Doonan: IMSA Targeting to Run “Complete Seasons”

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

IMSA President John Doonan says it’s the sanctioning body’s goal to complete full seasons of all of its championships, despite several yet-to-be-rescheduled rounds that have been postponed.

Announced on Tuesday, the fourth scheduled round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, to have been held at Mid-Ohio, was postponed in the wake of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s new protocols that have advised against public gatherings of more than 50 people for the next two months.

It came following the rescheduling of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring to November and postponement of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Races from additional IMSA-sanctioned series, including Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, have also been postponed due to shared events with IndyCar at St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park having been called off as well.

In a letter to fans addressed to fans, Doonan shared his desire to have all IMSA-sanctioned races rescheduled this year 

“We are enthusiastically awaiting the next opportunity to get together once again and do what we do best,” Doonan said. “However, guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and safety protocols have led IMSA to postpone all events through May 3.

“We continue to work with our promoter partners to reschedule other affected events, and more information will be provided as soon as it is available.

“Our goal is to conduct complete seasons for all of our sanctioned series.”

The WeatherTech Championship has 12 races on its 2020 schedule, with only two so far not having a confirmed date.

IMSA now faces at least an 18-week downtime between January’s season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona and the next scheduled race, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix that’s currently still scheduled for the end of May.

It has resulted in the sanctioning body banning private testing of all forms, in an effort to play its part in the containment efforts of the COVID-19 virus as well as contain costs within the paddock.

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