2017 IMSA Silly Season Update 2: Prototype

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

Fresh off this week’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona, which saw the public debuts of two of the three initial DPi cars, Sportscar365 provides the latest update on the confirmed, likely and possible entries for the new-look Prototype class in next year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Confirmed Full-Season (10 cars):

Action Express Racing – The three-time and defending class champions return with a pair of brand-new Dallara-chassied Cadillac DPi-V.Rs, featuring an unchanged full-season driver lineup of Dane Cameron/Eric Curran and Joao Barbosa/Christian Fittipaldi. Filipe Albuquerque (No. 5) and Mike Conway/Seb Morris (No. 31) complete the lineups for Daytona. (2 cars)

Wayne Taylor Racing – Brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor will continue as full-season drivers in WTR’s Cadillac DPi-V.R, joined by Max Angelelli and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon for the Rolex 24. (1 car)

Mazda Motorsports – The factory SpeedSource-run squad will debut a pair of Riley-based Mazda RT24-P DPi cars. Jonathan Bomarito, Tristan Nunez, Joel Miller and Tom Long are all back as full-season drivers, with Spencer Pigot joining them for Daytona, and likely the remaining Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup races. Additional drivers for Daytona have yet to be announced. (2 cars)

Tequila Patron ESM – The Scott Sharp and Ed Brown-led operation will field two Nissan-powered Ligier DPis, which have yet to hit the track. Sharp will team with Ryan Dalziel in the No. 2 car, with Brown and Johannes van Overbeek in the No. 22 entry. Pipo Derani (No. 2) and Brendon Hartley/Bruno Senna (No. 22) complete the lineup for Daytona, with Derani set for the Patron Endurance Cup as well. (2 cars)

Visit Florida Racing – The Troy Flis-led squad debuts the Riley Mk. 30 Gibson with Marc Goossens and Renger van der Zande, who replaces the departing Dalziel in the team’s lineup. Look for a potential high-profile LMP1 pilot to complete the driving squad for Daytona, with the team set to employ a three-driver lineup for the season-opener. (1 car)

PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports – A Ligier JS P217 Gibson will be in the hands of the Bobby Oergel-led PR1/Mathiasen squad for the full season. While the full driver lineup has not yet been announced, look for Tom Kimber-Smith in the car for the season, joined by Jose Gutierrez for seven races, and Mike Guasch as the third driver for the Patron Endurance Cup rounds. (1 car)

JDC/Miller Motorsports – With a confirmed Oreca 07 Gibson, the Minnesota-based team will step up to the P class next year for a full-season effort. Drivers have yet to be announced. The car completed a shakedown at Sebring on Friday with Mathias Beche. (1 car)

TPNAEC/Daytona Entries (2 cars):

Rebellion Racing – The Anglo-Swiss squad will enter an Oreca 07 Gibson for the four-round Patron Endurance Cup, featuring the all-star lineup of Nick Heidfeld, Neel Jani, Stephane Sarrazin and Sebastien Buemi for Daytona. It’s understood Marcel Fassler, who will return to Corvette Racing for Daytona and Sebring, will be in the car for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. (1 car)

DragonSpeed – Elton Julian’s team will return Stateside for an expected one-off run at Daytona with an Oreca 07 Gibson, to be driven by Nicolas Lapierre, Loic Duval, Ben Hanley and Henrik Hedman. (1 car)

Possible Entries:

Jagonya Ayam – The Indonesian-backed driver scheme, which took over ESM’s second entry in the final three FIA World Endurance Championship races this year, could be on the grid at Daytona with an OAK Racing-run Ligier JS P217 Gibson. Sean Gelael told Sportscar365 last month there was a “50/50” chance of it happening, which would likely feature a lineup entirely of the program’s open-wheel drivers. (1 car?)

Starworks Motorsport – While the Peter Baron-led team will not be on the P class grid at Daytona, a possibility still exists for Starworks to debut mid-season with a Riley Mk. 30 Gibson, should funding materialize. (1 car mid-season?)

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