Sports Cars 2018 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship

A few pictures from the race with a link to all of them.



https://flic.kr/s/aHsmpcWoaq

 

Lexus and 3GT have split.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/lexus-3gt-end-partnership/

I have a feeling it's not as mutual as they say it is.

 

Yeah I had a feeling something was brewing when Lexus said a few months ago they were open to other partners.

 

Can't really say any sort of split with a Business involving Gentilozzi is "Mutual" (Ask Ryan-Hunter Ray about that).

 

Dang. Gentilozzi still around? I remembered hearing that name a lot in Trans-Am in the late 1990s and into the 2000s.

As for something different to discuss, I remember when the (then) American Le Mans Series was mostly covered on NBC and (then) Speedvision. So this is like a reunion for IMSA to return to the NBC networks. We all have followed this series on Speed Channel. Then Speed became FOX Sports 1, FUEL TV became FS2, and basically... didn't care too much about covering IMSA. Oh, and let's not forget ESPN/ABC picking up some USCR races. So now, it's NBC taking over after mostly the FOX Networks showing this for the longest. I do wonder how NBC will handle TV cover races with this series. And yes- people do still watch racing on TV. So I'm wondering what TV package NBC will have with this series moving forward.

Still, I am almost leaning towards watching highlights on YouTube since regular old TV is not as lucrative or as interesting these days, seems like. So what you get in seeing the action live (and trying to avoid instant information and spoilers) is going to be different. All I've followed was the first hour or so on FS1 before the FS1 coverage shifted to college football.


Regardless, I offer my congratulations to all of the winners overall and in class from Petit Le Mans 2018.

 

AIM Vasser Sullivan to run Lexus GTD program in 2019.

https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/aim-vasser-sullivan-to-run-lexus-rc-fs-in-imsa/3196181/

I feel a little better about this organization than I did with Gentilozzi. I work for Lexus and was very happy when I heard we were going GT3 racing but my happiness was soon diminished when I heard Gentilozzi was running the program.

Hopefully with AIM Vassser Sullivan we can get rid of some of the stupid mistakes and be more competitive.

 

Gentilozzi's plan for 2019.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/3gt-planning-gtd-return/

LeMans invites for 2019.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/lem...e-mans-auto-invites-with-trueman-akin-awards/

 

@01GTP whats ‘LeMans’? Is it anything to do with Le Mans?

 

Yes, the Le Mans.

From the article. "IMSA’s pair of automatic invites to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans have been nominated, with Misha Goikhberg and Ben Keating winning the sanctioning body’s two sportsmen driver awards." "Both awards provide auto invites to the 2019 running of the French endurance classic, for use in LMP2 and GTE-Am, respectively."

 

Sorry, I’ve always found it really annoying when Le Mans is written as one word.

 

Ford to build 350 more GT's through 2022.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/10/18/ford-will-build-350-more-gt-supercars-through-2022/

I wonder if this means they are going to continue with their GTLM/GTE program past 2019?

 

We'll just have to wait and see, tbh. if they announce an extention or a continuation of the program through CGR, it'll have to be either during the winter ot through 2019. Hopefully do so, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

DragonSpeed has confirmed a Daytona entry.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/dragonspeed-confirms-rolex-24-lmp2-program/

 

Alonso and Kobayashi will be in the WTR car at Daytona.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/alonso-set-to-join-kobayashi-in-wtr-cadillac-dpi-for-rolex-24/

 

I hope he goes on like a celebrity driver, dipping his toes in every major race for every major series. He's already got Le Mans, Daytona 24H, and Indy 500. Let's list some others

-Bathurst 1000
-Spa 24H
-Nurburgring 24H
-6 Hours at Watkins Glen
-Super GT Suzuka 1000

What else?

 

I'm pretty excited actually. This time he's in a DPI, last time it was just an lmp2 that had like a 5% chance of winning

 

The dirt track at Eldora!

 

Maybe the 9 Hours at The Glen.

 

I only see him doing major events, so I'm not sure why you'd pick 6 hours of Glen over 12 hours of Sebring. Then again he will be racing Sebring anyways in the super season. However it's still not the 12 hour. I think the Bathurst 1000 would be cool but I think he'd have the run the other Pirtek Enduro events so unless he's totally free that season that would be a tough one, but the Bathurst enduro GT race he could probably easily make.

 

Watkins Glen 6H is a race that has been held since the early 1970s and is a staple of American sports car racing. Others may see it as just another weekend on the IMSA calendar but it has history all on its own

 

It does not have the seem allure or history as the more historic and not mentioned in your list 12h of Sebring. Which is the point for one. Two it's not nearly as big and even with its age doesn't really mean it is a staple compared to other noteworthy world events. Nor is it part of the Triple Crown for Endurance.

 

Maybe I just like it more because it's my home track and I like the layout more than Sebring Both should be on the list as far as I'm concerned

 

Since the merger and the start of the Endurance Cup, Watkins Glen seems to be the forgotten stepchild of the 4 with the lack of special entries. Doesn't help with the race being schedule shortly after Le Mans also.

 

Oh no. It is 6 hours. I'm just an idiot.

 

Starworks is returning with a GTD Audi.

https://racer.com/2018/11/28/starworks-returns-with-audi-gtd-program/

 

CORE will be running DPi next year with the Nissan.

https://racer.com/2018/11/30/core-switches-to-nissan-dpi/

 

It's been a rather busy news day for IMSA, on top of the CORE-Nissan deal, Madison Snow is leaving Paul Miller Racing (No word if they will still switch to BGT America) and Herberth Racing will be at Daytona.

 

Townsend Bell and Frankie Montecalvo to drive for AIM in the Lexus. Hawksworth's team mate hasn't been named yet.

https://racer.com/2018/11/29/bell-and-montecalvo-join-aim-vasser-sullivan-lexus/

 

Nothing surprising, but certainly still sad.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/esm-shutters-operations/

 

-Lay Down

-Try not to cry

-Cry a lot