American le mans series news and information autoblog. Oct 14, 20 take a ride around road atlanta in the number 56 bmw. Le mans in mid to late1990s was filled with all sorts of racing badassery, but the viper gtsr still manages to stand proud. The american le mans series was a sports car racing series which debuted in 1999. Corvette racing american le mans series 2007 schedule. The american le mans series raced on 27 different circuits during its 15year history. About imsa weathertech sportscar championship 2020.
The 24 hours of le mans was frequently part of the world sportscar championship from 1953 until that series final season in 1992. American le mans series classes of competition smaller and less powerful prototypes have a minimum weight of 775 kilograms approx. Sports car racing 101 classes of competition american. Jan 29, 2016 gt le mans gtlm this class uses identical technical regulations as cars in the 24 hours of le mans. This is the american le mans series alms at midohio sports car course 2009. The american le mans series used essentially the same rules as the 24 hours of le mans. The a and b paddocks are crowded with the teams, the campers are coming, the warning. The gtlm class features cars that are the fastest and most elite gt cars on the track. For the better part of the last decade, the american le mans series has consisted of four classes of cars. The 1999 american le mans series season was the inaugural season of the imsa american le mans series, and is now recognised as the 29th season of the imsa gt championship. Each race consists of two classes of gt cars along with two classes of le mans prototypes.
Engine horsepower capacity can be in the 500550 range, and all. The next and final american le mans series presented by tequila patron sports car racing event will be the petit le mans presented by mazda. Championship wec series, are creating a prototype class that will. The american le mans series also has a spec class called gtc, which is for porsche 911 gt3 named after the road car, not the class cup cars only. Reaching speeds of 180195 mph, these highly modified racing gts produce between 600650 horsepow. The european le mans series is similar to the american le mans series alms based in the united states and canada that was running with aco and imsa between 1999 and. These purposebuilt race cars include the courage c65, lola b0540 and porsche rs spyder. It consisted of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 hours of le mans.
Since 2012, the race has been a part of the fia world endurance championship. The new le mans hypercar rules mean a lot i automobile. There were five categories competing for class honours. Imsas roots date back to its 1969 founding, and since 2014, imsa has sanctioned the unified weathertech championship which brought together the american le mans series and grandam rolex series championships under one series. Its the alms northeast grand prix at lime rock park. The series will visit 12 total venues across the united states and canada as its daytona prototype international, gt le mans, gt daytona, and lmp2 classes come together with all four categories at daytona, sebring, midohio, watkins glen, road america, weathertech raceway laguna, and road atlanta. Andretti green racing scores first american le mans series win. The new combined series will feature most of the classes and cars from the grandam rolex sports car series and american le mans series. Imsa and aco reveal bold new plan for common prototype sports.
Beginning in 2009, changes were made to the classes participating in the series. Like the 24 hours of le mans, there were 3 primary classes, though there were 2 extra challenge classes using standardized cars. United sports car championship useful notes tv tropes. The american lemans series anda world endurance championship race was worth it.
The american le mans series alms is the premier sports car racing series in. It is the first endurance sportscar series in japan since the. Grandam and american le mans announced a merger wednesday that will join them as one series beginning in 2014. This was on a practice day, so i could get up very close to cars with out anybody caring. Le mans prototype lmp 1 and 2 and grand touring gt 1 and 2.
In 2011, it was a part of the intercontinental le mans cup. Jun 16, 2017 le mans in mid to late1990s was filled with all sorts of racing badassery, but the viper gtsr still manages to stand proud. Merger of grandam, american le mans series moves forward. The 2008 american le mans series season was the 38th season for the imsa gt championship, with the tenth season known as the american le mans series. The initial united sportscar championship name of the series was announced on march 14, 20, while rolex sa signed their tudor brand to a title sponsorship deal. The third annual sebring winter test will kick off 2007 american le mans series activities at the venerable circuit on january 2224, 2007. It is considered one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world and has been called the grand prix of endurance and efficiency. The american le mans series, which features sports car endurance races based on the famed 24 hours of le mans, will be in its fourth season in 2002. American le mans monterey weathertech raceway laguna seca. American le mans series motorsport wiki fandom powered by. The japan le mans challenge abbreviated jlmc was an endurance sportscar series based in japan built around the 24 hours of le mans that began in 2006. The weathertech sportscar championship is a sports car racing series based in the united states and canada and organized by the international motor sports association imsa. Grandam and alms announce classes for unified series in 2014.
The european le mans series is similar to the american le mans series alms based in the united states and canada that was running with aco and imsa between 1999 and 20. Grandam, american le mans series announce class structure. The audi sport north america team wrapped up its title. Mazda wonders if you remember its great rearwheeldrive hatchbacksthe first 323 of 1977 was a rearwheeldrive affair, as well as mazdas first modern compact family hatchthree takeaways. The gt le mans class is open to any tire manufacturer, while michelin is the exclusive provider for dpi, lmp2 and gtd. This class is missing from the 2018 field, as the aging opencockpit modelsgrandfathered in from the american le mans series, as part of the merger between. American le mans series wikipedia, a enciclopedia livre. A sports car racing series based in the united states and canada that resulted from the merger of grandam road racing and the american le mans series in 2014. It features multiple classes of purposebuilt prototypes and productionbased gt cars that. Sep 05, 2012 grandam and american le mans announced a merger wednesday that will join them as one series beginning in 2014. List of american le mans series circuits wikipedia. The late don panoz founded the american le mans series on the idea of using. Aug 02, 2019 the series will visit 12 total venues across the united states and canada as its daytona prototype international, gt le mans, gt daytona, and lmp2 classes come together with all four categories at daytona, sebring, midohio, watkins glen, road america, weathertech raceway laguna, and road atlanta.
It began march 20, 1999, and ended november 7, 1999, after eight races. The rules for the jlmc were based around the rules used by the aco for the 24 hours of le mans endurance race in france, similar to those used by the le mans series in europe and the american le mans series in north america. Imsas roots date back to its 1969 founding, and since 2014, imsa has sanctioned the unified weathertech championship which brought together the american le mans series and grandam rolex series. Rules are to be in effect for two years, through the end of. Imsa official home race results, schedule, standings. The lmp, or le mans prototype, classes are for speciallydesigned prototype. American le mans series classes of competition the top class in the grand touring gt division is gt1 featuring productionbased twowheel drive race cars such as the corvette c6. Petit le mans bmw in car alms tequila patron sports. The imsa weathertech sportscar championship is a result of a merger between two existing north american sports car racing series, the american le mans series and rolex sports car series. It was a series for le mans prototypes lmp and grand tourer gt race cars divided into four classes. The season begins with its premier race, the rolex 24 at daytona, the last weekend of january and ends with the petit le mans, another north american endurance cup race, in early october. In the lmp1 class, intersport racing was able to end audi sport north americas string of 30. American le mans series at midohio sports car course 2009.
But imsas dpi prototypes wont be eligible for le mans. Calling it a philisophy based on inclusion, grandam and the american le mans series announced the new class structures that will take effect when the two organizations merge into one in 2014. Imsa official home race results, schedule, standings, news, drivers. A le mans prototype lmp is the type of sports prototype race car used in the 24 hours of le mans, fia world endurance championship, weathertech sportscar championship, european le mans series and asian le mans series. Like the 24 hours of le mans, there were three primary classes, though there were two extra challenge classes using standardized cars. Prior to yesterdays great race at road america, the american le mans series announced a revised class structure for 2010. While most of its races are 24 hours long, it does have the 12 hours of sebring and the petit le mans as its endurance races. American le mans series motorsport wiki fandom powered. In 2004, the aco renamed lmp900 back to lmp1, and with this they limited the rear wing to 1. Gto and gtu would be renamed gts and gt for 2001 to better match the classes used by the similar american le mans series.
The american le mans series presented by tequila patron is based on the prestigious 24 hours of le mans. For 1999, the series changed its name to the american le mans series, and adopted the acos rulebook. American le mans series returns to midohio sports car course. Rolex 24 at daytona 2020 race daytona prototype international. With the scoring pole cota has they only show the top 10 cars and with 4 or 5 classes running in each race it was hard to determine where the individual gt cars were.
American le mans series sports league, cars facebook. The american le mans series presented by tequila patron sports car racing returns to the american le mans northeast grand prix in lime rock, ct on july 6, 20. Jan 02, 2014 we were baffled a few weeks back when the american le mans series and grandam rolex sports car series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014. The lmp1 and lmp2 classes continue to be used at the 24 hours of le mans and in the newer championships that were created by the aco. The le mans prototype 2 lmp2 class is reserved exclusively for privateer. The american le mans series alms was a sports car racing series based in the united states and canada.
The series runs 12 events per season in the united states and canada, although not every class races at. It won its class three years in a row between 1998 and 2000. Grandam and alms announce classes for unified series in. The american le mans series alms was a sports car racing series based in the united. American le mans series consolidates racing classes for. The imsa weathertech sportscar championship has established itself as the preeminent form of endurance sports car road racing in north america. This is a radical change that will either make for a great season, or one. The league would also acquire the six hours of watkins glen, giving the league a second endurance race alongside the rolex 24 at daytona to compete with the alms 12 hours of sebring and petit le mans. It was a series for le mans prototypes lmp and grand touring gt race cars divided into three classes. Muscle milk team cytosport porsche rs spyder at the 2009 petit le mans. May 31, 20 the american le mans series presented by tequila patron sports car racing returns to the american le mans northeast grand prix in lime rock, ct on july 6, 20. The rolex sports car series was the premier series run by the grand american road racing association. We were baffled a few weeks back when the american le mans series and grandam rolex sports car series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014.
It was a north americanbased sports car series founded in 2000 under the name grand american road racing championship to replace the failed united states road racing championship. Mazda raceway laguna seca, canadian tire motorsport. Ferrariferrari has been a part of imsa since the beginning of time. Jan 07, 20 calling it a philisophy based on inclusion, grandam and the american le mans series announced the new class structures that will take effect when the two organizations merge into one in 2014. The american le mans series is responding to economic conditions and the decline in the diversity of racing machinery on the grid by changing up the racing classes in its ranks for next season. Aston martins, bmws in 5 different classes all racing side by side with the prototypes. The announcement came on friday prior to the start of grandams roar before the 24 test weekend at the daytona international speedway. Muscle milk pickett racings hpd arx03a at the 2012 petit le mans in 2007, the pickett bought an exdyson racing lola b0610 and teamed with former nascar and transam driver klaus graf. Every season consists of between six and ten races, and the longest race is 1,000 miles in length. The event represents one leg of the triple crown of motorsport. Dpi and gtlm generally feature allprofessional lineups while lmp2 and gtd require a gentleman driver within their lineups. The american le mans headquarters was in braselton, georgia, adjacent to road atlanta. It consisted of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 hours of le mans the american le mans headquarters was in braselton, georgia, adjacent to road atlanta in 2014, the series merged with the grandam rolex sports car series to form the united.
It is a result of a merger between two existing north american sports car racing series, the american le mans series and rolex sports car series. Sports car racing 101 classes of competition american le mans. It began march 15 and ended october 18 after eleven races. The american le mans series presented by tequila patron alms was a sports car racing series based in the united states and canada. Cars were broken into two general classes, known as le mans prototypes lmp and grand touring gt. See complete recaps of all previous detroit american le mans. At its inception, the name was united sportscar championship, which. Infobox sports car championship current season 2008 american le mans series season pixels 200px caption countryregion united states, canada inaugural 1999 folded lmp classes lmp1, lmp2 gt classes gt1, gt2 races 12 2007.