| Live NBC Network Television Windows Confirmed for Both RacesDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – (March 4, 2021) IMSA today announced date changes for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway and the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta following today’s announcement that the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been moved to Aug. 21-22. The new Le Mans date falls on the originally scheduled IMSA weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, which was slated to have a live, NBC network television window for the two-hour, 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race featuring the GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes. As a result of that, and the fact that several teams and drivers plan to compete at Le Mans, the WeatherTech Championship race now will be run on Saturday, Oct. 9, airing live on NBC. It also will become the WeatherTech Sprint Cup season finale for the GTD class. The new VIR event weekend will be Oct. 8-10. The new date for the 24th Motul Petit Le Mans will be Saturday, Nov. 13 and also will include a live, three-hour NBC network television window. The race will include five WeatherTech Championship classes – Daytona Prototype international (DPi), LMP2, LMP3, GTLM and GTD – and close out both the 2021 WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup seasons. The event weekend will run from Nov. 10-13. “Given the momentum we are carrying in regard to television viewership, it is important for us to preserve live, NBC network windows,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “Holding our season finale in November proved successful last year in Sebring, and we have every reason to believe we can be successful again this November at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. As always, we are grateful to all of our stakeholders – and particularly our promoter and television partners – for their flexibility and understanding as we maneuver through these changes.” In addition to the WeatherTech Championship events, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Prototype Challenge races scheduled for both VIR and Michelin Raceway also will be moving to the new event weekends. Three IMSA-sanctioned single-make series – Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and Porsche Carrera Cup North America – also will be affected by these changes. Updates will be provided by the manufacturers when confirmed. All 2021 IMSA schedules remain provisional. 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Revised ProvisionalSchedule Date Event/Venue Length Classes Jan. 22-24 Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona Test DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM, GTD Jan. 30-31 Rolex 24 At Daytona 24 Hours DPi, LMP2*, LMP3*, GTLM, GTD March 20 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring 12 Hours DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM, GTD Presented by Advance Auto Parts May 16 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2 Hr., 40 Min. DPi, LMP3, GTD June 5 Raceway at Belle Isle 100 Minutes DPi, LMP2, GTD** June 27 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen 6 Hours DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM, GTD July 4 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 2 Hr., 40 Min. DPi, LMP3, GTLM, GTD** July 17 Lime Rock Park 2 Hr., 40 Min. GTLM, GTD Aug. 8 Road America 2 Hr., 40 Min. DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM, GTD Sept. 12 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 2 Hr., 40 Min. DPi, LMP2, GTLM, GTD Sept. 25 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach 100 Minutes DPi, GTLM, GTD Oct. 9 VIRginia International Raceway 2 Hr., 40 Min. GTLM, GTD Nov. 13 Motul Petit Le Mans 10 Hours DPi, LMP2, LMP3, GTLM, GTDBLUE – IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Event * – LMP2, LMP3 races not for season-long WeatherTech Championship points **- IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup only 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Revised Provisional ScheduleDate Venue Length Jan. 22-24 Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona Test Jan. 28-31 Daytona International Speedway 4 Hours March 17-20 Sebring International Raceway 2 Hours May 14-16 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2 Hours June 24-27 Watkins Glen International 4 Hours July 2-4 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 2 Hours July 16-17 Lime Rock Park 2 Hours Aug. 6-8 Road America 2 Hours Sept. 10-12 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 2 Hours Oct. 8-10 VIRginia International Raceway 2 Hours Nov. 10-13 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta 2 Hours 2021 IMSA Prototype Challenge ProvisionalSchedule Date Venue Jan. 22-24 Daytona International Speedway March 13-14 Sebring International Raceway May 14-16 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course July 2-4 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Oct. 8-10 VIRginia International Raceway Nov. 10-13 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta |
