2024 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park - IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge

In 2024, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) was celebrating its 55th anniversary. IMSA was founded by NASCAR's Bill France, John Bishop (a former executive director of the Sports Car Club of America), and Bishop's wife, Peggy. They succeeded in creating their vision to build a sanctioning body for professional road racing in North America. From its humble roots, IMSA currently sanctions eight different race series: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Mazda MX-5 Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Ferrari Challenge, IMSA HSR Prototype Challenge and the new Mustang Challenge.

The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship consists of eleven race weekends.

January 19-21 - 'Roar Before the 24 - Daytona test
January 24-28 - Rolex 24 at Daytona
March 13-16 - Twelve Hours of Sebring
April 19-20 - Long Beach
May 10-12 - WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
May 31 – June 1 – Detroit Street Circuit
June 20-23 - Watkins Glen International
July 12-14 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
August 1-4 - Road America
August 23-25 - Virginia International Raceway
September 19-22 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - road course
October 9-12 - Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (Petit Le Mans)

The IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup will be a separate championship that recognizes the top finishers in five events:

Rolex 24 at Daytona
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen
TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks
10-Hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta

There are four classes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) - These are purpose-built race cars and the quickest in the series. They are prepared to either LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) or LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) guidelines. Chassis from Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic and Oreca are available to those teams choosing the LMDh rules. Cars built to LMH specifications are allowed more freedom in design. However, all vehicles are subject to a Balance of Performance. This season, there are entries from Porsche (Porsche 963), BMW (BMW M Hybrid V8), Cadillac (Cadillac V-Series R) and Acura (Acura ARX-06).
Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) - These are purpose-built race cars developed by four approved constructors. The LMP2 cars are powered by a 3.8-liter Gibson V8 engine. Competitors use chassis' from ORECA, Ligier and Riley Technologies. These vehicles can compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24-Hours of Le Mans.
Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) - This production-based class uses FIA-GT3 technical regulations. Vehicles in the category include the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, Porsche 911 GT3 R, Ferrari 488 GT3, BMW M4 GT3, Acura NSX GT3 Evo, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo, Lexus RC F GT3 and Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The vehicles in this group weigh 2,915 lbs, and the engines produce approximately 540 horsepower. The IMSA technical staff uses many methods to ensure parity.
Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) - This category uses the same cars as GTD but adopts current GTLM Sporting Regulations on driver ratings, qualifying grid placement, and race procedures. GTD Pro is geared toward factory-supported teams and drivers; on-track performance levels achieved by the GTD Pro class are expected to exceed that of the GTD.

The seventh race weekend of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Drivers would compete in the Chevrolet Grand Prix, a two-hour, forty-minute contest around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.

The GTP category did not compete at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. However, LMP2 teams would complete at the track for the first time since 2019 in round four of their championship.

The start of the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The pole-winning No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07 driven by PJ Hyett leads thirty-four competitors into corner one. Behind Hyett is the other front-row starter, Daniel Goldburg, in the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07. The No. 52 Inter Europol entry of Nick Boulle and Gar Robinson driving the No. 74 Riley-prepared ORECA are trailing the leaders in similar models.

The No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 / Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07, shared by Tom Dillmann and Nick Boulle, grabbed the LMP2 and overall victory at the Chevrolet Grand Prix. In qualifying, Boulle was fourth fastest but moved into the lead early. After completing the first round of pitstops, Dillmann took the overall and class lead. Despite late race pressure, Dillman held on for the win. This was the first victory for Dillman and Inter Europol.

Alexander Sims and Antonio Garcia finished twelfth overall and first in GTD Pro. This marked the first victory for General Motors' Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Sims handled the qualifying duties and put the No. 3 Pratt Miller Motorsports prepared Corvette on the pole. Sims held the top position for much of his stint. Garcia came under pressure from their teammates in the No. 4 Corvette but claimed first in class.

The LMP2 podium for the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. On the top step are the category and overall winners from Inter Europol by PR1 / Mathiasen Motorsports, Tom Dillmann and Nick Boulle. This was the first class victory for Inter Europol and Dillman. On the left are the runner-ups and points leaders Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga. Scott Huffaker and Steven Thomas complete the rostrum.

Scoring first place in the GTD category were Roman De Angelis and Spencer Pumpelly. Eight years ago, De Angelis made his debut at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in a Piper F1600. Pumpelly's last IMSA win came at Road Atlanta in 2015. De Angelis qualified the No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO, twentieth overall and second in class. Pumpelly went to the front on lap 2. They remained in contention and claimed the win.

The second Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R was shared by Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg. Milner qualified the No. 4 Corvette fifteenth overall and third in class. He was in second by lap 2 and chased his teammate, Alexander Sims. After the driver change it was Catsburg trailing Antonio Garcia. A late race caution allowed Catsurg to challenge Garcia; however, he would finish second.

Entering the sixth round of 2024, teammates Philip Ellis and Russell Ward led the GTD category with four victories and a comfortable points lead in the championship. During the qualifying session, the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was the sixth fastest in GTD and started twenty-fifth overall. Passes on the Inception McLaren, Turner BMW, Vasser Sullivan Lexus, and Wayne Taylor Lamborghini were rewarded with a runner-up result.

The podium for round six of the GTD Pro class at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Standing in the center are the winners, Alex Sims and Antonio Garcia, who earned the first victory for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. This was Pratt Miller Motorsports' thirteen IMSA win at the track. On the left are the runner-ups, Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg, who gave Corvette a 1-2 result. Finishing third were the points leaders Laurin Heinrich and Seb Priaulx.

The No. 74 Riley-prepared OERCA LMP2 07 was shared by the LMP2 class points leaders, Gar Robinson and Felipe Fraga. The car was gridded third overall for the two-hour, forty-minute contest, with credit going to Robinson. At the start, he fell to fourth, but Robinson was back in his qualifying position ten minutes later. After the stop, Fraga was in fifth and began moving to the front. He finished 0.658 seconds behind the leader in the runner-up spot.

The GTD Pro points leaders heading into round six a Canadian Tire Motorsport Park were Laurin Heinrich and Seb Priaulx. The pair shared the distinctive No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R and won their category at WeatherTech Raceway and Detroit. They delivered a poor qualifying effort and started the Chevrolet Grand Prix eighth in class and twenty-first overall. The duo persevered and was third in their category at the checkered flag.

GTD competitors Brendan Iribe and Frederik Schandorff piloted the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. Their best result before the IMSA WeatherTech championship stopped at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was seventh place at Sebring International Raceway. Iribe qualified fifth fastest for the two-hour, forty-minute contest. The duo maintained pace with the leaders during the race and finished third.

Scott Huffaker and Steven Thomas shared the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07. This was Huffaker's third race of the season after having missed round two at Sebring International Raceway. Thomas was part of the LMP2 team that finished second at Sebring. The car started in the fifth position, with Thomas behind the wheel. They moved into second overall early but lost the spot to Felipe Fraga and finished in the third position.

The rostrum for the GTD category at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In the center are the winners from the Heart of Racing Team, Spencer Pumpelly and Canadian Roman De Angelis. This was their best result of the season. In fact, the last time Pumpelly stood on the top step of an IMSA race was in 2015. Finishing in second were Philip Ellis and Russell Ward. The result padded their lead in the championship. Third went to Brendan Iribe and Frederik Schandorff.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	LMP2	Boulle / Dillmann	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
2	LMP2	Robinson / Fraga	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
3	LMP2	Thomas / Huffaker	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
4	LMP2	Keating / Hanley	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
5	LMP2	Goldburg / Albuquerque	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
6	LMP2	Farano / van der Zande	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
7	LMP2	Kurtz / Braun	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
8	LMP2	Hyett / Deletraz	ORECA LMP2 07	117	-
9	LMP2	Perez Companc / Derani	ORECA LMP2 07	116	-
10	LMP2	Barbosa / Willsey	Ligier JS P217	115	-
11	LMP2	Wiltshire / Dalziel	ORECA LMP2 07	113	-
12	GTD Pro	Garcia / Sims	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	113	-
13	GTD Pro	Milner / Catsburg	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	113	-
14	GTD Pro	Heinrich / Priaulx	Porsche 911 GT3 R	113	-
15	GTD Pro	Tincknell / Rockenfeller	Ford Mustang GT3	113	-
16	GTD Pro	Gunn / Farnbacher	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	112	-
17	GTD Pro	Kirchhöfer / Jarvis	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	112	-
18	GTD Pro	Hand / Mueller	Ford Mustang GT3	112	-
19	GTD	De Angelis / Pumpelly	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO	112	-
20	GTD	Ward / Ellis	Mercedes-AMG GT3	112	-
21	GTD	Iribe / Schandorff	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	112	-
22	GTD	Foley / Gallagher	BMW M4 GT3	112	-
23	GTD	Montecalvo / Thompson	Lexus RC F GT3	111	-
24	GTD	Marcelli / Formal	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	111	-
25	GTD	Monk / McAleer	Acura NSX GT3	111	-
26	GTD	Skeen / Grenier	Mercedes-AMG GT3	111	-
27	GTD Pro	Sellers / Snow	BMW M4 GT3	111	-
28	GTD	Goikhberg / Spinelli	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	111	-
29	GTD	Li / Fjordbach	Porsche 911 GT3 R	111	-
30	GTD	Franco / Costa Balboa	Ferrari 296 GT3	111	-
31	GTD	Levorato / Lewis	Ford Mustang GT3	110	-
32	GTD Pro	Hawksworth / Barnicoat	Lexus RC F GT3	88	Did Not Finish
33	GTD	Fidani / Bell	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	27	Did Not Finish
34	LMP2	Andersen / Lucas	ORECA LMP2 07	15	Did Not Finish

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