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The 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) season began for Taylor Hagler with a top-ten finish in the No. 77 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Hagler and her new teammate Bryson Morris combined to finish eighth after four-hours of racing. 

As the green flag flew over Daytona International Speedway to mark the opening of the Endurance Challenge at Daytona, Hagler was quick to gain on-track positions. By the third turn, Hagler had moved up two spots to run ninth. As the field crossed the timing line for the 12th lap, the yellow flag appeared for the first time. With 30 minutes gone off the race clock, the No. 77 Hyundai team elected to come to pit lane for four new tires and fuel. Quick work by the BHA team allowed Hagler to return to the course in sixth place. 

The green flag returned on lap 16 with the No. 77 Hyundai sitting in the middle while three-wide with her BHA sister cars on the front straight. Hagler’s efforts were slowed when a competitor made contact pushing the No. 77 Hyundai off-course with a cut tire. Forced to limp around the 3.56-mile course back towards pit lane, the crew went to work inspecting for damage and replacing the tire. She returned to the running order in 15th although two laps behind the class leader. 

When the race clock struck one hour gone, Hagler continued to persevere behind the wheel of the BHA entry through 25 laps of green flag conditions. When the second full-course caution came on lap 45, Hagler concluded her one hour, 40-minute stint and came to pit lane for a driver change to Morris, four new tires and a full tank of fuel. 

Morris circulated the track for the remaining two hours navigating two additional full-course cautions and maintained equal pace as the TCR class leader with a best 1:58.552-minute lap.

With the sunsetting overhead, Morris and the BHA squad made the final pit stop on lap 81 filling the fuel tank to the brim. Fuel saving became the key to the final sprint to the checkered flag. Morris pushed the No. 77 Hyundai 28 laps to the checkered flag in eighth. The eighth place finish matches Hagler and Morris’s first result as teammates for the 2023 season finale in Road Atlanta. 

Taylor Hagler, Driver of the No. 77 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR  “Today was a true challenge. We had the car and the strategy to have a great result, but we never had the chance to show it.The toughest days at the track are the ones when you aren’t in control. It is unfortunate that a mistake of a competitor took away that chance. The BHA team has learned and tested many things over the last 2 weeks and we can take those notes with us as we prepare for Sebring in March.”