IMSA Facing Possible Capacity Pilot Challenge Grid for 2027

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

IMSA is facing a possible capacity grid for Michelin Pilot Challenge according to series president John Doonan, who indicated they may have to put a limit on full season entries for next year.

The GT4 and TCR-based championship, which sits on the run below the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, featured a 44-car grid last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With the return of Lime Rock Park as a headline event next September, Doonan indicated that decisions will have to be made based on pit lane and paddock capacity at tracks such as the 1.5-mile Connecticut circuit that could end up being the limiting factor.

“We’re seeing it as a place where we may have to be looking at capping entries,” he told Sportscar365.

“We’re space limited, for sure on pit lane. [Lime Rock’s] pit lane for sure and then of course the logistics team, I don’t know what the numbers were [at Indianapolis] but at a place like Sebring, I think we parked 249 transporters.

“These five-series weekends create a bit of a challenge.

“For Pilot Challenge, it could be a place where we’re going to have to start thinking about, because of space constraints, what we we have to do.

“There’s no official ruling on it, but it seems to be trending that way.”

Doonan revealed that next week’s season-ending Fox Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is likely to have two teams sharing a pit box “because of the interest” and IMSA “not wanting to turn people away.”

Pilot Challenge teams at the 2.54-mile circuit use the support series paddock and pit lane opposite of the WeatherTech Championship pits.

With the series potentially operating at capacity next year, Doonan said he’s hopeful of seeing some GT4 teams pivot to the new-look VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, which will consist entirely of two-driver endurance races next year largely on USAC weekends.

He said: “People are saying the VPRC series has two-hour races, one three-hour race, a 90-minute race. ‘Wow, that feels lot like Pilot Challenge.’

“Maybe teams that want to be in Pilot come do VRPC first, get their feet wet on IMSA processes, and how we do things, then for sure [step up].”

He even suggested an entry point in HSR’s Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli, which is home for modern GT cars, retired from contemporary competition, including GT3 and GT4-spec machinery.

“I think we have places such there’s opportunities for people to get their feet wet on IMSA and HSR processes,” added Doonan.

“We continue to be super, super excited about the commitment people have made, the amount of value that I think we’re creating for the sport and the fact that there’s that many people that still are trying to get their foot in the door.”

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