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IMSA Increases Track Time, Reduces Scrutineering Schedules

IMSA adds further one-hour practice session to upcoming TUSC rounds…

Photo: IMSA

Photo: IMSA

IMSA has revised weekend schedules for upcoming TUDOR United SportsCar Championship races, in an effort to provide additional track time while reducing the amount of setup days needed for each event.

Changes have been made in the schedules for the upcoming Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas, which sees an additional one-hour practice session being added to each event.

Additionally, the scutineering schedules for all of the upcoming TUDOR Championship races have been streamlined, with the typical two-to-three day process now cut down to a day-and-a-half for most events, including next weekend’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic at Detroit’s Belle Isle.

Efforts had been underway since the series’ visit to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to adjust the weekend format following feedback from teams, according to IMSA President and COO Scott Atherton, who spoke to Sportscar365 earlier this month.

A number of teams had voiced their displeasure over the lack of track time compared to previous years in the ALMS and GRAND-AM. The Monterey round, for instance, featured only a pair of one-hour practice sessions as part of a compact, two-day weekend format.

Next weekend’s Prototype and GT Daytona-only round at Detroit will see a total of three hours of practice, which was originally scheduled prior to the changes to other events.

“I’m very encouraged, not only that IMSA is being as responsive as they are, but that they’re being as responsive as they are to a problem which I certainly don’t envy,” Flying Lizard Motorsports team manager Eric Ingraham told Sportscar365.

“It’s a huge help and a huge step to get back to something that was at least close to the promoter test day program that we had before [in the ALMS] in terms of track time.”

Weekend schedules have yet to be released for the rounds at Indianapolis, Road America and Road Atlanta.

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

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