IMSA Confirms Revised Challenge Series Calendars

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

IMSA has confirmed revised schedules for its Challenge series as part of its ‘Back to Racing’ plan announced on Friday.

Instead of kicking back off at Daytona alongside the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Michelin Pilot Challenge will resume action with the newly announced sprint race at Sebring International Raceway on July 16-18.

It will be followed by a largely unchanged calendar, except for the rescheduled events at Watkins Glen International (Oct. 1-4) and Lime Rock Park (Oct. 30-31) that also follow the revised WeatherTech Championship calendar.

A ten-round season has been maintained thanks to the addition of the July Sebring race, which effectively replaces Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on the schedule.

2020 Michelin Pilot Challenge Schedule (Revised):
Jan. 23-24 — Daytona International Speedway
July 16-18 — Sebring International Raceway
July 31-Aug. 2 — Road America
Aug. 21-23 — Virginia International Raceway
Sept. 4-6 — WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 25-27 — Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Oct. 1-4 — Watkins Glen International 
Oct. 14-17 — Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
Oct. 30-31 — Lime Rock Park
Nov. 11-14 — Sebring International Raceway

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

VIR Replaces CTMP in IMSA Prototype Challenge Season

A round at Virginia International Raceway, meanwhile, has replaced the canceled CTMP event for IMSA Prototype Challenge, which also maintains its intended six-round season.

As is the case with Pilot Challenge, racing will resume at Sebring in July, followed by trips to Road America, VIR, Mid-Ohio and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

IPC will not make two trips to Sebring, with the season closing out at Road Atlanta as initially planned prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge Schedule (Revised):
Jan. 3-5 — Daytona International Speedway
July 16-18 — Sebring International Raceway
July 31-Aug. 2 — Road America
Aug. 21-23 — Virginia International Raceway
Sept. 25-27 — Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Oct. 14-17 — Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Sebring Takes Barber Slot in GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama Season

The canceled event at Barber Motorsports Park has been replaced by IMSA’s end-of-year Sebring round on the revised Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama schedule.

While initially set to start off on the streets of St. Petersburg with IndyCar in March, the season will now begin at Road America in August, alongside the WeatherTech Championship.

The St. Pete round, however, has been maintained, thanks to IndyCar’s rescheduling of the event to late October.

2020 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama Schedule (Revised):
July 31 – Aug. 2 — Road America
Aug. 21-23 — Virginia International Raceway
Sept. 4-6 — WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 25-27 — Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Oct. 1-4 — Watkins Glen International
Oct. 14-17 — Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
Oct. 23-25 — St. Petersburg (IndyCar)
Nov. 11-14 — Sebring International Raceway

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John