IMSA Shuffles Calendar; Watkins Glen/Indy Clash Avoided

The Daytona paddock won't be as crowded this time around

The Daytona paddock this coming weekend won't be as crowded this time around

As the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prepares to return to action with the IMSA WeatherTech 240 At Daytona on Saturday, July 4, the sanctioning body today announced date changes for three upcoming WeatherTech Championship and date shifts for other IMSA-sanctioned series.

The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen event weekend now will be held on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-6, featuring all four WeatherTech Championship classes for the second round of the four-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season. The event at Watkins Glen International in New York’s Finger Lakes region also will include a four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race, as well as doubleheader races for both the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.

The WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes will remain in the Northeast through the following weekend, moving to Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut for the two-hour, 40-minute Northeast Grand Prix on Sept. 11-12. Lime Rock also will host a two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race and a pair of 45-minute GT3 Cup Challenge USA races.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, meanwhile, now will host the penultimate round of the WeatherTech Championship with all four classes on Oct. 30-Nov. 1. The Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship weekend – which also serves as the finale for the WeatherTech Sprint Cup season for the GTD class – will include Michelin Pilot Challenge and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.

"These revisions to our 2020 schedules put all of IMSA’s stakeholders in the best possible position for success," said IMSA President John Doonan. "They are also the result of the ongoing spirit of collaboration with our promoter partners. Moving our Northeastern events into September should pay dividends from the standpoint of weather. WeatherTech Raceway on Halloween weekend also has the potential to be spectacular and will set the stage for a thrilling conclusion at Sebring."

Another Lamborghini Super Trofeo schedule revision will bring the series back to VIRginia International Raceway on the weekend of Aug. 21-23 instead of the previously announced Grand Prix of St. Petersburg event.

The six-race IMSA Prototype Challenge schedule announced in May has not changed. However, the season-ending race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta now will be a three-hour race as was the case with the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway in January. All others will be one hour and 45 minutes in length.

Complete 2020 schedules for all series follow below.

WeatherTech 240 At Daytona, Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring Live on NBCSN

In addition to the schedule updates announced today, live NBCSN television coverage of the IMSA WeatherTech 240 At Daytona on July 4 and the Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring on July 18 has been confirmed.

The WeatherTech 240 At Daytona telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET, capping a busy day of motorsports for NBC Sports. Coverage of the Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 18. Both races will be two hours and 40 minutes in length.

"Coming off strong NBC network coverage from January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, we are carrying good momentum with NBC Sports as we resume in July," said Doonan. "Prime time, Saturday night windows on NBCSN are extremely valuable and provide all IMSA stakeholders with an opportunity to showcase our sport to a significant audience."

2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Schedule (Revised):

Jan. 25-26 – Rolex 24 at Daytona (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)
July 3-4 – Daytona (DPi, GTLM, GTD)
July 17-18 – Sebring (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD**)
Aug. 1-2 – Road America (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)
Aug. 21-22 – Virginia International Raceway (GTLM, GTD)
Sept. 4-6 – Watkins Glen International (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)
Sept. 11-12 – Lime Rock Park (GTLM, GTD)
Sept. 25-27 – Mid-Ohio (DPi, GTLM, GTD)
Oct. 15-17 – Motul Petit Le Mans (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)
Oct. 30- Nov. 1 – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)
Nov. 12-14 – Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD)

**WeatherTech Sprint Cup only