The tip of each racing season brings modifications. This low season, although, appears to harbor extra change within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship paddock than any in current reminiscence barring the introduction of the GTP class final season.
Wayne Taylor Racing is switching to Cadillac. Meyer Shank Racing returns to run two vehicles for Acura and Honda Racing Company. Chip Ganassi Racing exits the paddock once more. Coronary heart of Racing shuffles its entries to accommodate the introduction of the Aston Martin Valkyrie to GTP, and the record goes on.
Listed below are a couple of of the groups, drivers, vehicles and others that the paddock will probably be saying farewell to – at the very least for now.
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing has been out and in, however principally in, the IMSA paddock for 20 years. From the Daytona Prototype period with Lexus and Ford, by way of its Ford GT days in GTLM, and most lately as Cadillac Racing in DPi and GTP. However barring any surprises, the workforce won’t be within the WeatherTech Championship subsequent season; nevertheless, it vows to return.
It’s the checkered flag – for now – for Chip Ganassi Racing in IMSA. Josh Tons/Motorsport Photos
“We’ve received yet another race to win, and that’s how we’re taking a look at it proper now,” CGR’s director of operations, Mike O’Gara, instructed RACER. “It’s an extended shot for the championship, so we’re specializing in doing all the pieces we are able to to win the race. On the finish of the race, I assume we name it goodbye for now. We don’t have any fast plans for IMSA for 2025, however we’ve received a couple of various things working proper now, speaking to another producers. So hopefully we’ll be again right here in ’26.
“We began sportscar racing 20 years in the past, and we now have an extended legacy of profitable races and championships and representing OEMs to the perfect that we are able to, and we’re excited to do this for one more OEM.”
Departing drivers
With Chip Ganassi Racing’s exit, Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande grow to be free brokers, and neither has a journey confirmed for 2025 though RACER hears considered one of them could also be again in a Cadillac subsequent season. Likewise, Pipo Derani’s time with Motion Categorical Racing involves an finish after two championships.
Bryan Sellers will run his final race with the workforce that has propelled him to 2 championships with Madison Snow. Sellers is leaving Paul Miller Racing to tackle a higher position with DXDT Racing, which enters the paddock subsequent yr in GTD operating a Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Whether or not that Sellers’ position contains driving or not continues to be unknown.
There are different driver dealing with exists, in fact, however many received’t be recognized till after season concludes and contracts run their course. RACER hears rumors of wholesale modifications inside one GTP workforce, in addition to at the very least one departure in one other.
Acura NSX GT3
After eight years of near-constant presence and far success in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Acura NSX GT3’s time within the collection is coming to an finish because the homologation of the NSX GT3 Evo2 expires.
The Acura NSX GT3 has logged eight years and appreciable success, however will now not be eligible subsequent season. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Photos
“It’s bittersweet to see the top of the NSX in IMSA competitors,” stated Honda Racing Company USA President David Salters. “It’s a phenomenal automobile and we’ve seen nice success with it. It’s additionally a very talked-about automobile amongst followers each in its race and highway automobile variants. We’ve had some nice outcomes with the NSX within the GTD class, together with two championship years and a victory proper right here at Petit Le Mans in 2022 for Gradient Racing.
“I wish to sincerely thank all of the individuals who have labored so exhausting on this program through the years, whose talent, efforts and fervour made and fiercely competed an important championship profitable racing automobile. Thanks all, and thanks NSX”
The NSX GT3’s legacy in IMSA competitors contains two drivers and workforce championships in GTD with Meyer Shank Racing. The automobile has additionally propelled drivers to championships in GT World Problem America. Its ultimate race in IMSA will probably be run by Gradient Racing, with Sheena Monk, Stevan McAleer and Tati Calderon piloting the No. 66.
Aston Martin in GTD PRO
Whereas the GTP discipline will welcome the Aston Martin Valkyrie campaigned by Coronary heart of Racing Group in 2025, Petit Le Mans will mark the top, at the very least for now, of Aston Martin’s presence in GTD PRO. Coronary heart of Racing was one of many first to leap on board the brand new GTD PRO class in 2022, splitting its entries between the category and GTD. However because it introduces the Valkyrie, the workforce has elected to discipline solely a single Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo within the GTD class.
The workforce has an opportunity to exit GTD PRO with a bang, because the workforce, producer and driver Ross Gunn are within the battle for the championship.
Cetilar Racing and Risi Competizione
The stalwart Ferrari workforce, which has been a part of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup for the final three years and counts a Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring victory in 2022 amongst its accomplishments, is presently not among the many entries for the Michelin Endurance Cup in 2025. Roberto Lacorte’s workforce continues to be engaged on its plan for subsequent season, and a return to IMSA continues to be a chance.
Risi Competizione’s plans stay unknown, however the workforce has not lodged a full-time entry for subsequent yr. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Photos
Likewise longtime IMSA competitor Risi Competizione is lacking from the full-season and IMEC entry lists in GTD. This yr’s Rolex 24 at Daytona profitable workforce in GTD PRO for Ferrari has not introduced any plans for 2025.
Proton Competitors
Proton Competitors is scaling again its IMSA efforts for 2025. Its Porsche 963 GTP effort will grow to be a Michelin Endurance Cup marketing campaign solely. With that, its GTD Ford Mustang GT3 goes away as effectively. It has been campaigned by Corey Lewis and Giammarco Levorato, together with a pole place earned by Levorato at VIRginia Worldwide Raceway.
Sean Creech Racing
Sean Creech Racing moved from LMP3, the place it competed with success for a number of years, to LMP2 for 2024, however struggled. The workforce had already halted competitors earlier than Petit Le Mans and was not featured on the entry record IMSA launched on Thursday. Creech, nevertheless, is taking a look at a number of choices to return to the IMSA paddock in a single kind or one other and intends to proceed competing.
100 years of PR expertise
Two longtime public relations professionals are retiring on the finish of the season, and whereas their names might not be recognized to most people, you’ve seen their work. With 100 years of motorsports expertise between them, they are going to be missed within the press room, though they might proceed their work in motorsports elsewhere.
Dan Layton has labored in motorsports since he was 17 years previous, and is aware of his method round a racecar in addition to he is aware of the PR recreation. For 30 years he’s been speaking Honda Racing’s message to the media, however in December he’ll move the torch to a colleague. Nevertheless he says that he’s searching for different alternatives in motorsports.
John Love has been in within the public relations enterprise for 50 years, and dealing with Michelin since 1988. Because the tire provider to a number of IMSA collection and the title sponsor of the Michelin Pilot Problem and Michelin Endurance Cup, Michelin’s participation within the IMSA paddock is deep, and Love has had the obligation of spreading the phrase about that involvement, an obligation he has clearly relished.
