P217 alongside their current European Le Mans Series racer, Will Owen with their co-drivers still to be announced. United Autosports will be running two Ligier JS P217 sports prototypes in the 56^th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona with Lando Norris and Phil Hanson also confirmed to race for the team.
 
The Rolex 24 at Daytona takes place every January at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. The race acts as the first round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. For the 2018 running, the official test – the ROAR before the 24 – will be held on 5-7 January, with the Rolex 24 at Daytona begins on 27 January.

Paul di Resta, driver, United Autosports:
“I’m really looking forward to racing at Daytona and with United Autosports. I’ve never done a 24-hour race and never raced a prototype so it’s all new to me, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. Entering a 24-hour race is something I’ve looked at doing before and when Zak asked, I jumped at the opportunity. The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona is getting bigger every year, so it’s great to be part of it. I plan to do some testing ahead of the race to get integrated into the team and to get a shot at driving the car prior to heading to Daytona in January.”
 
Zak Brown, Team Owner and Chairman, United Autosports:
“I’m pleased we have managed to pull together a deal for Paul to join the team at Daytona. Although he’s not driven our car before, he’s had plenty of racing experience in different categories so I’m confident he will have a good race and enjoy being with the team”
 
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“It will be great to have Paul racing with us at Daytona. He is fast and will bring a wealth of racing experience to the team. Paul is still having success as a driver and is always a winner in everything he does. Will Owen and Paul di Resta form a very strong line up and we are now very close to completing all the drivers for both cars. I’m very excited for United Autosports to return to Florida for the 24-hour race.” 

The last time the father and son duo of Carlos and Michael de Quesada were at Daytona International Speedway – last January’s 55th Rolex 24 At Daytona – they were celebrating a GT Daytona (GTD) class victory alongside their Alegra Motorsports teammates, Daniel Morad, Michael Christensen and Jesse Lazare.

Against a stout field, the Alegra quintet put together a masterful race in their No. 28 Porsche 911 GT3 R. On Nov. 8-12, the de Quesadas and the No. 28 Porsche will be back at Daytona International Speedway for the Classic 24 Hour At Daytona Presented by IMSA, a 24-Hour race sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) featuring a variety of vintage race cars.

Mind you, the No. 28 Porsche just will be on display this time around. It won’t be racing in the event – not this time anyway – but Carlos and Michael de Quesada will be busy in four other race cars prepared by the Alegra Motorsports team and Crew Chief Tony Ditto.

The event features historic sports cars broken up into six different run groups based primarily on the eras in which they originally raced. Beginning on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 11 and running for 24 consecutive hours – each group will have four, one-hour races during the 24 hours, each starting six hours apart – the Classic 24 Hour At Daytona Presented by IMSA is nonstop racing action.

The Alegra team has four cars in the three groups, including the team’s 2007 Porsche 997 in which Carlos de Quesada won his first Rolex 24 At Daytona along with a 2013 BMW/Riley Daytona Prototype both competing in “Group E.” Another entry in “Group F” will see the de Quesadas sharing a 1973 Porsche 911 and the team’s fourth entry, a 1990 Porsche 962 in “Group C” is the one that is getting the most attention.

“(The 962) is chassis 148,” said Carlos de Quesada. “It was raced by Rob Dyson. It was the last IMSA 962 built. It won Tampa, and I think it finished third at Daytona. It was a Rain-X car and it’s in the same livery now.”

Carlos de Quesada and another previous Rolex 24 At Daytona winner, Spencer Pumpelly, will drive the 962 during the Classic 24. Pumpelly helped call the team’s strategy during the Alegra team’s 2017 Rolex 24 victory and joined the team’s driver lineup at this year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

“I had Spencer Pumpelly reach out to me saying that it’s been his long dream to drive a 962,” said Carlos. “I’m fulfilling that bucket list for him, because he’s been great for us this year.”

During the interview for this story, the younger de Quesada made his own impassioned plea for some seat time in the famed Porsche IMSA GTP race car.

“I’m going to put my dad on the spot here,” Michael said. “Maybe you could be so kind as to let me drive the 962? I would be so very thankful. All I want are three laps. Three laps is all I’m asking for.”

“Now I’ve got my son begging me to drive it,” Carlos replied. “The most popular car that everyone’s been bugging me on is the Porsche 962.”

The 962 is actually nine years older than Michael de Quesada, who celebrates his 18th birthday this Sunday (Oct. 29). But the significance and history of that car and the other vintage cars in the HSR garage isn’t lost on him.

“I grew up around all these vintage cars,” Michael said. “My father used to do a lot of vintage racing…”

“One year, he went trick-or-treating at an HSR event at Daytona,” Carlos interjected.

“I grew up in the environment of vintage Porsche cars, for sure,” Michael continued. “My dad’s always been a fan. It just reminds me of my childhood and being at an HSR event. It means a lot.”

So much so that Michael will bring a different mindset with him to the Classic 24 as compared to when he raced in the Rolex 24 At Daytona or other IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama events this past season.

“I’m not really trying to win at an event like this,” he said. “I’m just trying to enjoy driving the cars. If you go into a Classic 24 trying to win, that’s when a lot of bad things can happen. Very costly things can happen. This is the one time in my life when I would say I’m really not trying to win anything. Just experience the cars for what they are.”

It’s been Ditto’s responsibility to prepare the cars for the drivers to experience. And he’s expecting it to be quite a thrill for the drivers.

“These guys will really get to feel what these cars were like back in the day,” he said. “These cars, man, they’re totally different animals. It’s a lot of fun to see them. They’re loud, they’re crazy, they’re not too comfortable, but to work on them – as long as we have the parts and the guys take care of the cars – it’s really not too bad.”

Getting back to that No. 28 Porsche and the team’s 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona win, the car competed in the full 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Morad as its full-season driver alongside a rotating cast of Porsche factory drivers and Michael de Quesada when he was available. The team finished seventh in the final GTD standings this year.

Don’t be surprised to see that car compete in a future Classic 24 Hour At Daytona Presented by IMSA. HSR rules require at least a five-year gap from a car’s introduction to be eligible, but Carlos de Quesada has already been thinking ahead.

“This whole year, I was like, ‘Guys, whatever you do, don’t crash it,’” Carlos said. “’Cause that’s going to be our vintage car.’ We’re keeping every used part. We’re keeping everything for it, because we do plan on holding onto this car for vintage.”

The entry list for the third running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA, November 8 - 12, was officially announced today by HSR officials and features nearly 150 race cars and a current tally of more than 250 drivers from around the world.

In total, drivers and teams from 18 different countries, including an impressive list of past and current champion drivers, sports car racing legends and other motorsports notables, are heading to the "World Center of Racing" next month to participate in the HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA.

The equally impressive race cars in which these drivers will compete in the HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona represents a six-decade timespan, stretching back to the iconic prototypes and GT cars of the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s and up to the more modern racing machines of this century that have been retired from competition.

The HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona debuted in 2014 as a tribute race to the internationally famous Rolex 24 At Daytona, which has been run on the 3.56-mile road course at the "World Center of Racing" for more than half-a-century. The immediate success of the inaugural event called for a second running in 2015 and, after a year off, the anticipation is even stronger for next month's third running of the race.

"We are once again honored by the fantastic participation the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA has received from competitors from around the world," said HSR President David Hinton. "The quality of the historic race cars and the incredible lineup of legendary stars and historic sports car racing drivers that are ready to once again take on the challenge of the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona is amazing. We look forward to joining IMSA and Daytona International Speedway in welcoming back these talented men and women who will compete in the Classic 24 Hour, and of course the dedicated race fans, who will join us at the World Center of Racing next month."

The list of current and legendary drivers and motorsports notables confirmed for the Classic 24 includes Adrian Newey, Ray Evernham, Patrick Long, Andy Wallace, Joao Barbosa, Butch Leitzinger, Lyn St. James, Eric Curran, Jules Gounon, Jim Pace, Terry Borcheller, Bill Warner, Aaron Scott, Dieter Quester, Kees Nierop, Bruno Junqueira, Eric Van de Poele, Didier Theys, Gunnar Jeannette, John Fergus, Carlos de Quesada and many more.

The Classic 24 features six period-correct run groups rotating through a full 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The run groups, which include various classes of similar-era race cars, each take to the track four times throughout the 24 hours. The competitors in each group covering the most total distance in the shortest amount of time in their group's four sessions will be crowned Classic 24 at Daytona champions.

Group A - 1960 - 1972: The oldest and perhaps most memory-stirring division, Group A features such legendary race cars as the Lola T70, McLaren M1B and both Chevron B8 and B16 models. Production-based GT machines are also a competitive part of the mix with several 1960s-era Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs, including a Shelby GT350, set to battle with a strong field of early Porsche 911s. Former Group Winner Marc Devis will be looking for another Classic 24 Hour crown this year at the wheel of an ex-John Surtees 1967 Lola T70 Mk3B Lightweight Spyder (pictured), prepared by Olthoff Racing. "Winning the Classic 24 Hour is nice because it is so iconic, and because it is about winning the combination of several individual races," Devis said. "It really is a team win!"

Group B - 1973 - 1982: Evoking the same emotion and memories of Group A with a little more turbocharged power and wide-body aerodynamics, Group B has attracted several Porsche 935s and one 934, a pair of BMW CSLs, a BMW M1 "Pro Car" and several Porsche 911 RSR and ST models. A Camaro and Corvette L88 will represent the big-bore Detroit ranks while Group B is also home to several ultra-quick and classic Chevron B36 and Lola T492 open-cockpit sports prototype race cars. An entry once again sure to be a fan favorite is the returning Esprit Calgary1974 Greenwood Corvette (pictured) that will be driven by endurance-racing standout Jules Gounon, who started from the overall Classic 24 Hour pole in the Corvette in the 2015 race. "Last time we won in GT but we finished second overall in our Group," said Eric Roturier, who is co-owner of Esprit Calgary with Patrick Caldentey. "We need to achieve the goal this year of first overall. Just finishing the Classic 24 Hour race is a great feeling of achievement, but a win brings big pride and recognition from other competitors, owners, technicians and fans."

Group C - 1980 - 1990: The prime of the GTP and Group C era is at the heart of this division, which is the featured Run Group of the 2017 Classic 24 Hour. A strong lineup of four Porsche 962s will be joined by two Jaguar XJR-5s, a Jaguar XJR-7 and a Porsche Fabcar Camel Lights machine. Competitive production-based race cars are also in Group C, including several Porsche 964s, a Camaro and a Lotus X180R. A highlight entry in the group is the Executone March 83G that will be co-driven by Greg Thornton and top motorsports designer and engineer Adrian Newey. The March was one of Newey's earliest projects before reaching super stardom as a designer in the high-tech world of Formula 1. He has since added driving to his impressive resume, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007. "My passion was always the design of the cars, right from when I was a kid building Tamiya 1:12 scale models and then cannibalizing them and making my own ideas," Newey said. "When I was about 14, I managed to persuade my dad to take me karting. I did a bit of karting, nothing very serious, as it was the engineering of the car, fiddling and tinkering with it and trying to make it go quicker, that was probably the interest for me more then than the driving."

Group E - 2003 - 2015: This group lets ALMS and Le Mans prototypes not eligible to race at Daytona in their prime a chance to take to the 3.56-mile high-banked road course. Two Audi R8s, a Pescarolo Judd LMP, Courage Oreca LC70E and a Lola B07/18 LMP1 are expected to be the pacesetters. Group E also includes several later-generation Daytona Prototypes, Oreca FLM09 Prototype Challenge (PC) cars and a competitive lineup of GT machines, such as a Viper GT3-R, Corvette C7R, Aston Martin Vantage, Lotus Exige, several Ferraris and a typically strong turnout of Porsches. One Porsche, a Cayman GT4, will be co-driven by legendary NASCAR Crew Chief and Team Owner Ray Evernham. Another spotlight entry capable of contending for the overall Group E win is the recently announced 2000 Doran/Lista Racing Dallara Judd LMP that will be shared by original co-drivers Fredy Lienhard and Didier Theys. "To look at these cars from the day, they are quite good looking and come from sort of a free-form, open-competition era," said Doran Racing team owner Kevin Doran. "The cars were all different, this one was fun to race, we ran them for two years, and they were just really good cars for us. We took the Daytona 24 Hour win and several more victories."

Group F - HSR Cars: This group produced some of the closest and most competitive racing in each of the first two Classic 24 at Daytona races. Home to HSR classes, some not represented in the other five other groups, Group F also lets competitors with race cars that were never eligible to compete at Daytona a chance to build a little history of their own on the legendary track in the Classic 24. Offering a mix of machinery from six different decades, this group includes many of the same competitors and race cars that compete in HSR's showcase Classic RS Cup and Global GT series.

In addition to presenting sponsor IMSA, official partners of the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona include B.R.M. Chronographes, JSI Logistics, wirewheel.com and the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Classic 24 Hour at Daytona-branded racewear is available from official HSR partner Stand 21.

Overall Run Group winners will be presented with custom-made HSR Classic 24 Hour B.R.M. Chronographes watches.

The HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona and sister Classic 12 Hour at Sebring event will be run in the same calendar year for the first time in 2017, and less than three weeks apart, in November and December. Just 17 days after the Classic 24 Hour, HSR travels to America's other grand road course, Sebring International Raceway, for the second edition of the HSR Classic 12 Hour at Sebring, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, November 29 - December 3.