IMSA 2025

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virtualbalboa

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IMSA has already released the 2025 schedule, and it turns out they really didn't care to ever go to Lime Rock again or bring the GTPs to Canada. It's the same slate of stuff, just with a week difference in when Long Beach happens. I'm just glad they have already extinguished my hope for next year before Sebring this year.
 
I can understand GTP teams not wanting to go to Canada, I can’t really understand abandoning Lime Rock entirely, especially since the reason given for not showing up in 2024 was scheduling conflicts. They’re the first series to reveal their 2025 calendars, and it’s not an Olympic year, so I can’t imagine there would be any such instance again.
 
They haven’t issued calendars for the support series beyond Pilot Challenge yet. Lime Rock at least deserves a weekend with MX-5 Cup/Carrera Cup/Super Trofeo.
 
virtualbalboa said:
I mean, it seems to me like the way to avoid that is to pick up a phone and call Roger Penske or Richard Mille.
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Why not? ALMS and grand American worked very hard to avoid scheduling conflicts.

I think instead of worrying about schedule conflicts that IMSA and Indycar need to run more double headers. The two series have generally the same fanbase and are made for each other.
 
Doc Austin said:
Why not? ALMS and grand American worked very hard to avoid scheduling conflicts.

I think instead of worrying about schedule conflicts that IMSA and Indycar need to run more double headers. The two series have generally the same fanbase and are made for each other.
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Basically, I think the claim that they did this early to "avoid conflicts" is BS. Kiante is probably right: this is a form of power play. Maybe WEC didn't answer their phone last time, IDK. They're claiming these dates in such a way that if WEC or Indycar conflict, it's on them.

NASCAR doesn't care about helping Indycar by pairing it with IMSA. Indycar is the same fans, which means it is, to them, competition.
 
Rumor mill seems to have gone into overdrive with the announcement of the Ganassi/Cadillac split last week. Even though Ford had stated last year, when they announced the 2026 F1 plans in partnership with Red Bull, that it would eliminate any prospects of a prototype program, Autoweek has suggested they may still be interested and would be a good fit for CGR once again.

Additionally, a lot of prospective entrants from other series were in the Sebring paddock - most notably, RFK Racing, from which Brad K has said earlier this year he’s been very interested in getting the team back into IMSA.

Among the record 245 transporters that fill the long run from Turn 16 to Turn 17 for teams and key support partners, and the 190 cars that comprise the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series, Michelin Pilot Challenge and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, an interesting array of team owners — those who are not currently involved with IMSA — from the NTT IndyCar Series, Indy NXT, NASCAR Cup Series, FIA WEC, and SRO Americas could all be spotted.


Representatives from the Roush Fenway Keselowski Cup team were among those seen or spoken to in the paddock across Wednesday and Thursday, and although he wouldn’t be drawn on the list of visitors, IMSA President John Doonan did confirm the series’ executive leadership has been busy meeting with those who’ve come to Sebring to explore joining IMSA in 2025.
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racer.com

IMSA attracting growing interest from prospective new entrants

A walk through the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring paddock revealed a number of remarkable sights during IMSA’s biggest weekend of the year. The change in the event’s format, which no longer includ…
racer.com racer.com
 
FLRacingFan said:
Rumor mill seems to have gone into overdrive with the announcement of the Ganassi/Cadillac split last week.
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That kind of came out of nowhere, but that yellow sled is cursed. I'm not the superstitious type, but so many weird things have knocked tat car out. Either way, they were not getting results, and now they have gotten beaten in straight up fight.

The unanswered question is who will take over Chip's program? Most think Action Express will expand to two cars, and since they are getting the results, that wouldn't be the worst choice. There's also something to be said about consolidating under one roof.
FLRacingFan said:
Even though Ford had stated last year, when they announced the 2026 F1 plans in partnership with Red Bull, that it would eliminate any prospects of a prototype program,
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We're not sure where that Ford deal is going to go. It's starting to look like they want out. If the whole Red Bull thing breaks up, they will have to race somewhere else and WEC is pretty damm hot right now. Considering Ford's endurance pedigree, that would be a great story.

Chip to Ford could be awesome. It would be great for an American team to run a Ford and hand Ferrari their ass again.
FLRacingFan said:
Autoweek has suggested they may still be interested and would be a good fit for CGR once again.
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Ford can play themselves back in on the cheap. You only have to build one car, and all Ford would have to do is come up with a suitable engine. Ligier is only servicing Lambo, so a chassis would not be that hard to come by. My guess is all of these chassis makers would like to sell more cars.

I'm sure we'll have two Caddys and I hope Bourdais is in one of those. Zandervant is too good of a talent to waste too. We know Scott will be in whatever Chip will be running. I just hope Chip can put something together for next year and keep everyone employed.
 
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