Rolex 24 Debut “Hard to Put Into Words” for Filgueiras

Three-time SRO America class champion Eric Filgueiras said his Rolex 24 at Daytona debut is “hard to put into words” as the Florida native prepares for his foray in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Lone Star Racing.

“Being a part of it for me is a lifetime of work all coming together,” Filgueiras told Sportscar365, “This is confirmation of everything that I’ve worked for leading up to this point.

“Being a part of the show and not being on the outside observing it, but racing in it… It’s kind of hard to put it into words, really. It’s just extremely special.

“Even though we have our things that we’re focused on over the course of the weekend, I still stop and appreciate everything that this event has.”

Filguerias was involved with Lone Star’s 2024 Rolex 24 effort as a team spotter, which ultimately helped propel him into the team’s Michelin Endurance Cup lineup this season.

“I kept in touch with AJ Peterson, who manages the team throughout the course of the season, and he called me in October and said that Dan Knox wants to put a team together and needs a good Silver,” he said.

“There was an evaluation process, and that’s how it led to them picking me.

“There were some other opportunities that I was looking at with some different teams, but to be honest with you, Lone Star is the team that I really wanted to be with.

“They’re not a big team, but they’re a team full of really highly detailed professional people that want to win. I knew that that’s where I wanted to call home and so it’s it’s all worked out and I’m really grateful for it.”

While Filgueiras is gearing up for his first attempt at the Rolex 24, the Florida native does have experience on the Daytona high banks, having twice competed in the IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge season-opening BMW M Endurance Challenge, including a win on his IMSA and professional racing debut with RS1 in 2022.

“It was the first time that I ran that race, so I hope that that same luck is rubbing off on this one,” he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of people in my life that are very special that will be here on Saturday for that fan walking and who are really excited too.”

After SRO America championship success in both Pirelli GT4 America and Fanatec GT World Challenge by AWS, Filgueiras feels confident about continuing his winning ways in the WeatherTech Championship.

“It’s allowed me to accept any sort of adversity and any sort of challenges that I may face, with a little bit more clear-mindedness,” he said.

“I feel comfortable in my skin, even though this is the big show of sports car racing in North America. I don’t feel like I’m out of my out of the league or not capable of being here.

“I feel really comfortable in it and I feel very confident in what I can do and, you know, what I’m capable of doing and what I can bring to the team and I’m just excited and ready to go.

“I think the team is completely capable of walking away with a watch.”