IMSA 2023

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IMSA's WeatherTech Championship consolidating to four classes in 2024

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will go in an expected direction next season by trimming its five-class structure to four with the reassignment of LMP3 (main image) to its former role a…
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This should make a lot of people happy. I doubt we will get eight or ten GTPs to take their place, but I would be delighted to be wrong on that. Two good things will come out of this. First, P3 will still have a place to race. Second, there will be room for more GTPs, provided teams will actually be able to buy one.
 
Doc Austin said:
racer.com

IMSA's WeatherTech Championship consolidating to four classes in 2024

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will go in an expected direction next season by trimming its five-class structure to four with the reassignment of LMP3 (main image) to its former role a…
racer.com racer.com

This should make a lot of people happy. I doubt we will get eight or ten GTPs to take their place, but I would be delighted to be wrong on that. Two good things will come out of this. First, P3 will still have a place to race. Second, there will be room for more GTPs, provided teams will actually be able to buy one.
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Probably one year too late on this but it’s a welcome decision. The fact that they have 38 entered among the other four classes that are competing next week, a West Coast sprint round, is a good indication of how much healthier the series was compared to when P3 was brought in as a grid filler during COVID. I’m sure some will stay in the main series with a P2 or GT3 machine.
 
This tweet has caused a stir, Laguna Seca added some runoff at a couple of corners, explained in the replies to be related to major mud-related drainage issues. A bit sad to see but it sounds as though the rest of the track will remain the same when it’s repaved after this weekend.

 
This calls for a corkscrew photo

Imsa porsche 2021.JPG
 
FLRacingFan said:
This tweet has caused a stir, Laguna Seca added some runoff at a couple of corners, explained in the replies to be related to major mud-related drainage issues. A bit sad to see but it sounds as though the rest of the track will remain the same when it’s repaved after this weekend.

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Will see how it performs on race day before judging
 
Porsche became the first manufacturer to claim three class poles for one race since the merger. Wish this one wasn’t on an already busy Mother’s Day weekend and directly opposite the Cup race, but you have to take an NBC slot if it’s offered to you. Thankful for unlimited DVR.

 
That was like a giant pack race. The traffic congestion was unbelievable.

Glad to see Caddy going into LeMans with a win. Porsche looked really good too. For awhile it even looked like the BMW had a legit shot.
 
Doc Austin said:
That was like a giant pack race. The traffic congestion was unbelievable.

Glad to see Caddy going into LeMans with a win. Porsche looked really good too. For awhile it even looked like the BMW had a legit shot.
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I think it was the biggest field at Laguna since the 2008 Grand-Am race, and it’s a notoriously tough track to pass at. Traffic was certainly wicked, and the driving standards more than questionable at times. I think a few guys got away with a lot. Quite a chaotic race.

Definitely nice to see CGR break their streak of unfortunate incidents. That was a ballsy pass by Renger on the outside of Sims for the lead on the final restart.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I think a few guys got away with a lot. Quite a chaotic race.
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We need more chaos!
FLRacingFan said:
Definitely nice to see CGR break their streak of unfortunate incidents. That was a ballsy pass by Renger on the outside of Sims for the lead on the final restart.
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Chip's whole DPI/GTP/WEC programs have been plagued by bad luck. Tires, crashes, whatever. It has always seemed to be something. Hopefully they roll into Lemans with this momentum and have a good race.

I'm torn on Lemans. Toyota stand to finally win a contested Lemans, so you can't root against them. Cadillac has supplied so many privateers you have to love them too. Penske finally winning Lemans would make a great story too. Ferrari winning would be good for the sport. Either Glick or Vanwall winning would be a great story for the privateers. Peugeot has had such a tough run so far it would be great to see them challenge. There's not a single WEC team I would not like to see win, so I don't know who to pull for. I guess I'll just hope for a good race and be happy with that.
 
rd45usa said:
Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport

Wayne Taylor Racing

Wayne Taylor Racing Official Website
waynetaylorracing.com waynetaylorracing.com
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Andretti’s partnership with WTR already paying dividends. Wayne had wanted to double up for a while, glad to see it come to fruition. I’d like to see Jordan brought back into the fold, I think his Corvette career has already peaked.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Andretti’s partnership with WTR already paying dividends. Wayne had wanted to double up for a while, glad to see it come to fruition. I’d like to see Jordan brought back into the fold, I think his Corvette career has already peaked.
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That's if GM wants to keep him in the fold and move him into the GTP car.

I doubt Jordan goes anywhere.
 
Kiante said:
That's if GM wants to keep him in the fold and move him into the GTP car.

I doubt Jordan goes anywhere.
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It would be logical for GM to give him a Caddy ride if he wanted. I think he’s too valuable to let walk away, but Wayne mentioned Michael wanted both his kids when they announced the partnership, and Andretti have big money to offer. I wouldn’t be surprised either way next year.
 
Kiante said:
That's if GM wants to keep him in the fold and move him into the GTP car.

I doubt Jordan goes anywhere.
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Wayne isn't going to be able to retire until both his kids are embedded in the team. Jordan will have to come home sooner or later.
 
Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuust a bit late on the brakes at the Detroit hairpin in today’s MPC GT4 race.

 
Looks like Pratt Miller will be announced as works-supported customer Corvette GTD Pro runners for next 2024 on Friday, so not too much of a change at all on that front.

 
Doc Austin said:
I believe Pratt and Miller have been running the factory program, so it's probably the same deal as before only a little less "official."
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Yeah they have, from what I’ve read so far about no longer being a full-fledged factory team is that Corvette obviously won’t front the full costs anymore nor have full control of the makeup of the team, but they’ll provide a significant amount of support and have a pool of factory drivers to loan out across their various customers.

We’ll see for sure on Friday.
 


No real change on that end, other than PMM being able to explore their own commercial opportunities. This is a good dive into what the future scope and scale of the car will be though:

 
Is three hours of delayed coverage on USA all there is for the Glen Sunday?

EDIT - The IMSA web site says the first three hours are on Peacock. TV Racer didn't mention that. Never mind, I'm good.
 
Rainy first practice day today and it looks like it’ll rain more over the weekend too, hopefully no lightning involved. Watkins Glen has had lightning delays each of the last two years, IIRC.



 
Not sure why they keep trying to run support series at Watkins Glen here. Massive crash yesterday in Mazda cup, another one today, also a bag one a few years ago.
 
The support series teaches them where not to go 3 wide.
Better to tear up thousands of dollars in gear than millions of dollars.

But honestly , these are really good drivers in the MX-5 series
for the most part. The way they charge in the apex two wide and make it
is jaw dropping stuff.
 
I almost expect BMW to win this one. They sucked at Daytona, but after that they have been very, very close. Their BOP is also pretty decent, so they have got to win one sooner or later.
 
Speedbowl14 said:
Not sure why they keep trying to run support series at Watkins Glen here.
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All of them?? Or just MX-5s? I could see why they could maybe drop those since the nature of those things means they’re bump drafting and side drafting around a high-speed road course lined with ARMCO. But I don’t think the rest have a problem.
 
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