The stage is set for an exhilarating climax to the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as the Motul Petit Le Mans, the series finale, is scheduled for October 12. This 10-hour endurance race, held at the iconic 2.54-mile, 12-turn Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, will feature a maximum capacity grid of 54 cars, marking one of the most anticipated races of the season. Not only will it decide the full-season champions across all categories, but the coveted Michelin Endurance Cup titles will also be on the line.
Among the highlights is the GTD PRO class, which will feature 13 cars—a match for the record entries at this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Indianapolis round. Notably, DragonSpeed has entered a Ferrari 296 GT3, shifting its focus toward a GTD program in 2025, with Toni Vilander as the confirmed driver so far. Additionally, Heart of Racing has upped the ante by promoting its GTD squad to GTD PRO, as Zacharie Robichon, Mario Farnbacher, and Marco Sorensen will be at the wheel of the No. 027 Aston Martin Vantage Evo, bolstering their championship hopes.
GTP is the headline category with 11 entries, including Iron Lynx’s Lamborghini SC63, fresh off an impressive run at Indy. The championship battle sees Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports 963 with a commanding 124-point lead after their sister car faced a post-Indy penalty. However, the Michelin Endurance Cup fight remains fierce, with contenders including the No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac, and several others.
In LMP2, a tight battle is unfolding with 10 cars vying for glory. Nick Boulle and Tom Dillmann lead the championship for Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports, but the Michelin Endurance Cup is wide open, with TDS Racing and Era Motorsports hot on their heels.
Meanwhile, AO Racing’s 99-point lead in GTD PRO will be challenged by Heart of Racing’s Ross Gunn, and the field of 13 cars offers plenty of opportunity for movement in the standings. Paul Miller Racing, leaders of the IMEC in GTD PRO, hold a slim five-point lead over AO Racing and Risi Competizione.
In the GTD category, Winward Racing has all but secured its first championship, with Russell Ward and Philip Ellis at the helm. Mercedes AMG, buoyed by Korthoff Preston Motorsports and four victories from Winward, has already wrapped up the manufacturers’ title. However, the IMEC in GTD is still up for grabs, with Inception Racing trailing by just one point, and Korthoff Preston, Wright Motorsports, and Triarsi Competizione still in the hunt.
The Petit Le Mans will kick off at 12:10 PM on Saturday, October 12, with a jam-packed support schedule including the Michelin Pilot Challenge, VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, and Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup. Expect a fierce battle across all classes as teams vie for season-defining victories and championships at Road Atlanta.
Photo from (X) IMSA Account
