Sports Cars 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

WTR to completely overhaul driver line up for 2021.

https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/new...-widget&ic_medium=widget&ic_campaign=widget-1

I figured Ricky Taylor would be a given and I guess it makes sense to have Acura experience with Rossi and Castroneves.

 

https://racer.com/2020/11/11/ganassi-close-to-imsa-return-with-cadillac/

Ganassi is back, baby!

 

Hmm.. I wonder if that means Ford is not interested in LMDh?

 

Considering LMDh won't be in IMSA until 2023 it's hard to say. It's possible Ganassi is running the Cadillac just to stay fresh for a Ford program or Ford could just be going a different route when it comes to the team running the program.

 

Ganassi fielding a Cadillac does ease the pain slightly of losing a Mazdas next year in terms of DPi car count. Its interesting what it means going forward, with rumours of manufacturers debating a future LMDh program. Whether Ganassi are getting their toe in the water for top class IMSA prototypes again, foreseeing something like a Ford LMDh program or a new partnership with GM. Either way a CGR return to the top class was inevitable I think.

 

Bill Auberlen to miss out on Sebring for apparently unknown reasons: https://racer.com/2020/11/11/auberlen-to-miss-sebring-imsa-finale/

 

Quite a bit of news surrounding GTD today.

- Hardpoint seems likely to switch to Porsche in a partnership with Earl Bamber.
- Archangel (Yellow Volt Porsche/Aston Martin) may expand to GTD with an Acura.
- Compass may also join the Acura club.

He apparently came in contact with someone that had Covid (above article was updated after you posted).

 

The Archangel news is new to me, glad to see some growth from the MSC to the mai game, especially after such a year we've had. With Compass, it is kinda sad since McLaren is a brand I wish was more into NA Sportscar racing. I do wonder whom would fill those seats (Legge, Eversley, any of the INDycar Honda drivers, etc.?)

 

If Archangel does make the leap I have to imagine Hindman would be one of the drivers considering they already have a relationship with him plus he has experience with the NSX. Patrick Lindsey would also be a sure thing if my theory is correct and the mystery team referenced in the article is Park Place (which would be weird seeing them run something not from Stuttgart).

 

Should be a great race today.
10 car just got a drive through penalty for the start (changing lane too early) but it's early.



https://sportscar365.com/imsa/jim-pace-passes-away-due-to-covid-19/

A couple shots from 2016 at WGI. RIP Jim.

 

#7 Acura had an intercooler failure whilst leading, went behind the wall around 35 minutes into the race and is still there at the end of the first hour.

Edit: leaving now with 10 hours 52 minutes remaining, so around half an hour lost, although 8 minutes was under yellow.

 

What's good, GTPlaneers? Hope you're enjoying Sebring so far.

It seems strange having the 12 Hours of Sebring run in November. I remembered back when I used to play "Sports Car GT" on PC, there were two Sebring events- the original race and then the Sebring Octoberfest event. I would imagine darkness would be a greater factor with this event run in November as opposed to its usual March running. And since Winter is almost nonexistent in Florida, it would probably be a bit cooler. So this will be a most interesting challenge for this season's 12 Hours of Sebring. I'll still enjoy the action as much as I can!

 

Checking in from Sebring . Great weather, a bit humid. Crowd size is pretty small due to Covid and some bleachers removed. Last time I'll see Ollie in the Corvette. He will be missed, I really liked him. First Jan Magnussen and now him

 

Well that ends the Championship chase for Lexus.

 

What happened? The jumbo screen is really far from where I'm sitting, all I could see is the Silver Corvette smoking in pit lane and the Lexus in the pits too

 

The #4 Corvette started spewing fluid down the straight and both Lexus hit it and spun into the tire walls and #16 Porsche and the #30 Audi also spun into the tires.

 

#4 dropped fluid down the back straight. The 2 Lexus were some of the first cars on the scene and crashed at the final corner. #16 Porsche and an Audi spun but continued. Both Lexus behind the wall with damage.

Edit: yeah, what Jezza said!

 

Yikes. I'm rooting for Lexus, and Corvette obviously. That sucks. Who is second in points in GTD? Did both Lexus' hit because I havent seen either drive past me yet.
Edit - oh damn both Lexus' damaged ^
What's the status of the #4 Vette?

 

#4 is still on pitlane being worked on. NCBSN thinks it might have been water and not oil.

 

The Wright Porsche is 13 points back in the current order.

 

Jeeze...

 

#51 LMP2 heavy into the tire wall at turn 17.

 

Dixon in the #10 was spun and given a left rear puncture by Olly Jarvis trying an optimistic move and not being able to back out of it in time. The shredded tyre trashed a radiator which needed replacing, losing the #10 several laps. No further action according to the stewards, but I'm not sure how.

On the restart the Turner BMW rotated the #86 Acura in front of about a dozen cars. No damage, everyone's kept going, but the #96 now has a drive through.

 

This race has been phenomenal so far.

 

That tribute to Oliver Gavin was fabulous. Future Hall of Famer (if he isn't in someone's Hall of Fame already)?

 

I've been checking out some race replays on YT, I was disappointed to see the Corvettes don't have their classic cross-plane crank V8 rumble any more. I see they still use an LT5, so is it equal length headers or something? TBH I think I enjoyed watching the GT4 category at Road Atlanta more than the GTLM class, I need to get myself more familiar with the world of GT racing.

 

Uh oh now the #3 Corvette has broken the suspension.

 

#3 Corvette with suspension issues now.

I personally enjoy GT4 more than GT3 from both a racing standpoint as well as the greater variety in cars.

 

#31 turns the #6 around. Now let's see how IMSA calls this one.