IMSA IMSA 2024

[joeb]

Might as well start a thread for next season already.

Some entry news > Andretti WTR will add a 2nd Acura.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/w...ntry-for-2024/

I wonder where they will pull the drivers from? Indy guys or more dedicated sportscar guys?

[broadrun96]

Let's just hope that's not Jarett's new ride

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Let's just hope that's not Jarett's new ride

Jarett is not as bad as the commenters (in multiple forums and comment sections) make it out to be. He has won in GT4 racing for instance.

[GT3_Fan]

Are there any races/tracks for 2024 where you want to see the class structure change? I think Long Beach should go to being an all star race type feel. I would say that should be GTP and GTD Pro only. I would never mind an additional GTD only race. Don't see that happening though.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

Are there any races/tracks for 2024 where you want to see the class structure change? I think Long Beach should go to being an all star race type feel. I would say that should be GTP and GTD Pro only. I would never mind an additional GTD only race. Don't see that happening though.

Class makeup of some of these events can get interesting. I am guessing they will continue with the same basic format, with a couple gt only races just to expand the tracks IMSA runs on while keeping costs down for the Proto teams.

But without P3 next year will there be a higher propensity to keep all 4 classes at more events? It is generally a loss of 8-10 cars from the grid.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

Jarett is not as bad as the commenters (in multiple forums and comment sections) make it out to be. He has won in GT4 racing for instance.

And he's thrown the car off the track as many times, that's not exactly GTP confidence inspiring driving

[GT3_Fan]

I think the car number color codes for WEC and IMSA should line up for 2024. GTP/Hypercar for red, LMP2 for blue (already doing that), GTD should be green for pro and orange for am.

[broadrun96]

Not unexpected but good to have confirmed, United moving to IMSA with 2 cars in LMP2 for '24

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/u...-time-in-2024/

[Coach Ep]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Euro Interpol making a similar announcement (albeit with a single entry).

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Not unexpected but good to have confirmed, United moving to IMSA with 2 cars in LMP2 for '24

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/u...-time-in-2024/

The only sensible choice while they still look for a factory hookup.

They'll need new drivers to replace Albuquerque/Blomqvist though, who I assume will take their Acura drives as a higher priority.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by J Jay

The only sensible choice while they still look for a factory hookup.



They'll need new drivers to replace Albuquerque/Blomqvist though, who I assume will take their Acura drives as a higher priority.

Yes I was wondering about drivers too. Tom will be running in Indycar next year with Shank so I figured that was in place of his IMSA ride.

[Coach Ep]

Another P2 entry announced: https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/r...fraga-in-2024/

And probably no customer Mustangs at the start of the year (but a 2 car GTD-Pro entry has already been confimed!): https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/f...ngs-at-launch/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Another P2 entry announced: https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/r...fraga-in-2024/

And probably no customer Mustangs at the start of the year (but a 2 car GTD-Pro entry has already been confimed!): https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/f...ngs-at-launch/

Great to see, and Gar has been good in p3 at times. I wonder how big of a jump it will be for him to get up to speed in P2. Also, they said it will be a new chassis, just amazing that Oreca keeps building these things!

[Coach Ep]

Two additional Porsches in GTP doesn't sound like a stretch at all: https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...-imsa-by-2024/

[veeten]

Originally Posted by joeb

Great to see, and Gar has been good in p3 at times. I wonder how big of a jump it will be for him to get up to speed in P2. Also, they said it will be a new chassis, just amazing that Oreca keeps building these things!

Well, remember that the 3 organizations also extended P2 regs for two more years, which gives more P3 teams the chance to move up. All part of the plan...

[seanyb505]

Factory Ford in gtd pro

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...kes-shape.html

[JT240Z]

Good to see Ford in the race again. Will be interesting to see a Mustang and Corvette battling again. It's been a lot of years.

[joeb]

AWA will be trading in their LMP3 machinery for a pair of GTD cars for next season:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/a...ram-next-year/

No word on which brand, but the team has run McLaren GT4 cars in the past. Corvette is also looking for a GTD customer team, so maybe an option too.

[KlBD]

Originally Posted by joeb

AWA will be trading in their LMP3 machinery for a pair of GTD cars for next season:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/a...ram-next-year/

No word on which brand, but the team has run McLaren GT4 cars in the past. Corvette is also looking for a GTD customer team, so maybe an option too.

For GTD, I wonder if they will select 2 customers to run 1 car each or release both cars to one team. I sort of recall an article the past few months that mentioned Rebel Rock Racing as a possibility?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by joeb

AWA will be trading in their LMP3 machinery for a pair of GTD cars for next season:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/a...ram-next-year/

No word on which brand, but the team has run McLaren GT4 cars in the past. Corvette is also looking for a GTD customer team, so maybe an option too.

Great to see P3 teams stick around and start to disperse amongst the other classes.

[broadrun96]

Also from S365 today

***IMSA President John Doonan said the 2024 WeatherTech Championship schedule will have no dramatic increases in total run times, despite the planned move to make the Indianapolis Motor Speedway round into a Michelin Endurance Cup round.

***An announcement on the race length for next year’s Indy round will be announced at IMSA’s State of the Sport address at Road America next month. Doonan indicated that a variety of different lengths have been considered, and clarified that an Endurance Cup round must be at least four hours in duration.

Sounds like no dice for Indy getting another late season enduro yet but guess we'll find out next month if it maintains the sprint round status, lots of smoke though so....

And in not so great news

***While its TV deal with NBC Sports is confirmed through the end of the 2024 season, Doonan said that IMSA Radio is currently on a single-year contract, with a final decision still yet to have been announced for next year.

Not renewing that deal is bordering on dumbest thing they could do outside of swapping to all LMP3s only

[Adam43]

That would be mad. IMSA radio is fan radio.

[broadrun96]

Ole Roger stirring up the enduro at Indy again, with WEC

https://racer.com/2023/07/12/penske-...ace-portfolio/

Better move it cause 6 Hour at Indy within a month of 10 hour Petit is just mean on the teams but why ask the teams who already said they didn't want another enduro

[Coach Ep]

Plenty of demand for next year: https://racer.com/2023/07/12/imsa-fi...rowth-in-2024/

With demand apparently being bigger than supply, adding an enduro round might help with the entry selections.

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Plenty of demand for next year: https://racer.com/2023/07/12/imsa-fi...rowth-in-2024/

With demand apparently being bigger than supply, adding an enduro round might help with the entry selections.

I think these ideas should get implemented.

1. Long Beach GTP and GTD (Pro) only
-Bring back the all star race feel that DPI/GTLM only had. Loved this format
2. Laguna Seca split races GTP/LMP2 in one, All GTD (full) in the rest
-3 all GT races on the sked...I hope? Laguna had splits before. Between Prototype Pro and GTLM in one race, LMPC and GTD (am) in the other. I think this time they should just go with a Prototype race and a GT race.
3. CTMP is probably GTD and GTD (full) only
-logically since they are the ones left after P3 is gone


I do also think the GTD Pro vs GTD Am criteria needs a relook. I suggest Gold/Silver has to be GTD Pro now. GTD Am can be Gold/Bronze or Silver/Silver or Silver/Bronze or Bronze/Bronze