This weekend, IMSA returns to the longest track on their calendar, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. For IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams, it is the only sprint race of the season in which all four classes will race at the same time.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Motul SportsCar Grand Prix
Sunday’s WeatherTech sprint race has 49 teams entered in the four classes. It is an increase of two entries from last year’s race.
The GTP class has 11 teams entered, down two from their last race at Watkins Glen. Proton Competition and the Riley Motorsports-run Automobili Lamborghini teams aren’t entered. Since those teams were only confirmed for the Michelin Endurance Cup races, their absence is not unexpected.
With only three races remaining, Penske Porsche Motorsport’s Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell have a 12-point lead over teammates Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy. This is a veritable dead heat.
The LMP2 has a season-high 14 entries, up from 12 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. That 12 includes JDC-Miller MotorSports’ entry that withdrew.
Road America will mark the debut of a new team, Team Tonis. The No. 61 ORECA 07-Gibson will be shared by team owner/namesake Tonis Kasemets and Matthew Brabham. AF Corse is back with the father-son duo of Luis and Matias Perez Companc.
At Inter Europol Competition, Connor de Phillippi will drive the No. 43 alongside Jeremy Clarke. De Phillippi is driving in place of Tom Dillmann, who crashed out of the lead at CTMP and suffered an injury to his vertebrae.
The last time out at CTMP, the race conflicted with the FIA World Endurance Championship. With no WEC conflict, drivers such as Malthe Jakobsen (CrowdStrike Racing by APR), Paul di Resta (United Autosports) and Mikkel Jensen (TDS Racing) are back on the grid.
The GTD Pro class has 10 cars entered, the same as at CTMP. There are no driver changes for this weekend.
The GTD class has 14 teams entered, up one car from CTMP. The returning entry is Team Korthoff Competition with their Mercedes. Mike Skeen will replace Kenton Koch in the car since Koch left the team prior to CTMP.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Motul SportsCar Grand Prix Entry List
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Road America 120
Saturday’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Road America has 38 teams entered, up two from last year and up four entries from CTMP.
The Grand Sport class has 23 cars, up from 20 at CTMP. CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing’s second car is back after missing CTMP. This time, Cameron Shields and Steve Wetterau will drive. LAP Motorsports is back with their Mustang, along with Panam Motorsport’s Toyota.
There are 15 teams entered in the TCR class, up from 14 at CTMP. Gou Racing, which sat out the last race, is back with their Cupra VZ TCR. They won’t have the only Cupra on the grid, though.
Since CTMP, Victor Gonzalez Racing Team has switched from Hyundai to the Cupra, expanding the Spanish manufacturer’s presence on the grid. The team has also reverted to a single-car team.
Where does that leave Lance Bergstein and Jon Miller, who drove VGRT’s second Hyundai. They have moved over to Bryan Herta Autosport, where they will finish the season as the team’s fifth entry.
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Road America 120 Entry List
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.