The storylines within the 2024 season of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship could have lacked among the impression introduced by the introduction of the brand new GTP class the 12 months prior, however there have been loads of fascinating moments and tales up to now 12 month.
Right here, in no specific order, are 9 of the highest 10 tales of 2024. As for the tenth, or the very prime story… effectively, wait till tomorrow.
Porsche wins the Rolex
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
Porsche Penske Motorsports had a good season within the inaugural 12 months of the brand new period of GTP in 2023, together with three victories and a shot on the championship. What was lacking was a win within the longer races – and for a corporation like Porsche which made its motorsport title in endurance racing, that’s not superb.
Porsche fastened that as Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr, Matt Campbell and Josef Newgarden took a stable win over Whelen Cadillac Racing at Daytona. It was not solely the beginning of a championship season for the general championship and the Michelin Endurance Cup, however kicked off numerous endurance wins for PPM 963s in 2024, together with the FIA World Endurance Championship season opener at Qatar, adopted by one other Endurance Cup victory at Watkins Glen and a second WEC win at Fuji – and that doesn’t have in mind Hertz Workforce Jota’s win at Spa-Francorchamps.
Wayne Taylor Racing breaks its shedding streak.
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
The earlier season had produced a uncommon consequence for Wayne Taylor Racing – a winless season with its single Acura ARX-06. Nonetheless within the championship combat on the finish, Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque had didn’t put the automotive in victory circle all season.
Increasing to 2 automobiles for 2024, absolutely the group’s luck would flip round. The brand new No. 40 delivered at Sebring, with Jordan Taylor, Louis Delétraz and Colton Herta taking the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours victory. Within the course of, Delétraz, who had definitely proved his tempo in LMP2, made declare to stardom within the GTP ranks as effectively. Taylor and Albuquerque would break their shedding streak as effectively a number of races later once they took a win on the streets of Detroit.
Nick Tandy’s move for the result in win at Laguna Seca
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
It had been wanting like a Cadillac type of day at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as the 2 Cadillac Racing V-Collection.Rs locked out the entrance row in qualifying and led early. The tire technique for the No. 01 Cadillac didn’t repay, however the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing machine appeared good, and maybe may produce a payoff from pole for Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken.
Nick Tandy, although, had different concepts. Tandy and the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 had been in full assault mode, and when Aitken made a fallacious selection in visitors because the clock wound down, Tandy made his transfer. Aitken tried to go left of a Corvette heading to Flip 4, and Tandy dove towards the opposite aspect, the within of the upcoming flip. Aitken ended up with two tires within the grime on drivers left, whereas Tandy swept by means of for the lead.
It ignited the season for the No. 6 of Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet, which had been off to a tough begin. The No. 6 963 would podium in 5 of the ultimate six races, lacking the rostrum sweep (and maybe the championship) solely as a result of technical infraction at Indy.
36 Hours of Florida winners
Jake Galstad/Motorsport Photos
Successful IMSA’s two longest endurance races, which occur to be the primary two races of the season even when there’s a few months recuperation in between, isn’t any imply feat. Those who have completed the duty embrace Shelby American, Brumos Racing, Tequila Patron ESM, Corvette Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing.
Add Period Motorsport and Winward Racing to the illustrious record. Period Motorsport received LMP2 at each occasions with Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel and Connor Zilisch. Not solely did it launch the group to a third-place end within the championship, it helped set up Zilisch as a authentic star.
Winward’s double in Florida was the start of three Michelin Endurance Cup wins for Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and Indy Dontje, 4 wins total and a dominating championship. It was a chief bragging level in a season filled with bragging factors.
Lamborghini seems to be like a contender within the rain at Indy
Jake Galstad/Motorsport Photos
No one anticipated a lot from the brand new Iron Lynx-run Lamborghini SC63. Beginning a 12 months behind the opposite LMDh automobiles in GTP, with growth setbacks from an enormous crash, and working solely 4 endurance races beginning at Sebring,the group had an enormous hill to climb.
However at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Romain Grosjean on the wheel in fairly intense rain, the Lamborghini was the quickest automotive on the observe and legitimately working within the lead. It wouldn’t final although, as a pit cease penalty took them out of the lead, and phone with the Proton Competitors Mustang left the automotive with a damaged suspension. However it was definitely a brilliant spot for a program that had confronted a number of challenges.
BMW’s one-two at Indy
Jake Galstad/Motorsport Photos
BMW M Workforce RLL had proven promise on quite a few events, and even had a victory within the first season of the M Hybrid V8, though it was one they didn’t get to rejoice in victory lane. However for essentially the most half, the group lacked both tempo or luck in each race.
Within the inaugural six-hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, by means of, they’d each, and it resulted in a one-two end for the 2 M Hybrid V8s, the No. 24 of Philipp Eng and Jesse Krohn main house the No. 25.
Eng took the lead from Louis Delétraz in a transfer that’s definitely a contender for move of the 12 months, together with Nick Tandy seizing the lead at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Taking the highest two spots of the rostrum at Indy was definitely the spotlight of an in any other case dismal season for the group.
Whereas we’re at it, let’s not overlook the truth that Indianapolis was now a six-hour race, and the fifth race within the Michelin Endurance Cup. That was, in itself, a narrative worthy of a prime 10.
Ford vs. Chevy rivalry renewed
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
It might have, to this point, lacked the extraordinary on-track battles of earlier iterations, however the renewed Ford vs., Chevrolet battle as each marques launched new GT3 automobiles, the Mustang GT3 and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, was definitely trigger for pleasure.
It’s a rivalry virtually as outdated as motorsports, most lately seen in IMSA competitors because the Corvette C7.R and Ford GT did battle in GTLM. Chevrolet took first blood within the renewed combat, scoring victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, whereas Ford continues to be searching for a win for its Mustang.
A wholesale shakeup within the Ford driver lineup for 2025, and a 12 months of growth for the Mustang and Corvette, could enable the rivalry to proceed anew.
Bourdais and van der Zande win Petit Le Mans
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
We knew it was a swansong. We knew that wherever Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande ended up for 2025, their lengthy partnership within the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing-run Cadillac V-Collection.R was over. Certain, they’d a protracted shot on the championship coming into Petit Le Mans, however the odds of that had been near zero. So, actually, all they might actually hope for was to exit with a victory.
And that’s precisely what they did. Van der Zande handed Nicky Tandy within the No. 6 PPM Porsche and swept into the lead in Michelin Raceway Street Atlanta’s Flip 1 – one other candidate for move of the 12 months. Then there was the drama within the remaining minutes with the Cadillac’s lights turning on and off, {the electrical} glitch threatening the group’s alternative for victory earlier than van der Zande discovered the answer and sailed to the win.
Now Bourdais’s focus turns to WEC and LMP2, whereas van der Zande goes to Acura with Meyer Shank Racing. However their partnership resulted in one of the simplest ways one may need requested for.
First time winners in GTD
Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Photos
The second half of the season in GTD noticed a flurry of first-time winners. Whereas Winward dominated the primary a part of the season, the second belonged to the rookies and different who discovered their solution to the highest step of the rostrum for the primary time.
Robby Foley had definitely been to victory circle, and Patrick Gallagher has had his share of wins in different collection, however collectively the duo took their first GTD victory for Turner Motorsport at Street America. The following race at VIRginia Worldwide Raceway produced the primary win for Korthoff Preston Motorsports in GTD, in addition to preliminary wins for Mikael Grenier and Kenton Koch within the GTD class. IMSA rookies Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer had their first victory (with Jan Heylen) for Wright Motorsports within the IMSA Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then Conquest Racing’s Manny Franco and Albert Costa took their first win of their rookie season at Motul Petit Le Mans with Cedric Sbirrazzuoli.
And that doesn’t depend the first-time winners in GTD PRO, together with AO Racing, Paul Miller Racing and, once more, Conquest. It was a fantastic season of firsts within the GT lessons.
There was yet one more story that, within the minds of many, tops all of them. However you’ll must tune in tomorrow to see if our prime second matches yours.
