The ALMS Prototype champions from Highcroft Racing roll out their LMP2 entry. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America.

This is the fifth in a 24 Hours of Le Mans preview series. Check back to michelinracingusa.com for more features and posts in the coming days.

Although Highcroft Racing team owner Duncan Dayton has won vintage races on the historic streets of Monaco, Dayton has never taken his team to Le Mans. After an ambitious and successful five year period, Highcroft Racing has secured their first invitation to the 24-hour race.

Dayton has taken the team from running a Lola AER to being Acura’s factory team, winning its first races, taking the LMP1 championship in 2009 with the revolutionary Acura ARX 02-a (same MICHELIN® tires on the front and rear of the car), and now racing at Le Mans with the highly developed HPD ARX 01-c this year in the LMP2 class.

ALMS fans will recognize the familiar Patron livery is not present per regulations about alcoholic sponsorship in France. For Le Mans, Highcroft has partnered with Miles to End Malaria, which is working with the race community to promote awareness and funds to provide mosquito nets for people at risk of malaria in Africa. The car has Malaria no More on its sidepods.

David Brabham (left) and Marino Franchitti are without their usual co-driver Simon Pagenaud at Le Mans. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America

The No. 26 Highcroft HPD has the services of two former Le Mans winners. David Brabham, the only driver to have ever won in all four of the ALMS’ original classes, secured his first overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year for Peugeot. Brabham also won twice in the GT1 class at Le Mans with Aston Martin in 2007 and 2008.

Besides “Brabs,” the team has secured Marco Werner’s services to replace Simon Pagenaud. Pagenaud, Highcroft’s full-season driver in ALMS, is repeating what Brabham did last year by racing a factory Peugeot. Werner, a former Audi factory driver, is a three time Le Mans winner (2005-07).

Marino Franchitti completes the Highcroft lineup, fresh off his first overall win in ALMS last race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Franchitti is Highcroft’s endurance race driver and has two prior Le Mans starts, including last year for Drayson Racing in the GT2 class.