DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 26, 2026) – Paul Miller Racing delivered one of the most memorable performances of the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, charging from the very back of the GTD PRO field to claim a dramatic class victory with the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
After a post-qualifying technical review placed the No. 1 BMW at the back of the GTD PRO grid, the team embraced the reality of a 24-hour race, committing to patience, precision, and flawless execution over shorter risks. From the opening stints, the focus was on survival, consistency, and staying in the fight as the race evolved.
The complexion of the event changed dramatically shortly after midnight, when dense fog rolled across Daytona International Speedway, triggering extended full-course yellow conditions that lasted for several hours.
The prolonged neutralization stalled much of the field’s progress, preventing meaningful position changes and keeping the GTD PRO pack tightly compressed.
At the 18-hour mark, with racing still heavily influenced by caution periods, the No. 1 BMW was running seventh in class, with little opportunity to advance under green-flag conditions.
Despite those limitations, Paul Miller Racing had already achieved crucial results earlier in the race, leading the GTD PRO field at both the six-hour and 12-hour marks to secure valuable Michelin Endurance Cup points, a testament to the team’s pace and execution even from the back of the grid.
When green-flag racing finally returned with just over six hours remaining, the race intensified immediately.
The No. 1 BMW surged forward as the team executed decisive pit strategy and clean driver changes, setting the stage for a tense and emotional final phase.
In the closing hour, the challenge escalated further when radio communication with Dan Harper was lost, leaving the final stint to be completed without contact between the engineers, spotters and the cockpit.
Under immense pressure, Harper delivered a breathtaking drive to the finish.
With no radio guidance and the race hanging in the balance, he executed bold and decisive overtakes on both the No. 4 Corvette and the No. 911 Manthey Porsche, seizing control of the GTD PRO lead in one of the defining moments of the race.
As heart rates spiked on the pit wall, Harper maintained composure and precision, defending the lead through the final laps to secure victory.
After 24 grueling hours, the No. 1 BMW crossed the finish line 2.223 seconds ahead of the field, completing a stunning comeback and earning 350 points toward the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, along with 17 points for the Michelin Endurance Cup.
The victory marks Paul Miller Racing’s second Rolex 24 class win, following its GTD triumph in 2020, and builds on the team’s momentum after closing the 2025 season with a GTD PRO victory at Motul Petit Le Mans.
More than just a win, the Daytona result stands as a powerful statement of resilience, teamwork, and execution under pressure at one of endurance racing’s greatest stages.
Paul Miller Racing now sets its sights on the next endurance challenge, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, which takes place on March 21, 2026.
Neil Verhagen
“Obviously, a great two weeks, capping it off with a win at the Rolex is exactly what we were looking for. Going through the Roar, going through all of our test points, making sure that we were going to be as competitive as possible come the end of the race.
“It was a bit tricky having the conditions so different at the end of the race, being so much hotter, but I think we did an amazing job to make sure that we put ourselves in the best position possible to have the car and the best for us and to know what we had.
“Qualifying, I think, was good from our side. Unfortunate that we lost the lap, but in the end, if there was one session of the year that we could afford to start from the back from, I think the 24 hours would have been the best one for it.
“So we didn’t let that knock us down. We kept pushing as a team. We had some great battles with our competitors over the race as well too. And in the end, it was just a perfect race, executed amazingly by everybody. The crew members did amazing pit stops.
“The engineers made great strategy calls, and all the drivers, drove a very good race, keeping the car clean. I can’t thank those guys enough. Can’t thank PMR and BMW Motorsport for giving us the package to be able to win my first Rolex 24 hours. It’s definitely a very special moment that’s going to live with me for the rest of my life.”
Connor De Phillippi
“Rolex 24h Daytona winners!!! An unbelievable finish to a race that was executed to perfection by every single person at Paul Miller Racing. From pit stops, strategy and each lap driven there was not a single mistake.
“I’m so proud of everyone at PMR as well as my incredible teammates that demonstrated a masterclass drive from the green flag to the checkered. Simply one of the best moments of my career!”
Max Hesse
“Amazing weekend, amazing two weeks actually. Obviously this was a lot of work in terms of preparation from the engineers, from the drivers, from the staff. We took the role very seriously, trying to prepare as well as possible.
“Looking for long run pace, trying to simulate the hotter conditions we will face during the race weekend, especially Saturday, Sunday, the temperatures really rise up. And I think that’s exactly what we did. We were not shining on the timing shots initially, but Neil did a good job in qualifying. Unfortunately, that lap didn’t count and was deleted due to the disqualification, so we went to the back of the grid.
“But if there’s one race you can win from the back of the grid, it’s Daytona, so we quite quickly made our way to the front.
“During the night phase, the extended full-course yellow neither helped nor hurt us, as we were in a good rhythm and felt confident with the car.
“But as soon as the restart came, we were all on fire and the car was really behaving well. And then the last hours were quite tense, a lot of battling with different manufacturers, but, coming out on top was incredible”
Dan Harper
“I’m over the moon. I still can’t really believe it, but the amount of work everybody in the team put in over the two weeks in Daytona was incredible.
“To come out with the victory is the cherry on top. I don’t think we expected it, even toward the end of the race, we sort of felt we didn’t quite have the pace to finish the job, but the strategy was perfect and we took control at the right time. I’m so grateful for all the hard work from everybody and very, very happy.”
