Buford, GA (Wednesday, January 14, 2026) — Paul Miller Racing will kick off its 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Daytona with a single, powerhouse BMW M4 GT3 EVO entry powered by a driver lineup that fuses the talent from last year’s two-car program.
The team will run the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the ROAR Before the Rolex 24 pre-season test with an international four-man lineup: Neil Verhagen and Connor De Phillippi (USA), Max Hesse (Germany), and Dan Harper (Great Britain).
This fresh driver mix pulls talent from last year’s No. 1 and No. 48 cars into a single, battle-tested package laser-focused on victories and a third straight Michelin Endurance Cup crown.
In 2025, Paul Miller Racing expanded to two BMWs for the first time in IMSA competition, running the No. 1 and No. 48 in the GTD PRO class.
The No. 1 squad opened the year with a strong fourth-place finish at Daytona and went on to secure second in the Michelin Endurance Cup standings, while the No. 48 car – which had been leading the Rolex 24 before a race-ending accident – still recovered to finish 12th in class and clinched the Endurance Cup championship.
That back-to-back title run in 2024 and 2025 across both cars now fuels a unified single-entry attack for 2026 as the team aims to defend the crown for a third straight year and chase top honors in the overall WeatherTech Championship.
For Daytona, Verhagen and De Phillippi – both based in the United States – will serve as the full-season drivers in the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with Hesse and Harper joining for the Rolex 24.
The new roster blends continuity and fresh energy: Connor and Neil return from last year’s No. 1 car, while Max and Dan bring speed and experience from the former No. 48 program.
With all four now under one banner, Paul Miller Racing enters 2026 with a unified GTD PRO attack and the confidence of a team that has already proven it can fight at the front in the longest and toughest races on the calendar.
The season officially begins with the ROAR Before the Rolex 24, where teams and drivers get their first chance of the year to work through setup programs, fine-tune procedures, and re-familiarize themselves with the 3.56‑mile, 12‑turn Daytona International Speedway road course ahead of the twice‑around‑the‑clock classic.
Across three days of running, the GTD PRO field will share the track with GTP, LMP2, and GTD machinery in a busy seven‑session schedule that will put an early spotlight on one-lap pace, consistency, and teamwork.
With the momentum of consecutive Michelin Endurance Cup titles in 2024 and 2025, a sharpened one-car focus, and a proven driver group now combined in a single entry, Paul Miller Racing approaches the ROAR and the Rolex 24 determined to turn the promise of last year into even bigger results in 2026.
The first official laps of the new season in Daytona will offer the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO the perfect stage to show that the team has the speed, execution, and resilience to chase more silverware in North America’s premier sports car championship.
ROAR Before the Rolex 24 – Weekend Schedule
Friday, January 16, 2026
Practice 1: 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET
Practice 2: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Practice 3: 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET
Practice 4: 3:10 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. ET
Practice 5: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Practice 6: 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. ET
Practice 7: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Track Facts
Circuit Length: 3.56 miles (12 turns)
Classes: GTP, LMP2, GTD PRO, GTD
Entries: 60 total
