For the second-to-last sprint race on the 2024 schedule, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will return to the historic Road America venue. This year, the race will be a 2-hour and 40-minute sprint that includes all four WeatherTech categories: GTP, LMP2, GTD, and GTD Pro.
In the previous round at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), the LMP2 category put on an impressive show as they battled for the overall win. The GTP class, on the other hand, will return to the top spot at Road America after their last race in the 6 Hours of the Glen on June 23.
Road America is a fast-paced circuit with long straights and exciting corners, providing plenty of opportunities for close racing during the Sportscar Weekend. The GTP cars will be back in action, except for the Lamborghini Iron Lynx’s #63 SC63, which will only compete in the Endurance Cup rounds.
Last year’s GTP outing at Road America was a thrilling battle, with Porsche Penske’s Felipe Nasr holding off Tom Blomqvist for Meyer Shank Racing. This marked Porsche’s second win, but the first for Nasr and his co-driver Matt Campbell. This year, the #7 Porsche 963 has already claimed two wins, one at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the latest at the Glen, thanks to Nasr’s impressive performance.
Porsche Penske will likely face tough competition from WTRAndretti and Chip Ganassi Cadillac V-Series.R at Road America. The #7 crew, consisting of Nasr and Dane Cameron, currently leads the championship standings, with the #6 Porsche crew close behind. The battle for the GTP drivers’, teams’, and manufacturers’ titles is still wide open, adding extra pressure to these contenders.
In the LMP2 category, the #52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Oreca 07 team emerged as the third different winner in four races. Nick Boulle and Tom Dillmann secured their first LMP2 win, narrowly beating Felipe Fraga in the #74 Riley Oreca 07. The competition in the LMP2 category is fierce, and it’s difficult to predict the winner. PJ Hyett’s #99 AO Racing is expected to fight for pole position.
GTD Pro will have Corvette Racing in the spotlight after their first-ever 1-2 finish at CTMP with the new Z06 GT3.R. Vasser Sullivan’s #14 Lexus RC F and the GTD #12 entry struggled to turn their pole positions into race wins. Ford Multimatic Motorsports, with Harry Tincknell behind the wheel of the #64 Mustang GT3, has shown steady progress and will likely shine at Road America.
Julien Andlauer, a talented driver, will replace Seb Priaulx in the #77 AO Racing ‘Rexy’ Porsche 911 GT3.R. Andlauer has already demonstrated his skills in the FIA World Endurance Championship and will be one to watch in the GTD Pro standings.
The GTD category will continue to showcase Winward Racing’s dominance with their #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Russell Ward and Phillip Ellis currently lead the standings with a comfortable lead over the competition. With 12 manufacturers represented in a 15-car field, GTD promises to be an exciting watch, with Winward Racing, Heart of Racing, and Vasser Sullivan among the top contenders.
Fans can catch all the action of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on IMSA Radio, which provides live timing. Qualifying and the race will be live-streamed on the IMSA YouTube channel and IMSA TV for international viewers. Live telemetry for the GTP cars will also be available.
Qualifying will take place on Saturday, August 3, at 10:15 PM BST or 5:15 PM ET, with the 160-minute race commencing on Sunday, August 4, at 8 PM BST or 3 PM ET.
