– The Blue Oval Takes the Spotlight Next November in the 12th Running of the HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour Presented by Mission Foods
– Ford Featured Marque Honor Celebrates the 125th Anniversary of Ford’s First Racing Victory and 60 Years Since the First Overall Rolex 24 At Daytona Victory for Ford in 1966 by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby in a Ford GT 40 Mk II
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 6, 2025) – Officials from Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) and Ford Racing announced today that Ford will be the Featured Marque of the 12th running of the HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour presented by Mission Foods at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), November 11 – 15, 2026.
The first HSR Classic event, which debuted at the World Center of Racing in 2014, the HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour is an annual tribute race to the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Ford has taken home 20 first-place trophies from the Rolex 24, including its first 24-hour victory in 1966 by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby in a Ford GT 40 Mk II in the first Daytona race to officially run the 24-hour distance.
The 1966 Daytona 24-hour race victory marks its 60th anniversary next year but will not be Ford’s only major motorsports milestone of note in 2026. The main and year-long celebration, which will be one of the primary focal points of next year’s HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour, is the incredible 125th Anniversary of Ford’s first race win.
In October 1901, a young Henry Ford stunned the racing world when he piloted his self-built “Sweepstakes” racer to victory at Grosse Pointe Raceway. Defeating Alexander Winton, the most accomplished driver of the era, Ford secured the backing that would lead to the creation of the Ford Motor Company.
2026 marks 125 years since that first victory, and the true beginning of Ford, and the “World Center of Racing” on HSR Classic Daytona 24 weekend is the perfect venue and event to celebrate Ford’s historical impact on motorsports and endurance racing.
Four more overall Rolex 24 victories followed the initial 1966 win in addition to a seemingly unstoppable run of GT-class victories by Jack Roush prepared Mustangs in the 1980s and 1990s.
Today, the next chapter in Ford’s incredible Rolex 24 At Daytona history is being written by the modern-era Mustang GT3 program. Appropriately announced during the 2022 Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mustang GT3 claimed its first victory in worldwide sports car racing competition at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, the opening round of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Even better, the winning No. 65 entry was joined on the GT Daytona (GTD) Pro podium by its sister No. 64 entry in third place.
Ford has built a powerful reputation as always being a brand to beat on the 3.56-mile DIS road course, and that competitive presence continues and will be celebrated both next year and this weekend at the HSR Classic Daytona 24. The 11th running of the HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour takes place this weekend, November 5 – 9, 2025.
A frequent HSR competitor is none other than Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley, who joined legendary Formula 1 designer, engineer and technical wizard Adrian Newey in Newey’s 1965 No. 5 Ford GT40 Mk I (pictured at bottom) in the 2023 HSR Classic Daytona 24. The power duo finished a close third in Run Group A.
In another one of the 2023 race’s strong performances, an immaculate Ford-powered 1979 No. 35 De Tomaso Pantera, piloted by veteran top-tier sports car driver and Le Mans class winner Ralf Kelleners, took control of Run Group B from the green flag. The decisive victory for the winged, wide-bodied and flame-throwing GT machine was a popular one for the immaculate Pantera that was an instant fan and paddock favorite.
Tickets for this weekend’s 11th HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour presented by Mission Food are available through Daytona International Speedway at https://am.ticketmaster.com/
For the HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour presented by Mission Foods event schedule, competitor entries and additional information, please visit the official HSR Event Page at www.HSRRace.com.
Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Racing: “Daytona International Speedway has always been a very special place to Ford Racing. So many of our major moments have come at Daytona it seems appropriate to celebrate 125 Years of Ford Racing and the 60th anniversary of our first 24-hour race win at the 2026 HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour. We are honored to be named the Featured Marque for the 2026 edition of this very special event. This recognition of Ford Racing reflects a culture of winning as America’s Race Team for 125 years. We aren’t just coming to be honored though. Like in everything we do when we compete, we will be looking for victory lane.”
John Doonan, HSR President: “We are honored to showcase Ford as the Featured Marque of the 2026 HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour presented by Mission Foods. It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate Ford’s incredible first racing win 125 years ago and the 60th anniversary of Ford’s first overall victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1966. Ford’s incredible history in the Rolex 24 At Daytona is as grand and illustrious as the accomplishments of some of the world’s other great manufacturers in America’s premier 24-hour race. Ford Motor Company’s place in Americana, and at the very foundation of the United States as a national icon, is equaled in stature and achievement by its global success in motorsports. It is our privilege to have the chance to be part of the celebration of these amazing Ford milestones and anniversaries next November at the “World Center of Racing.”
About Ford Racing: Ford Racing, based in Dearborn Michigan, is responsible for all global race programs as well as all Ford Racing road programs such as Mustang GTD and Ford Raptor. Official Ford Racing involvement includes Mustang competition with NASCAR, IMSA, FIA World Endurance Championship, SRO, ADAC Motorsport, Australian Supercars Championship, Formula Drift and NHRA as well as our one-make Mustang Dark Horse R series in the US and Australia. Ford Racing also dominates off-road racing in series such as Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Finke Desert Race in Australia and Rebelle Rally. Ford Racing will return to the top tier of endurance racing with our WEC Hypercar program in 2027 while competing in Formula 1 with Red Bull Ford Powertrains beginning in 2026. Ford Racing maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology with events such as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and Goodwood Festival of Speed. In addition, the organization oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit FordRacing.com or follow @FordRacing on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/, on Twitter X @HSR_race and on Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.
