Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier battle at the front of GS field at Daytona
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Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier launched their IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaigns in impressive fashion with a combative, front-running performance in the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway, narrowly missing out on a top-ten finish after spending much of the race in the thick of the GS class fight.
Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier launched their IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaigns in impressive fashion with a combative, front-running performance in the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway, narrowly missing out on a top-ten finish after spending much of the race in the thick of the GS class fight.
Making their first Michelin Pilot Challenge start with The Heart of Racing after two seasons together in GT4 America, the duo shared the #27 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 with Mike David Ortmann and emerged from the season opener with P11 in one of the most competitive GS fields the series has seen in recent years.
The Heart of Racing trio arrived at Daytona following an intensive build-up during the Roar Before the 24, using the test to refine set-up, tyre understanding and long-run consistency ahead of the traditional four-hour opener. With 35 GS entries and seven women in the class, the first round proved to be another thrilling event.
Grisham delivered an outstanding qualifying performance, placing the Aston Martin sixth on the GS grid with a 1:53.707 lap - the fastest Aston Martin in the class. It marked a confident first Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying session for Grisham and positioned the team inside the leading group.
Grisham said after qualifying:“The ROAR weekend went well for us. We got a solid amount of practice and were able to fine-tune the car. Qualifying went well today, though it was a bit hectic with 36 cars in the field—trying to find clean space while also trying to pick up a draft."
"I’m really looking forward to the four hour race tomorrow. I think it’s going to be a tight battle, and it’ll come down to executing what we’ve been working on over the past week. I’m excited and grateful to be making my first Michelin Pilot Challenge start tomorrow with everyone at The Heart of Racing.”
Greenemeier echoed the optimism heading into race day: “The ROAR was a positive step forward in getting setup and track knowledge and just overall comfort. The pace we showed seemed to be very competitive and we look forward to continuing the momentum into the four hour race. Hannah and Mike have been doing a great job and I am excited to see what we can do on Friday. Thanks to the whole Heart of Racing Team for the great opportunity and all their hard work.”
From the rolling start, Grisham held the outside line through Turn 1 and emerged cleanly in sixth place, immediately embedded in the front GS train. She maintained her position through the opening laps as the field settled, then briefly slipped to eighth as traffic intensified and minor position changes rippled through the pack.
Grisham spent much of her opening stint fighting in a dense four- and five-car group, while keeping herself within striking distance of the top five. Around the 10-minute mark she fell to 10th, but remained right in the slipstream of the cars ahead, including the W&S Porsche and Murillo Racing Mercedes.
As the first stint developed, Grisham began to apply real pressure. She capitalised when trouble for rivals ahead opened gaps, first moving forward as others made mistakes, then attacking directly. She found a way past Michaelian to reclaim eighth, only to be immediately drawn into a drag-race battle on the banking. A slight overshoot into Turn 1 on the next lap allowed two cars to slip through, dropping her back to 11th, but she remained firmly in the fight.
The first full-course caution at around 40 minutes brought the field together. When pit lane opened, The Heart of Racing executed an excellent stop, keeping Grisham in the car. The call paid off: as the cycle completed, Grisham emerged running third overall in the GS class, having vaulted up the order.
On the restart, Grisham immediately latched onto the leading pair and began applying pressure to the second-placed BMW. She remained glued to the rear bumper of McAlister and briefly looked ready to challenge for second.
Another caution interrupted the flow, but Grisham again produced a sharp restart, staying right in contention. Over the next green-flag run, she engaged in one of the most intense battles of the race, fending off challenges from the #46 Mustang while repeatedly attacking the BMW ahead. Braking later into Turn 1 and committing on the outside, Grisham finally made a move stick to climb into second place.
As the field reshuffled again after another FCY, she found herself in multi-car battles, trading positions while holding firm against the Turner Motorsport and TMG entries. When the next caution fell, Grisham remained inside the top ten, still part of the lead fight.
After nearly two hours in the car and having been a central figure in the front-running battles, Grisham handed over to Hannah Greenemeier at the next pit sequence, completing a stellar opening drive that had placed the Aston Martin in prime position.
Greenemeier rejoined mid-pack after a chaotic pit lane, and quickly began to work forward. On the restart she gained ground immediately, moving from the top-15 toward the edge of the top ten. She continued to build momentum, picking up places and closing on the group ahead as the race approached the final 90 minutes.
Just as her charge was developing, misfortune struck: at Turn 1, the Random Vandals BMW went deep and made contact, leaving Greenemeier with nowhere to go. The Aston was turned around, sending her into a spin that cost significant time and dropped the car deep in the GS order. It was a heavy blow after the earlier front-running performance.
Unfazed, Greenemeier refocused and continued, bringing the car back into contention before the next round of stops. She then handed over to Mike David Ortmann for the final stint as The Heart of Racing looked to salvage the strongest result possible.
Ortmann immediately went on the offensive, carving through the field with decisive overtakes. He gained rapidly, breaking back into the top 20 and then into the top 15 as the final hour approached. A strong restart saw him climb again, and after the last pit cycle he resumed his outstanding pace with clear track ahead.
In the closing stages, Ortmann continued to pick off rivals, rising to 12th and then 11th, closing the gap to the top ten. Despite the late push, the #26 Aston Martin took the chequered flag P11 in the GS class - a result that showed the determination but didn't fully reflect the potential of the trio across the four hours.
For Grisham and Greenemeier, Daytona however delivered a statement to open their IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaigns; Grisham’s opening stint placed the Aston Martin among the front-runners, including a period running second overall on merit, while Greenemeier showed strong pace before being spun around by unavoidable contact. Ortmann’s late recovery drive still highlighted the strength of the package.
Although they narrowly missed a top-ten finish, the Heart of Racing female duo left Daytona having demonstrated strong speed and racecraft, and will return for the second round at Sebring on March 18-21.