Terry Borcheller

Terry Borcheller is an American racing driver, whose career started in 1991 and who collected several championship titles in North American sports car competitions and two overall wins at Daytona 24 Hours (in 2004 and 2010).

Most recently, he won ST class in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in 2013. Prior to that, he won Grand Am Cup GS class in 2004, Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series DP class in 2003 and SRP II class in 2002, American Le Mans Series GTS class in 2001, Rolex Sports Car Series GTO class in 2000  and SCCA World Challenge T1 class in 1998.

Terry Borcheller

Karting champion switched to car racing in 1991

Born in March 1966 in Hialeah, Florida, Terry Borcheller spent his teenage years in karting competitions, reaching the peak in 1983 when he was the World Karting Association national champion.

He switched to professional car racing in 1991, driving a Ford Mustang in the SCCA National Championship and SCCA World Challenge. He won one race and finished second in the points of SS (Super Sport) class.

First championship title in 1998

SCCA World Challenge was Borcheller's main competition in following years, continuing to drive a Ford Mustang. In 1995, he won one race in a BMW M3. The first great success came in 1998 when he won five races in a Saleen Mustang to became T1 class champion in the SCCA World Challenge.

In the same year, Borcheller made a debut at Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours, driving the #54 BMW M3 E36 for Bell Motorsports. He retired in both races.

Terry Borcheller's championship winning car in 2000

GTO class champion in the 2000 Rolex Sports Car Series

In 1999, American Le Mans Series became Borcheller's main competition. He was driving a Saleen Mustang for Saleen/Allen Speedlab, scoring one podium in GTS class. His full-time co-driver was Ron Johnson.

In 2000, Borcheller and Johnson dominated in the Grand American Road Racing Championship, in the first season under the name Rolex Sports Car Series. They won six times in GTO class, taking the championship title. In the same year, Borcheller participated with different teams in selected ALMS events but also in the SCCA World Challenge, scoring two wins in a Saleen Mustang.

Terry Borcheller's #26 Saleen S7-R in 2001

ALMS GT title and Le Mans GTS class podium in 2001

In 2001, Borcheller added one more championship title to his CV but also a podium at 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was a champion in GTS class of American Le Mans Series, scoring two wins with Konrad Team Saleen in the #26 Saleen S7-R. Sharing a car with Franz Konrad and Oliver Gavin, he won at Sebring and then, only with Konrad, at Laguna Seca.

In June 2001, Borcheller made his debut at Le Mans 24 Hours. A trio Borcheller/Gavin/Konrad raced at Circuit de la Sarthe in the #60 Saleen S7-R, finishing 18th overall and third in GTS class.

In 2001, Borcheller also raced with JET Motorsports' BMW M3 GTR  in the Rolex Series, scoring three wins and finishing third in GT class at the end of the season.

In 2002, Borcheller was a champion in the #8 Lola-Nissan

Rolex Series champion in 2002 with Lola-Nissan prototype

In 2002, Borcheller continued with a double programme in the Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series. He became SportsRacing Prototypes II (SRP II) champion in the Rolex Series in the #8 Lola B2K/40-Nissan of Rand Racing/Risi Competizione. He started a season with class victory and third place overall at Daytona 24 Hours, sharing a car with Anthony Lazzaro, Bill Rand and Ralf Kelleners. Until the end of the season, Borcheller scored six more wins

In the ALMS, he continued to race with Konrad Motorsport's Saleen S7-R, scoring no wins and finishing fifth in GTS class. At Le Mans 24h, he was sharing a car with Franz Konrad and Toni Seiler, finishing 7th in GTS class.

Borcheller's championship winning car in 2003 was the #54 Chevrolet Doran

2003 – fourth championship title in four years

Terry Borcheller continued his fantastic championship-winning streak in 2003, capturing his fourth title in four years. This time, he won in DP (Daytona Prototype) class of the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series, driving the #54 Doran JE4-Chevrolet for Bell Motorsports. He was a race winner six times, sharing a car with Forest Barber (five wins) and Andy Pilgrim (one win).

In 2003, Borcheller also competed in the American Le Mans Series in a Ferrari 360 Modena GT, scoring no wins or podiums. Sharing Risi Competizione's Ferrari with Anthony Lazzaro and Ralf Kelleners, he finished 8th in GT class at 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2004 Daytona 24 Hours winners

Daytona 24h winner and Grand Am Cup champion in 2004

In 2004, Borscheller participated in three championships over the season. He stayed in the Rolex Series and ALMS but also expanded his schedule with Grand Am Cup, driving a Porsche 996 for SpeedSource in GS class and winning the championship title, his fifth in five years. His co-driver was Craig Stanton.

Except his new championship title, the highlight of the season was an overall victory at Daytona 24 Hours. Borcheller won a race in the #54 Bell Motorsports Doran JE4-Pontiac, sharing a car with Andy Pilgrim, Christian Fittipaldi and Forest Barber. It remained his only win in the Rolex Series and he finished ninth in the points. In the American Le Mans Series, Borcheller was driving Saleen S7-R for ACEMCO Motorsports, scoring seven podiums to finish third in GTS class.

Terry Borcheller (left) and Johnny Mowlem were sharing ACEMCO Motorsports' Saleen S7-R

Triple racing programme since 2005

In 2005, Borcheller stayed on the triple programme, continuing to race with Bell Motorsports (Doran-Pontiac) and ACEMCO Motorsports (Saleen S7-R). He only changed a team in the Grand Am Cup, joining Unitech Racing to drive a Nissan 350Z. Borcheller was without wins that season, finishing best in the third place of ALMS GT1 class.

One more year of triple programme followed in 2006, with a focus on the Rolex Sports Car Series in which he competed with Doran Racing's Doran-Ford and Alex Job Racing's Crawford-Porsche. He raced with Konrad Motorsport's Saleen S7-R at Sebring 12h (5th in GT1) and ACEMCO Saleen at Le Mans 24h (7th in GT1). In the Grand Am Cup, he was driving BMW M3 for Automatic Racing.

In 2007, Borcheller switched his focus to the American Le Mans Series, spending a season with Trans Sport Racing in the #54 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR.  His full-time partner was Tim Pappas and they finished ninth in GT2 points, without wins or podiums. In other competitions, Borcheller was driving three different prototypes and Ford Mustang Cobra GT in the Rolex Series and Ford Mustang GT in the Grand Am Challenge.

Terry Borcheller

2008 - third place in ALMS GT1 class with Aston Martin

In 2008, Borcheller ended a season best-placed in the GT1 class of the American Le Mans Series, sharing the third place with Chapman Ducote. They were driving the #008 Aston Martin DBR9 for Bell Motorsports, scoring six podiums. Borcheller was also driving Aston Martin DBR9 in his last attempt at Le Mans, sharing Team Modena car with Christian Fittipaldi and Jos Menten. They finished 8th in GT1 class.

In other competitions, Borcheller was driving Bromos Racing's Riley-Porsche, Spirit of Daytona Racing's Coyote-Porsche, Autohaus Motorsports' Pontiac GXP.R and Blackforest Motorsports' Ford Mustang FR500C.

Borcheller's victorious #9 Riley-Porsche at 2010 Daytona 24 Hours

2009 Daytona podium with Brumos, 2010 Daytona win with Action Express

In 2009, Borcheller's highlight of the year was an overall podium at Daytona 24 Hours. He finished third in the #59 Brumos Racing Riley-Porsche. He was sharing a car with J.C. France, Joao Barbosa and Hurley Haywood.

Borcheller was out of racing for most of the season, returning to a full-time schedule in 2010 with Action Express Racing in the Grand Am Rolex Series. He spent a season in the #9 Riley MkXI-Porsche, starting a year with an overall victory at Daytona 24 Hours. His partners in that race were Joao Barbosa, Mike Rockenfeller and Ryan Dalziel. It remained Terry's only win in 2010. He also raced with Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, finishing third in GS class.

Terry Borcheller's #5 Chevrolet Corvette DP in 2012

Two more seasons with Action Express Racing

In January 2011, Borcheller added one more Daytona 24h podium to the list of his great results. He finished third in the #9 Action Express Riley-Porsche, sharing a car with J.C. France, Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Max Papis. Later that year, Borcheller won a race at Virginia in the #9 Riley-Porsche.

Borcheller stayed for one more season with Action Express Racing, driving a Chevrolet Corvette DP in 2012. He was on a podium two times that season, sharing the #5 car with David Donohue.

Terry Borcheller captured his last championship title with Burton Racing's BMW 128i

Champion one more time in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge

In 2013, Borcheller left Action Express and prototype racing, concentrating on driving a BMW 128i for Burton Racing in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. He scored five podiums in ST class, including two wins, to take one more championship title. His co-driver was Mike LaMarra.

A duo Borcheller/LaMarra stayed in Burton Racing's BMW in 2014, scoring one win and finishing fourth in the points. That year, Borcheller also joined Level 5 Motorsports at Daytona 24 Hours, driving the #556 Ferrari 458 Grand-Am in GTD class and finishing sixth in class.

The season 2015 was the last full season of racing for Borcheller. He spent it in Burton Racing's BMW in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Next year, he raced with Mazda MX-5 in selected CTSCC races and joined Konrad Motorsport to drive Lamborghini Huracan GT3 at Sebring 12 Hours. In 2017, Borcheller recorded just one start at Mosport's round of the Pirelli World Challenge with R.Ferri Motorsport's Ferrari 458 GT3.

Terry Borcheller still isn't ready for a full retirement

Photos: Terry Borcheller, Art Fleischmann, Eric Gilbert,