Now that it has indeed been released, we ought to talk about the IMSA WeatherTech Championship schedule for 2024. Most of it seems straightforward more or less. I have spoken about my ideal schedule if I were (in a hypothetical, dream scenario), the IMSA President. But let us not focus on dreams, and rather focus upon the reality of the schedule for the upcoming season. First of all, we must get date clashes analyzed. I, along with other diehard sports car racing fans, am tired of date clashes, but they are inevitable. A number of dates on the 2024 WeatherTech Championship schedule, are set to clash with other major, blue riband sports car races.
This is a bugaboo. But here goes. GTP and GTD cars are set to tackle the new street course in downtown Detroit, Michigan, next year, the circuit that saw the Michelin Pilot Challenge cars supporting the IndyCars this year. This race is set to be a week before the test day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Therefore, I just don't foresee many GTP teams including my good buddies at Action Express, having any type of hope to go back to Le Mans. The American Penske Porsche's, the American BMW's, and the Acura's will also be ruled out. What we are also seeing is how the Detroit race is going to clash with the blue ribbon GT3 races that are part of SRO's Intercontinental GT Challenge as well. The Nurburgring 24 Hours, AND the 24 Hours of Spa! IMSA, on the Spa 24 weekend will be racing at the Sahlen's 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.
Here is another thing that really Frenches my fries. There will be THREE date clashes between IMSA and the World Endurance Championship next year. IMSA President John Doonan and FIA WEC/ACO President Fred Lequien promised us there would be just two. Nope. They had to cross the wires and have three weekends trip over each other! Laguna Seca crosses paths with the 6 Hours of Spa. The LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is going to clash with the WEC 6 Hours of Interlagos. Sounds like I shall give Interlagos the top priority over Mosport and blog Mosport later especially considering there will be no GTP cars racing at Mosport (hence, no appearance of my pals at Action Express), so, that one can be somewhat forgiven.
Thank heavens there will be no date clashes whatsoever with SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. GTWC America provides another good chunk of the content, and the race reports you read on this blog. So, that is a big relief. On September 22nd, 2024, the IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will return as a 6-hour enduro! Yippee! That makes me wonder as I would love to attend the Rolex 24 next year but now that this newly rekindled IMSA race at "The Brickyard" will become a 6 hour event, that seems very enticing to travel to as well.
There will be half a dozen races next year involving all classes. So, GTP, LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD. The endurance events (Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring, Watkins Glen 6 Hours, Indianapolis 6 Hours, and Motul Petit Le Mans). Awesome! IMSA, thank you once again for putting endurance races front and center on your schedule! LMP2 has swapped and will not be a part of the race at Laguna Seca while they will headline the Mosport round in Canada. Lime Rock Park has sadly been dropped. So, there shall be a sole GT only race next year, at Virginia International Raceway. I love both of those tracks. Both are classics that have been around since the dawn of North American sports car racing in the 1950s.
But it is sad to see Lime Rock go away. I guess we will just have to wait and see how all of this washes out, come 2024.
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