IMSA has revealed the second class of inductees for the 2024 IMSA Hall of Fame, and the group features four drivers, two architects and four cars at the top of the list.
The second class of the 2024 IMSA Hall of Fame inductees were revealed today, and just like the first class, it has a fascinating set of drivers and cars that contributed to establishing the history of North America’s top sports car series.
The announcement was made today at the Rolex 24 At Daytona which marks the start of the IMSA season at Daytona International Speedway.
The IMSA Hall of Fame is accessible on the web at imsahalloffame.com as nomination is done by a committee that consists of past and present IMSA officials as well as media representatives who vote candidates from a broader pool.
The HOF vote is verified by BDO, an IMSA affiliate. On October 13, the WeatherTech Night of Champions at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia will host the 2024 class.
“Our second round of inductees is a fantastic follow-up to last year’s debuting class,” IMSA President John Doonan said. “We feel like we’ve landed on a great formula for determining inductees.
“In IMSA both the drivers and the cars are the stars. Always has been, always will be. And that makes for an amazing hall of fame.”
The four drivers honored were Derek Bell, Geoff Brabham, Jim Downing and Gianpiero Moretti.
Derek Bell
Derek Bell rose to fame in the endurance sports car racing world and was a familiar face in the IMSA during the 1980s and 1990s, notably when he drove the Porsche 962 which is one of the cars inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 962 sponsored by Lowenbrau remains as one of the most popular cars in IMSA history.
Bell won three of the Rolex 24 races (1986, 1987, and 1989) out of his total 19 IMSA victories. He also boasts five victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Bell won three of the Rolex 24 races (1986, 1987, and 1989) out of his total 19 IMSA victories. He also boasts five victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham, who is the son of three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham, won four straight IMSA GTP titles from 1988 to 1991 while driving the Nissan GTP, which was also inducted this year.
Having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1983, Brabham also took home two of his 25 IMSA race victories in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (1989 and 1991).
Jim Downing
Jim Downing has an amazing résumé as a result of his racing achievements and his impact on safety issues. During his driving career, he won 24 IMSA races and established himself as an elite racer in the Radial Sedan class as he went on to win in GTU production cars and Camel Lights prototypes.
Additionally, he co-invented the HANS (Head and Neck Restraint System) in his “spare” time, which transformed motor racing and saved countless lives.
Gianpiero Moretti
With good reason, they dubbed the late Gianpiero Moretti “Mr. MOMO” as he introduced the Ferrari 333SP to the IMSA, a car that took home 56 race wins between 1994 and 2003 including three at Sebring (1995, 1997, and 1998) and one at the Rolex 24 (1998).
Moretti was one of the most successful “gentleman” racers in IMSA history, co-driving to ten victories overall.
Bob Riley
Bob Riley designed many IMSA cars over the years, the most well-known among them were the Riley & Scott open-cockpit prototypes and the Riley Daytona Prototypes. Riley chassis have claimed seven Rolex 24 championships with different engines.
Riley and his son Bill, who is still an IMSA team owner and operator who has won championships, founded Riley Technologies in 2001.
Jack Roush
Dubbed the ‘Cat in the Hat’, Jack Roush roamed the IMSA garage before rising to prominence as one of NASCAR’s most prolific team owners, mostly with Ford Mustangs.
Concurrent with Roush’s ascent in NASCAR’s Cup Series, the Roush Racing squad along with the legendary Mark Martin as a driver, won five Rolex 24 class titles from 1989 to 1995. Therefore, it makes sense that one of the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee is the Roush Ford Mustang.
The four cars inducted are the Nissan GTP, Porsche 935, Roush Ford Mustang, and Toyota GTP.
