IMSA 2022

Kiante said:
It's fantastic, I was concerned about them. I guess Mustang Sampling will still be on the car?

Man, I hope IMSA and WEC steps up the advertising for next year. 2023 is a big year to capitalize off of these revamped GTP and LMH classes. IMSA especially, social media work is so sparse for them at times, its scary.
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Agreed completely, they badly need to invest in that before next season starts. It’s a matter of resources, the girl who led IMSA’s social media moved up to become NASCAR’s social media strategist mid last year, so it’s not the individuals themselves. They just need more behind it. Another guy who led IMSA’s a few years ago went to the firm that does Ford Performance social now. If there was ever a time to capitalize it’s now.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Agreed completely, they badly need to invest in that before next season starts. It’s a matter of resources, the girl who led IMSA’s social media moved up to become NASCAR’s social media strategist mid last year, so it’s not the individuals themselves. They just need more behind it. Another guy who led IMSA’s a few years ago went to the firm that does Ford Performance social now. If there was ever a time to capitalize it’s now.
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Yeah Meagan is pretty cool as well, she's amazing in the social media landscape.
 
Good split of 7 DPi / 7 LMP2 / 11 LMP3 / 7 GTD Pro / 16 GTD cars for the Six Hours. The Acuras swept front row. 10:40 AM on Peacock, simulcast on USA picks up at 2 PM.

spotterguides.com

2022 Official IMSA Spotter Guide

IMSA Spotter Guide, featuring 2022 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Michelin North American Endurance Cup & the Michelin Pilot SportsCar Challenge starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Raceway
spotterguides.com spotterguides.com
 
Kiante said:
Hot, Hot Heat:

Kamui will be in the Lexus at CTMP.
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Starting at the beginning of June and running through the middle of July, Kamui will have driven seven straight weekends:

Le Mans test
Le Mans 24 Hours
Super Formula at SUGO
6 Hours of the Glen
IMSA at CTMP
6 Hours of Monza
Super Formula at Fuji

Two different prototypes, a GT3, and an open wheeler across Europe, North America, and Japan.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Starting at the beginning of June and running through the middle of July, Kamui will have driven seven straight weekends:

Le Mans test
Le Mans 24 Hours
Super Formula at SUGO
6 Hours of the Glen
IMSA at CTMP
6 Hours of Monza
Super Formula at Fuji

Two different prototypes, a GT3, and an open wheeler across Europe, North America, and Japan.
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"Have helmet, will travel."

Man is a menace and a sublime talent.
 
Pfaff are also looking at moving from GTD Pro to GTP once Porsche makes even more customer cars available in 2024. Surprisingly, despite a $2.9M rolling chassis price tag, annual running costs are being quoted between $5-7M. At this rate Porsche may be able to recreate the “Nobody’s perfect” poster.

sportscar365.com

Porsche LMDh Effort on Pfaff’s Radar for as Early as 2024 – Sportscar365

Pfaff eyeing possible move to GTP class; team manager cautious on budget projections...
sportscar365.com sportscar365.com
 
Looking forward to the Canadian Motorsports Park race this weekend as it's one of my favorite tracks. Hopefully we'll have less wrecks and fires and tires flying off than last week. It was an exciting race but I don't like seeing wrecked cars that seemed avoidable.
 
Only 24 cars this weekend, 6 each between DPi / LMP3 / GTD Pro / GTD. A number of usual entries from the two Pro-Am classes, mostly GTD, have opted out whether due to chassis damage from Watkins Glen or Canada entrance requirements. Good news is that the whole of the GT field has been within seven or eight tenths of each other all weekend. Hopefully they can put on a good show, the locals deserve it after all this time.

Acuras swept front row again.

 
Thrilling race at Mosport, DPi put on an absolute hell of a show at what’s now the fastest track on the calendar post-repave. Good points day for MSR, taking the title lead, but I’m sure they’re tired of finding a way to finish 2nd each week - five races in a row now.

Nice to see Pfaff take GTDP honors on home soil during Canada Day weekend, and good battle for the win at the end in GTD as well.

Hard to believe the season is already winding down, only two races left for the prototype contenders. Two of the final four races are the GT-only races at Lime Rock and VIR.
 
Pfaff (GTD Pro) and Vasser-Sullivan (GTD) on pole for the Northeast GP at Lime Rock tomorrow. Live on Peacock at 3 PM ET, 5 PM delayed broadcast on USA.

Unfortunately, latest rumors have IMS replacing Mid-Ohio as a regular 2:40 length next year before expanding to an Endurance Cup round in 2024. Sad to see Mid-Ohio SPORTS CAR COURSE go if that’s the case. I would’ve much preferred to see Laguna drop off.
 
I wish they could just expand the IMSA schedule a round, it’s not like they do 12 races each class anyway.
 
AuzGrams said:
I wish they could just expand the IMSA schedule a round, it’s not like they do 12 races each class anyway.
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GTD at least races everywhere, I’m hoping maybe now that there’s no longer a pro GT class at Le Mans that GTD Pro can join at Belle Isle. Otherwise I’d like to see maybe another race or two from LMP2 and hopefully LMP3 canned after this year. The top class is only going to be more expensive next year, even more so in 2024 when Indy is an endurance round, so I think they’re really maxed out.
 
Yeah an extra race is obviously added cost, but it sucks I feel like these races are supported.

If Mid-Ohio is swapped out for IMS, hopefully Mid-Ohio or another track can get on the GT World Challenge schedule.
 
AuzGrams said:
Yeah an extra race is obviously added cost, but it sucks I feel like these races are supported.

If Mid-Ohio is swapped out for IMS, hopefully Mid-Ohio or another track can get on the GT World Challenge schedule.
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Mid-Ohio is great and has a strong crowd, not IndyCar big or anything but probably a little bigger than what the Trucks had last weekend. Bummer. I don’t know how Laguna makes money, that place looks pretty empty for IMSA usually.

GTWC America would be nice but I’m also disappointed in what that series has become since it got taken over by SRO.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Would Indy be an additional endurance event or replacing something else? Any word on what the duration would be?
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5th endurance event in 2024 is what I understand. There have been rumors that it’ll be something unique for marketing purposes and some people think that means 6 hours, 42 minutes for the length of the inaugural Indy 500.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Mid-Ohio is great and has a strong crowd, not IndyCar big or anything but probably a little bigger than what the Trucks had last weekend. Bummer. I don’t know how Laguna makes money, that place looks pretty empty for IMSA usually.

GTWC America would be nice but I’m also disappointed in what that series has become since it got taken over by SRO.
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Well, I do have to defend Laguna Seca and say that where else are they going to run out west when they need another one on the west coast? Portland? Utah Motorsports Campus? Buttonwillow/Willow Springs? I’m sorta debating on Portland or Laguna Seca for IndyCar to attend this year because Portland has better sightlines.
 
FLRacingFan said:
GTWC America would be nice but I’m also disappointed in what that series has become since it got taken over by SRO.
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Yeah the car counts are are a shell of what they used to be 5 years ago in GTWC America, which back 5-7 years ago it was arguably better than IMSA in my opinion. At least IMSA holds steady. Still a decent series, but they need to get more cars.
 
AuzGrams said:
Well, I do have to defend Laguna Seca and say that where else are they going to run out west when they need another one on the west coast? Portland? Utah Motorsports Campus? Buttonwillow/Willow Springs? I’m sorta debating on Portland or Laguna Seca for IndyCar to attend this year because Portland has better sightlines.
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IMSA does need their own feature West Coast race since Long Beach is shared with IndyCar, just not sure Laguna is working. Portland and Utah could be interesting, both have IMSA history. There’s always Sonoma…I’m wondering what Laguna are upgrading the track for and how. As far as I know they pretty much just make money on the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and then Porsche Rennsport Reunion every few years, and use those profits to pay sanctioning fees for IndyCar and IMSA. Maybe the track doesn’t need to make money since it’s county-owned and they get indirect tourism dollars elsewhere from the track weekends.
 
AuzGrams said:
Yeah the car counts are are a shell of what they used to be 5 years ago in GTWC America, which back 5-7 years ago it was arguably better than IMSA in my opinion. At least IMSA holds steady. Still a decent series, but they need to get more cars.
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It had great pro GT racing with a unique format, single-driver sprint races, no pit stops. Hard to find that anywhere else. Lots of fun companion events with IndyCar. Now it’s mostly split-driver pro-am and am stuff at standalone events and I find it pretty hard to be interested. Haven’t watched in several years.

Funnily enough, counterpart series GTWC Europe probably has the best pro GT racing on the planet.
 
FLRacingFan said:
IMSA does need their own feature West Coast race since Long Beach is shared with IndyCar, just not sure Laguna is working. Portland and Utah could be interesting, both have IMSA history. There’s always Sonoma…I’m wondering what Laguna are upgrading the track for and how. As far as I know they pretty much just make money on the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and then Porsche Rennsport Reunion every few years, and use those profits to pay sanctioning fees for IndyCar and IMSA. Maybe the track doesn’t need to make money since it’s county-owned and they get indirect tourism dollars elsewhere from the track weekends.
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It feels like Monterrey and Laguna Seca caters heavily (literally) to the wine and cheese crowd there. I wouldn’t surprised if the sponsors really like the hospitality of Laguna Seca every year.

The crowds aren’t packed for IMSA there by any means, but it’s not like they’re empty and the camping looks full.

I would not care much for a Sonoma IMSA weekend although it’s better than dropping a race and would rather see Utah Motorsports Campus or even something new like Willow Springs or Buttonwillow get a shot.
 
Lime Rock yesterday was a sedate little race. A couple of spectacular passes, a couple of unexpected attrition drop-outs, a bit of strategy tension, but overall more workmanlike than anything else. One major surprise but I won't spoil it.
 
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