IMSA’s Premier Series Will Continue Rich Tradition of Sports Car Racing on the Streets of the Motor City
DETROIT, Mich. (August 4, 2023) – North America’s premier sports car series will return to the Streets of Detroit in 2024 as the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship will compete at next summer’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, May 31-June 1, 2024.
Fueled by the momentum of growing global interest in the hybrid-electrified Grand Touring Prototype class (GTP) that made its debut this season, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will race for the first time on the new 1.7-mile street circuit in Downtown Detroit next year after the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series sports cars competed at this summer’s Detroit Grand Prix. The return of the WeatherTech Championship to Detroit was announced today as IMSA unveiled its schedule for the 2024 season. Both the GTP and the GTD Pro classes will race at Detroit next season, marking the return of both the Cadillac and Corvette brands competing on their “hometown” track.
With world-class racing teams and manufacturers battling on track while showcasing hybrid performance in the new GTP class, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship helps demonstrate how the latest racing technology can translate and benefit consumer vehicles.
“There is no better place to highlight hybrid racing technology and see some of the world’s best sports car teams and drivers in action than on the Streets of the Motor City,” said Michael Montri, President of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. “We are excited to welcome the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship back to Detroit in 2024 and we know the series will put on a great show for our fans at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.”
Sports car racing has a long history of competing in Detroit. IMSA-sanctioned racing in the Motor City dates back to 1983 and sports cars have been a staple of the Detroit Grand Prix since the merger of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Series in 2014.
With new cars and the new hybrid platform, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP class features cars competing for race-winning manufacturers including Cadillac, Porsche, Acura and BMW in 2023.
Racing the Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh machines, Chip Ganassi Racing brings star power and a history of success in Detroit to the GTP class. This season, the team’s No. 01 Cadillac is driven by former Detroit Grand Prix INDYCAR and IMSA winner Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande, a four-time IMSA race winner on Belle Isle. Another Cadillac-powered team that has won in Detroit – Action Express Racing – competes with the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R in 2023 with former Belle Isle polewinner and podium finisher Pipo Derani behind the wheel, along with teammate Alexander Sims.
In 2023, Team Penske and Porsche reunited for a much-anticipated return to full-time IMSA sports car competition. Both the No. 6 and No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963s have flexed their muscle at different points this season with the No. 6 tandem of Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet winning on the streets of Long Beach back in April. Team Penske and Porsche also have a winning sports car history together in Detroit with the two racing powerhouses teaming up to capture the overall American Le Mans Series victory at the 2007 Detroit Grand Prix. The JDC-Miller MotorSports team also competes with a Porsche 963 in the GTP class this season.
The 2023 Acura lineup in the GTP class is a strong one with the four-time Rolex 24 winning and four-time Belle Isle champion No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport entry competing with an ARX-06, along with the two-time and reigning Rolex 24 winning team, Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian. BMW races with two M Hybrid V8 GTP entries in 2023 fielded by the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team as BMW M Team RLL.
In the GTD Pro class this season, Corvette Racing competes with five-time Detroit race winner Jordan Taylor and teammate Antonio Garcia driving the C8.R Corvette. Additional manufacturers competing this season in the GTD Pro class include Porsche, Lexus, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG
Featuring both the GTP and GTD Pro classes in action on the Downtown Detroit street circuit, the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic will compete on Saturday, June 1 at the 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
ABOUT THE DETROIT GRAND PRIX
The Detroit Grand Prix is a 501(c)3 organization and a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Scheduled for May 31-June 2, 2024, the event will return to the Streets of Downtown Detroit. The Grand Prix will include the Chevrolet INDYCAR Grand Prix featuring the cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the sports cars of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the rising stars of racing competing in INDY NXT by Firestone. For more information, visit www.DetroitGP.com and follow our social media pages at www.facebook.com/detroitgp, www.twitter.com/detroitgp, and www.instagram.com/detroitgp.
