WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Last updated
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship logo.png
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
Inaugural season 2014
Prototype ClassesDaytona Prototype International (DPi), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) & Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3)
GT ClassesGT Le Mans (GTLM) & GT Daytona (GTD)
Tire suppliers Continental (2014-2018 Prototype and GTD)
Michelin (2014-2018 GTLM; 2019-present all classes)
Drivers' championDPi:
Flag of the United States.svg Ricky Taylor
Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves
LMP2:
Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Kelly
GTLM:
Flag of Spain.svg Antonio García
Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Taylor
GTD:
Flag of Germany.svg Mario Farnbacher
Flag of the United States.svg Matt McMurry
Teams' championDPi: Flag of the United States.svg Acura Team Penske
LMP2: Flag of the United States.svg PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports
GTLM: Flag of the United States.svg Corvette Racing
GTD: Flag of the United States.svg Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian
Makes' championDPi: Flag of Japan.svg Acura
GTLM: Flag of the United States.svg Chevrolet
GTD: Flag of Japan.svg Acura
Official website sportscarchampionship.imsa.com
Motorsport current event.svg Current season

The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 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 the Tudor United SportsCar Championship when Rolex SA signed their Tudor brand to a title sponsorship deal. [2] WeatherTech later signed a deal to take over title sponsorship of the series starting in 2016, rebranding the series. [3]

Contents

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

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 2014 Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International.jpg
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 will 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 will 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]

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]

Later, 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]

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

There are five classes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship series, featuring three sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes:

Sports prototypes:

Grand Touring classes:

Some races may only use selected classes of cars, for example: Any class car may be permitted entry into the Rolex 24, while at the Grand Prix of Long Beach only the Daytona Prototype International (DPI) and GT Le Mans (GTLM) are entered. LMP2 and GTLM classes are compatible with regulations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. [12]

Circuits

Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
VIR
Races in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as of 2018. Green dots represent circuits that are a part of the North American Endurance Cup. White dots represent former circuits.
CourseYears
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 20142019, 2021
Charlotte Motor Speedway 2020
Circuit of the Americas 20142017
Daytona International Speedway 2014present
Detroit Belle Isle Street Circuit 20142019, 2021
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2014
Kansas Speedway 2014
Lime Rock Park 20152019, 2021
Long Beach Street Circuit 20142019, 2021
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta 2014present
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2018present
Road America 2014present
Sebring International Raceway 2014present
Virginia International Raceway 2014present
Watkins Glen International 20142019, 2021
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 2014present

Champions

IMSA Championship

Drivers

SeasonPrototypePrototype ChallengeGT Le MansGT Daytona
2014 Flag of Portugal.svg João Barbosa
Flag of Brazil.svg Christian Fittipaldi
Flag of the United States.svg Jon Bennett
Flag of the United States.svg Colin Braun
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kuno Wittmer Flag of the United States.svg Dane Cameron
2015 Flag of Portugal.svg João Barbosa
Flag of Brazil.svg Christian Fittipaldi
Flag of the United States.svg Jon Bennett
Flag of the United States.svg Colin Braun
Flag of France.svg Patrick Pilet Flag of the United States.svg Townsend Bell
Flag of the United States.svg Bill Sweedler
2016 Flag of the United States.svg Dane Cameron
Flag of the United States.svg Eric Curran
Flag of Venezuela.svg Alex Popow
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Renger van der Zande
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oliver Gavin
Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Milner
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Balzan
Flag of Denmark.svg Christina Nielsen
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Taylor
Flag of the United States.svg Ricky Taylor
Flag of the United States.svg James French
Flag of Mexico.svg Patricio O'Ward
Flag of Spain.svg Antonio García
Flag of Denmark.svg Jan Magnussen
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Balzan
Flag of Denmark.svg Christina Nielsen
2018 Flag of the United States.svg Eric Curran
Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Nasr
Not held Flag of Spain.svg Antonio García
Flag of Denmark.svg Jan Magnussen
Flag of the United States.svg Bryan Sellers
Flag of the United States.svg Madison Snow
SeasonDaytona Prototype InternationalLe Mans Prototype 2GT Le MansGT Daytona
2019 Flag of the United States.svg Dane Cameron
Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya
Flag of the United States.svg Matt McMurry Flag of New Zealand.svg Earl Bamber
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Laurens Vanthoor
Flag of Germany.svg Mario Farnbacher
Flag of the United States.svg Trent Hindman
2020 Flag of the United States.svg Ricky Taylor
Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves
Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Kelly Flag of Spain.svg Antonio García
Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Taylor
Flag of Germany.svg Mario Farnbacher
Flag of the United States.svg Matt McMurry

Teams

SeasonPrototypePrototype ChallengeGT Le MansGT Daytona
2014 Flag of the United States.svg #5 Action Express Racing Flag of the United States.svg #54 CORE Autosport Flag of the United States.svg #93 SRT Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg #94 Turner Motorsport
2015 Flag of the United States.svg #5 Action Express Racing Flag of the United States.svg #54 CORE Autosport Flag of the United States.svg #911 Porsche North America Flag of the United States.svg #63 Scuderia Corsa
2016 Flag of the United States.svg #31 Action Express Racing Flag of the United States.svg #8 Starworks Motorsport Flag of the United States.svg #4 Corvette Racing Flag of the United States.svg #63 Scuderia Corsa
2017 Flag of the United States.svg #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Flag of the United States.svg #38 Performance Tech Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg #3 Corvette Racing Flag of the United States.svg #63 Scuderia Corsa
2018 Flag of the United States.svg #31 Whelen Engineering Racing Not held Flag of the United States.svg #3 Corvette Racing Flag of the United States.svg #48 Paul Miller Racing
SeasonDaytona Prototype InternationalLe Mans Prototype 2GT Le MansGT Daytona
2019 Flag of the United States.svg #6 Acura Team Penske Flag of the United States.svg #52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg #912 Porsche GT Team Flag of the United States.svg #86 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian
2020 Flag of the United States.svg #7 Acura Team Penske Flag of the United States.svg #52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg #3 Corvette Racing Flag of the United States.svg #86 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian