Ford Retains IMSA Lineup for 2018

Photo: Ford

Ford Chip Ganassi Racing has retained its driver lineup for the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, as the team enters its third year with the Ford GT.

Joey Hand, Dirk Mueller, Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe have all been re-signed, alongside IndyCar aces Sebastien Bourdais and Scott Dixon, who will again complete the lineup for the long-distance races.

Hand and Mueller combined for two GT Le Mans class victories this year, including top honors at the Rolex 24 at Daytona alongside Bourdais.

The pairing finished third in the GTLM points standings, ahead of teammates Briscoe and Westbrook in the No. 67 Ford, who scored five podium finishes.

New of Ford’s unchanged IMSA lineup follows confirmation of all four of its FIA World Endurance Championship drivers also returning. 

It’s understood the contracts for all drivers in both series were initially for two-year deals.

No Additional Entries Planned for Daytona, Sebring

Ford is unlikely to field additional entries for the Rolex 24 at Daytona or Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, according to IMSA team principal Mike O’Gara.

FCGR fielded four Fords at Daytona this year, with a third entry for Sebring.

“We feel that adding cars doesn’t increase our chances of winning,” O’Gara told Sportscar365.

A four-car program, however, is understood to still be in the works for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, subject to confirmation by the ACO Selection Committee.

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