IMSA Classic
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The Second Annual Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) IMSA Classic attracted a capacity field of cars from IMSA’s past on the weekend of 24-25 January, setting the stage for Sunday afternoon’s start of the 64th running of the IMSA Rolex 24 At Daytona.
After a floddlit qualifying race on Friday night, early morning fog on Sunday gave way to the day’s first beams of sunshine just minutes before the scheduled 08:50 start of the 30-minute sprint race, with the already huge crowd of race fans and thousands of IMSA competitors and team members taking in some sights and sounds from the past.
The top three overall and Prototype class finishers alone perfectly represented the race’s featured era that showcased authentic Rolex 24 At Daytona sports cars between the years of 1990 and 2010.
Mathews and Farley set the pace all weekend in the pair of Riley & Scotts Photos Jessica John
The overall winner was the 1996 Riley & Scott Mk III now owned and driven by Jim Matthews. One of the best-known Riley & Scotts, the car won both the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours of Sebring in 1996 and now has an IMSA Classic race victory on its CV. Matthews, who campaigned both Riley & Scott open-top cars and Riley Daytona Prototypes in the prime of his racing career, called on Bill Riley and his championship-winning team to prepare the car they know so well.
Matthews and Riley also played a role in the second place finishing 2002 Riley & Scott Mk IIIC that Matthews also owns and didn’t hesitate to make available to Ford Motor Company CEO and regular HSR competitor Jim Farley. The two Rileys were the IMSA Classic pacesetters all weekend, and Matthews and Farley put the crowning touch on a fast three days with the one-two finish in Sunday’s race.
“This is a very special place and the 1996 car I would say is probably the most famous Riley, winning at Daytona and Sebring and racing at Le Mans,” said Mathews.
“It was great! I really enjoyed it and Saturday morning’s feature race was really different than Friday night under the lights. I just want to thank Riley, the whole team and Jim for the privilege of driving a piece of history. This is an experience I will always treasure. And what’s great about racing is that you are living in the moment, right here with everyone else that loves it. I am sure glad I am not playing golf!” was Farley’s verdict.
Florent Moulin moved into the top three overall behind Matthews and Farley early in the race in the Viper, but a fuelling error stopped his charge
Completing the Riley trifecta was multiple HSR Classic Endurance Champion Todd Sloan in his ex-Michael Shank Racing 2007 Riley XI Daytona Prototype. Chip Vance actually made it four Rileys in the overall finishing order with a fourth-place run in his ex-SunTrust/ Riley Motorsports Riley XI Daytona Prototype, but for a time even the Riley top three looked to be in jeopardy.
Driving his immaculate Iconic Racing 2000 Dodge Viper GTS-R in the GT division, frequent HSR competitor Florent Moulin moved into the top three overall behind Matthews and Farley early in the race in the 8-liter V-10 powered Viper, but a fuelling error stopped his charge. Running out low on the last lap, Moulin was able to nurse the car across the line to maintain the GT class win. The pristine Viper’s success comes more than 25 years after the car finished fifth in the inaugural Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2000. “I was surprised by the pace of the car. I really, really pushed hard. I really cannot drive this thing faster,” commented Moulin.
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