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IMSA SportsCar Championship

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This article is about the 21st-century IMSA sports car championship series. For the 20th century IMSA sports car championship series, see IMSA GT Championship.

IMSA SportsCar Championship
CountryUnited States United States
Canada Canada
RegionNorth America
Inaugural season2014
Prototype ClassesGrand Touring Prototype (GTP) & Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)
GT ClassesGT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) & GT Daytona (GTD)
Tire suppliersContinental (2014–2018 Prototype and GTD)
Michelin (2014–2018 GTLM; 2019–present all classes)
Drivers' championGTP:
Brazil Felipe Nasr
United States Dane Cameron
LMP2:
France Tom Dillmann
United States Nick Boulle
GTD Pro:
Germany Laurin Heinrich
GTD:
Switzerland Philip Ellis
United States Russell Ward
Makes' championGTP: Germany Porsche
GTD Pro: Germany Porsche
GTD: Germany Mercedes-AMG
Teams' championGTP: Germany Porsche Penske Motorsport
LMP2: Poland Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports
GTD Pro: United States AO Racing
GTD: United States Winward Racing
Official websiteimsa.com/weathertech/
Current season

The IMSA SportsCar Championship, currently known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship under sponsorship, is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada and organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). It is a result of a merger between two existing North American sports car racing series, the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series. At its inception, the name was United SportsCar Championship,[1] which subsequently changed to IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2016. Rolex SA's Tudor brand was the championship's title sponsor in 2014 and 2015,[2] and since 2016 WeatherTech has served as title sponsor.[3]

The season begins with its premier race, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the last weekend of January and ends with the Petit Le Mans, another North American Endurance Cup race, in early October.

History

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On September 5, 2012, it was announced that the Grand-Am Road Racing sanctioning body would merge with the Braselton-based International Motor Sports Association, and as such, both bodies would merge their premiere sports car series, the Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series respectively, with plans to debut in 2014. On November 20, 2012, the merger committee announced that SME Branding were selected to develop the name, logo and identity of the new series.[4]

2014 Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen

On January 8, 2013, the two series' announced a preliminary class structure for the new merged series. Grand-Am's Daytona Prototype category and IMSA's P2 would combine into a single-prototype class, with allowances for the unique DeltaWing to also compete in the new class. The Le Mans Prototype Challenge class of single spec cars from the American Le Mans Series would continue as is, although the cars were to switch to Grand-Am's Continental Tires.[5] The GT class of the American Le Mans Series would remain unchanged, while Grand-Am's GT class would form another GT class, and be combined with the American Le Mans GTC category.[6] The only category of cars not represented in the new series is the American Le Mans Series' P1 category.

The reveal date for the new series was March 14, 2013 at the Chateau Élan Hotel and Conference Center at Sebring International Raceway, two days before the 12 Hours of Sebring. American Le Mans CEO Scott Atherton announced the new sanctioning body would remain IMSA while Ed Bennett revealed the new titles for the series' five classes. SME Branding Senior Partner Ed O'Hara then announced the new United SportsCar Racing title and logo, a name submitted through a contest won by Louis Satterlee of Florida, a racer in the Florida Karting Championship Series.[7]

2020 6 Hours of Road Atlanta

On August 9, 2013, Fox Sports 1 announced it had signed a TV contract with IMSA to televise the entire USCC season between 2014 and 2018.[8]

On September 12, 2013, Tudor was announced as the title sponsor for the series, which was named the United SportsCar Championship. On August 8, 2015, WeatherTech was announced as the new title sponsor for the series, renaming the series to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, starting with the 2016 season.[9]

Beginning with the 2019 season, the series is covered exclusively by NBC Sports in the United States. The NBC broadcast network will air nine hours of coverage annually, with the majority of the coverage airing on NBCSN. CNBC and the NBC Sports app will provide supplemental coverage.[10][11] Beginning with 2022, USA Network replaced NBCSN as the cable home to the series.

Michelin Pilot Challenge

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Main article: Michelin Pilot Challenge

Originally based on a Canadian series before being acquired by Grand-Am, the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (originally known as Grand-Am Cup) is a production-based touring car series. The series is split into two classes known as Grand Sport (GS), intended for large capacity GT-style cars, and Street Tuner (ST), consisting of smaller sedans and coupes, some of which are front-wheel drive. The IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge until 2013 supported some Rolex Series races but also headlined some of its own dates. This series continued with the United SportsCar Championship after the merger and is somewhat comparable to the old Trans Am Series.

Class structure

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A chart tracking class changes, 2014 to 2025.

There are four classes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship series, featuring two sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes. Some races may only use selected classes of cars, for example: Any class car may be permitted entry at Daytona, while at the Northeast Grand Prix only the GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) and GT Daytona (GTD) are entered. Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) classes are compatible with regulations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Sports Prototype classes

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Grand Touring Prototype (GTP)

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A BMW M Hybrid V8 GTP at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

The flagship class of the championship that replaced the DPi (Daytona Prototype International) class starting in 2023, featuring cars built to IMSA's LMDh and Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Le Mans Hypercar regulations.

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)

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An Oreca 07 LMP2 at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

A class introduced since 2019 after being split from the DPi class (2019–2022), it features pro-am driver lineups. The class features cars built by Automobile Club de l'Ouest's (ACO) 4 licensed manufacturers (Riley-Multimatic, Ligier, Oreca and Dallara) to the specifications of the FIA/ACO 2017 Global LMP2 regulations.

Grand Touring classes

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GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro)

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An Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 GTD Pro at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

A class that utilizes the FIA GT3 specifications that replaced the GTLM class starting in the 2022 Season. No driver class restriction in the GTD Pro class.

GT Daytona (GTD)

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A BMW M4 GT3 GTD at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

A class since 2016 that uses same specification cars as GTD Pro, but at least 1 silver or bronze driver must be in a team. And more than 1 platinum driver in a team is prohibited.

Former classes

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There were five classes formerly used in the IMSA SportsCar Championship series, featuring four sports prototype categories and one grand tourer class.

Sports Prototype classes

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Daytona Prototype International (DPi)

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A Mazda RT24-P DPi at Petit Le Mans.

The former flagship class of the championship from 2019 to 2022, featuring cars built to IMSA's Daytona Prototype International regulations, which are based upon the 2017 Le Mans Prototype LMP2 cars. Previously, the DPi's had competed against their base LMP2 counterparts in the Prototype class from 2017 to 2018. Starting in 2019 the LMP2 cars were split into a separate class. The Prototype class had originally consisted of Grand-Am's Daytona Prototypes with the American Le Mans Series LMP2 prototypes, and the DeltaWing, before the original Daytona Prototypes, and the DeltaWing were phased out of competition at the end of 2016, and replaced by the new DPi cars. Starting in 2023, the DPi class was replaced by the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class in an effort to further improve the racing in the Prototype class, as well as create a closer bond to the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Prototype (P)

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A Coyote Corvette DP Prototype at Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

The former flagship class of the championship from 2014 to 2018 before splitting into two separate classes in 2019, featuring cars built to which included classes of prototypes carried over from the previous motorsport category series of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. These cars were Daytona Prototypes, LMP2 prototypes & the Nissan DeltaWing. Starting in 2017 the original Daytona Prototypes, and the DeltaWing were phased out of competition, and replaced by the new DPi cars. At the end of the 2018 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season this class would be split into two separate classes, DPi & LMP2 for the following season in 2019.

Prototype Challenge (PC)

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A Oreca FLM09 Prototype Challenge at Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

This was a one-make spec class in which all cars that drivers and teams used were Oreca FLM09 LMPC's powered by 6.2L Chevrolet V8 engines which made 430 hp each. This class would be used from the 2014 season until the end of the 2017 season.

Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3)

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A Ligier JS P320 LMP3 at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

Introduced in the 2021 season, having been in the IMSA Prototype Challenge category as one of the feeder series to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, this class of prototypes features cars built according to ACO's 2020 LMP3 Generation II ruleset specifications from manufacturers such as Ligier, ADESS, Ginetta & Duqueine Engineering. The class was removed after the 2023 season due to the growth in grid sizes.

Grand Touring classes

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GT Le Mans (GTLM)

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A Porsche 911 RSR GTLM at Petit Le Mans.

A continuation of the ALMS GT class, it consisted of cars matching the ACO's GTE specification and competed in the series between the 2014 and 2021 seasons.

Circuits

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class=notpageimage|
Races in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as of 2023. Green dots represent circuits that are a part of the North American Endurance Cup. White dots represent former circuits.
Main article: List of IMSA SportsCar Championship circuits
Course Years
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 2014–2019, 2022–present
Charlotte Motor Speedway 2020
Circuit of the Americas 2014–2017
Daytona International Speedway 2014–present
Detroit Belle Isle Street Circuit 2014–2019, 2021–2022
Detroit Downtown Street Circuit 2024
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2014, 2023–present
Kansas Speedway 2014
Lime Rock Park 2015–2019, 2021–2023
Long Beach Street Circuit 2014–2019, 2021–present
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta 2014–present
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2018–2022
Road America 2014–present
Sebring International Raceway 2014–present
Virginia International Raceway 2014–present
Watkins Glen International 2014–2019, 2021–present
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 2014–present

Champions

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Main article: List of IMSA SportsCar Championship champions

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "United SportsCar Racing To Debut In 2014". American Le Mans Series. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Tudor Named Title Sponsor". Sportscar 365. John Dagys Media, LLC. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  3. ^ DiZinno, Tony (8 August 2015). "WeatherTech Named New Title Sponsor of IMSA SportsCar". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. ^ "SME Branding Selected To Develop Identity for GRAND-AM, ALMS Merger". Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  5. ^ "ALMS: Continental Named New Spec PC Tire". ALMS Communications. 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ^ "GRAND-AM, ALMS Announce 2014 Class Structure". American Le Mans Series. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. ^ "LOUIS SATTERLEE - 2012 FLORIDA KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REVIEW". Karting News Worldwide. 7 July 2012. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  8. ^ "FOX to air United SportsCar Racing". Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  9. ^ "WeatherTech Joins IMSA In Multiyear Partnership". Daytona Beach, FL: IMSA. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  10. ^ Pruett, Marshall (30 April 2018). "IMSA moving to NBC Sports in 2019". Racer. Racer Media and Marketing, Inc. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. ^ "IMSA Moves to NBC Sports in New Six-Year TV Deal – Sportscar365". Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
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