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{{short description|Auto racing championship in the United States}}
{{about|the championship that existed from 1971 to 1998|the modern IMSA series|IMSA SportsCar Championship}}
{{Infobox motorsport championship
| logo = IMSA GT Championship logo.svg
| pixels =
| caption =
| category = [[Sportscar racing]]
| country/region = North America
| inaugural = [[1971 IMSA GT Championship|1971]]
| inaugural2 = [[1971 IMSA GT Championship|1971]]
| folded = [[1998 IMSA GT Championship|1998]]
| drivers =
| teams =
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| website =
}}
[[File:Gtp sports cars.jpg|thumb|300px|(front to rear) [[Tommy Kendall]] and [[Wayne Taylor]] (both driving an [[Intrepid RM-1]]) leads eventual winner [[Davy Jones (racing driver)|Davy Jones]] ([[Jaguar XJR-16]]) and [[Chip Robinson]], followed by [[Geoff Brabham]] (both in [[Nissan NPT-91]]), [[Raul Boesel]] (XJR-16) and [[James Weaver (racing driver)|James Weaver]] ([[Porsche 962]]) in the [[Nissan]] Grand Prix of Ohio, at [[Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course]], 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wsrp.ic.cz/imsa1991.html#10 |title=IMSA GT 1991 season |publisher=WSRP |access-date
'''IMSA GT''' was a [[sports car racing]] series organized by [[International Motor Sports Association]]. Races took place primarily in the United States
==History==
The series was founded in 1969 by John and Peggy Bishop,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130822/grand_am/130829929 |title=Peggy Bishop, wife of IMSA founder, dies - Autoweek Racing Grand-Am news |publisher=Autoweek |access-date=2014-06-23 |
For the following year, John Bishop brought in sponsor [[R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company|R. J. Reynolds]], and in 1975 introduced a new category: All American Grand Touring (AAGT). In 1977, the series went through a series of major changes. IMSA permitted [[turbocharger|turbocharged]] cars to compete for the first time, as well as introducing a new category: GTX, based on [[Group 5 (racing)|Group 5]] rules. In 1981, after Bishop decided to not follow FIA's newly introduced [[Group C]] rules, he introduced the GTP class for [[sports prototype]]s. In 1989, Bishop sold off his organization. After a period of decline in the early 1990s, the
After a period of multiple ownerships, the organization, by then owned by [[Don Panoz]], was eventually renamed Professional Sports Car Racing (PSCR). In 1999, PSCR decided to
==Initial divisions==
[[File:IMSA GTO Road-Atlanta.jpg|thumb|1981 IMSA race at Road Atlanta featuring GTO, GTU, and GTP cars
<ref>{{cite web |author=Photo by courtesy of: Clay Carpenter Flying Pigs Racing http://www.flyingpigsracing.com |url=http://www.flyingpigsracing.com/2018/02/16/midwest-team-corvette-imsa-corvette-race-car/ |title=Road Atlanta IMSA Race 1981 |publisher=Flying Pigs Racing |access-date=2017-02-12 |
[[File:IMSAGTO1987.JPG|thumb|right|[[Robin McCall]] in the Hoerr Racing GTO Oldsmobile (1987)]]
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===Camel GT era===
The first champions were [[Peter H. Gregg]] and [[Hurley Haywood]], in a
Initially, all cars were identified with a category tag, stating which category they competed in,<ref>{{cite web |author=Photo by courtesy of: Mark Windecker |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1973/Mid-Ohio-1973-07-15-023.jpg |title=Mid-Ohio 6 Hours 1973 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |access-date
as well as a Joe Camel decal.
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In 1975 a new category, All American Grand Touring (AAGT), was introduced to counteract the Porsche dominance in GTO.<ref name="prototypes">[[Prototypes: The History of the IMSA GTP Series]], J. A. Martin & Ken Wells, David Bull Publishing, {{ISBN|1-893618-01-3}}</ref>
In 1981, the [[Bob Sharp (racing driver)|Bob Sharp Racing]] team used a loophole in the rules to build a
Turbochargers were not permitted until the middle of the 1977 season. They were allowed following protests by Porsche's motorsport department, after inspecting [[Al Holbert]]'s AAGT winning [[Chevrolet Monza]], which had won two titles. Prior to 1977, Porsche privateers struggled with obsolete 911 Carrera RSRs against the AAGT cars.<ref name="multiple">930 to 935: The Turbo Porsches, John Starkey, Renwick & Starkey Ltd. {{ISBN|0-9665094-1-2}}</ref>
Engine sizes were determined by IMSA officials, who had devised a set of rules to determine fair competition, using a displacement versus minimum weight formula. Turbochargers were taken into account as well as rotary power, fuel injection, and many other engine features.<ref name="1987gto">{{cite web |url=http://alex62.typepad.com/imsablog/2007/02/gto_the_big_ste.html |title=IMSA blog: GTO : the big step ahead |publisher=Alex62.typepad.com |date=2007-02-06 |
As a result, the new premier class known as GTX (Grand Touring Experimental, which was based on [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]]'s [[Group 5 (racing)|Group 5]]), brought on the absolute dominance of the [[Porsche 935]]. The 935 became the most successful car in the series. {{Citation needed|date=May 2007}} The most successful driver of the 1970s was
===GT spaceframe era===
In 1984, all GT cars were required to display a large square decal to identify which category the car competed in. A GTU car, for instance, would have a black ''U'' on white,<ref>{{cite web |author=Photo by courtesy of: Mark Windecker |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984/Daytona-1984-02-05-007.jpg |title=Daytona 24 Hours 1984 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |access-date
One significant change to the rules during the 1980s was the 2.5 liter limit being increased to 3.0 liters, with the maximum 6.0 liter limit still in place.<ref name="1987gto" /> 3.0L cars were required to weigh {{convert|1900|lb|abbr=on}}, whereas 6.0L cars had to weigh no less than {{convert|2700|lb|abbr=on}}. In an effort to equalize the competition, two-valve turbocharged cars were required to weigh 15% more, and four-valve turbocharged cars 20% more. Electronic fuel injection became common, while [[Ground effect (cars)|ground
▲In 1984, all GT cars were required to display a large square decal to identify which category the car competed in. A GTU car, for instance, would have a black ''U'' on white,<ref>{{cite web|author=Photo by courtesy of: Mark Windecker |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984/Daytona-1984-02-05-007.jpg |title=Daytona 24 Hours 1984 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |date= |accessdate=2014-06-23}}</ref> and a GTO car, a white ''O'' on black.<ref>{{cite web|author=Photo by courtesy of: Mark Windecker |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984/Daytona-1984-02-05-0001.jpg |title=Daytona 24 Hours 1984 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |date= |accessdate=2014-06-23}}</ref> All others had standard IMSA GT decals.<ref>{{cite web|author=Photo by courtesy of: Fred Lewis Photos |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984/Daytona-1984-02-05-009.jpg |title=Daytona 24 Hours 1984 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |date= |accessdate=2014-06-23}}</ref>
▲One significant change to the rules during the 1980s was the 2.5 liter limit being increased to 3.0 liters, with the maximum 6.0 liter limit still in place.<ref name="1987gto" /> 3.0L cars were required to weigh {{convert|1900|lb|abbr=on}}, whereas 6.0L cars had to weigh no less than {{convert|2700|lb|abbr=on}}. In an effort to equalize the competition, two-valve turbocharged cars were required to weigh 15% more, and four-valve turbocharged cars 20% more. Electronic fuel injection became common, while [[Ground effect (cars)|ground effect]]<nowiki/>s were still prohibited.<ref name="1987gto" />
Steering, braking, transmission, and suspension were left up to the constructor. Bigger, more powerful engines were permitted under homologation rules.<ref name="1987gto" /> The number of valves, ports, and spark plugs were not allowed to be modified from the original configuration.
The [[All American Racers|AAR]] [[Toyota]] team suddenly encountered a daunting problem with the rules when, with Toyota's introduction of the new, fourth generation,
The Celica was one of just a few cars that had broken away from its production GT derivatives of the earlier years. With a full [[spaceframe]] chassis, they became serious race cars. By 1987, the category became dominated by factory teams, with testing sessions becoming common, and rules tailored to welcome them in rather than turn them away. Otherwise, the cars were required to closely resemble their showroom counterparts, though fenders could be widened, increasing the [[Axle track|track]] up to {{convert|79|in|mm}}.<ref name="1987gto" />
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There were no restrictions on body materials, as most teams favored removable, easy to repair fiberglass (meaning one of the only remaining panels from a car's production counterpart was the steel roof structure).
Another car that exploited the rules was the [[Audi]] [[Audi 90|90]]. With its advanced [[Quattro (four-wheel-drive system)|Quattro four-wheel-drive]] system, the car had the potential to dominate during the 1989 season. The car performed well, but faced heavy competitions from two factory teams; the [[Roush Racing]]
Another manufacturer to experience a run of wins was
===GTP era===
[[File:IMSA GTP class logo (1986-1993).svg|thumb|Class decal of GTP category]]
[[File:Eaglemk3-01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Eagle MkIII|Toyota Eagle Mk.III]] GTP class car]]
In 1981, purpose-built GTP cars (Grand Touring Prototypes) appeared in the championship, and were similar to the new FIA [[Group C]] cars which would be introduced to the [[World Sportscar Championship|World Endurance Championship]] from 1982. The main difference between the two categories was that the former had no emphasis on fuel consumption which was highlighted by [[Derek Bell (auto racer)|Derek Bell]] saying "Race fans do not come to races to watch an economy run."
Starting with the 1986 season, the GTP category had their own decal, which was similar to the IMSA GT side decal, with a ''P'' being added to denote their category.<ref>{{cite web |author=Photo by courtesy of: Fred Lewis Photos |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1986/Daytona-1986-02-02-0004.jpg |title=Daytona 24 Hours 1986 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |access-date
There were many other manufacturers in the GTP class, such as URD Rennsport,
===Fall of GTP===
Following a successful heart surgery in 1987, Bishop began to rethink his priorities. He was approached by Mike Cone and Jeff Parker, owners of [[Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg|Tampa Race Circuit]]. In January 1989, Bishop and France sold the series to Cone and Parker. The new owners relocated the IMSA headquarters from
By 1992, there were a number of factors that led to the decline of the GTP category. Porsche concentrated on its [[Champ Car|IndyCar]] ([[Porsche 2708]]) program when critics stated that the
The GTP category was credited for many innovations in the U.S., including [[antilock brakes]], [[traction control system|traction control]], and [[active suspension]].<ref name="prototypes" /> Dave Cowart and Kemper Miller's
===World Sports Cars===
With rising costs and factory teams walking away from the series, which meant diminishing entries and diminishing profit, IMSA introduced a new
The WSC cars made their debut at the [[Grand Prix of Miami (sports car racing)|Miami Grand Prix]] with the sole entry of Brent O'Neill. The car finished last among the cars that were still running. After skipping the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], the category would compete for the remainder of the season in non-Championship rounds, with no more than four cars entering each race. In 1994 Camel was replaced by [[Exxon]] as the title sponsor. However, as the WSC cars took over as the leading category, their reliability would be tested at the opening round at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Two cars started on the front row, with eight WSC cars competing. Two cars finished the race, with the leading WSC car finishing ninth behind GT cars. A WSC car would score its first podium finish at Sebring with a second, and third place behind a Daytona winning GTS class Nissan 300ZX. That led to a rule change for the latter category, as they would be barred from using engines that were originally for GTP cars. At the inaugural round for WSC cars at [[Road Atlanta]], the new [[Ferrari 333 SP]] would make its debut amongst mass media fanfare, and win its debut race. The car brand regularly achieving podium finishes every round after that,
▲With rising costs and factory teams walking away from the series, which meant diminishing entries and diminishing profit, IMSA introduced a new [[prototype]] category for in 1993: World Sport Car (WSC). WSC replaced GTP and Camel Lights' closed-top cars for the following year. The WSC cars were open-top, flat-bottomed sports-prototypes with production engines, as opposed to racing versions of production engines from GTP cars.
▲The WSC cars made their debut at the [[Grand Prix of Miami (sports car racing)|Miami Grand Prix]] with the sole entry of Brent O'Neill. The car finished last among the cars that were still running. After skipping the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], the category would compete for the remainder of the season in non-Championship rounds, with no more than four cars entering each race. In 1994 Camel was replaced by [[Exxon]] as the title sponsor. However, as the WSC cars took over as the leading category, their reliability would be tested at the opening round at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Two cars started on the front row, with eight WSC cars competing. Two cars finished the race, with the leading WSC car finishing ninth behind GT cars. A WSC car would score its first podium finish at Sebring with a second, and third place behind a Daytona winning GTS class Nissan 300ZX. That led to a rule change for the latter category, as they would be barred from using engines that were originally for GTP cars. At the inaugural round for WSC cars at [[Road Atlanta]], the new [[Ferrari 333 SP]] would make its debut amongst mass media fanfare, and win its debut race. The car brand regularly achieving podium finishes every round after that, [[Oldsmobile]], won the manufacturer's title over [[Ferrari]] by four points.
In 1995, a new rival for Ferrari appeared in the [[Riley & Scott]] Mk III. The car would make its debut at Daytona, but would retire after the eleventh lap due to engine failure. Ferrari would help the category score an overall win at the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], and would take the manufacturer's title. The Ferrari 333 SP and the R&S cars (Oldsmobile / Ford) were the dominant entries in the series from 1995 until the demise of IMSA at the end of 1998.
In 1996, Slater sold the organization to [[Roberto Muller]] (ex-CEO of
In 1992, the long running category American Challenge stepped into the GT series. It became known as the GTO category when the former GTO category was renamed GTS (Grand Touring Supreme). The move was prompted by sponsor Exxon, who wanted the series named after its sub-brand of fuel.<ref name="wspr">{{cite web|url=http://www.wspr-racing.com/wspr/results/imsa/nf_imsa_home.html |title=WSPR-Racing.com |publisher=WSPR-Racing.com |access-date
===End of an era===
Under tremendous pressure from team owners and management, Evans sold the series to PST Holdings, Inc., a group led by Raymond Smith, formerly the chief financial officer of Sports Car. Other owners included Dough Robinson and Tom Milner. In 2001 [[Don Panoz]] purchased PSCR to solidify the sanction for Panoz's [[American Le Mans Series]] (ALMS) which had been sanctioned by PSCR since 1999. Panoz renamed the sanctioning organization IMSA, and it was the official sanctioning body of the American Le Mans Series, the Star Mazda series, and the [[Panoz]] GT Pro series. The ALMS uses regulations based on those of the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]], but in 2005 the relationship between Panoz and the Le Mans organizers, [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest|ACO]], became problematic.
A breakaway series formed in 1998 involving the [[Sports Car Club of America]], and was running under the name of the [[United States Road Racing Championship]]. It was headed by a group of competitors that wanted to keep the rules within the United States. After failing by 1999, a new U.S.-based series was started with the full support of [[NASCAR]]'s [[Bill France
After the series' demise, a U.S.-based [[historical racing]] organization, Historic Sportscar Racing, created a new series to put GTP and Group C cars that had been stored away back onto the track. The series was called HSR ThunderSport. Its creation sparked a similar revival series in Europe, as well as another series in the UK called Group C/GTP Racing.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}
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{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !!colspan=
|-
! [[1971 IMSA GT Championship|1971]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1972 IMSA GT Championship|1972]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1973 IMSA GT Championship|1973]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1974 IMSA GT Championship|1974]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1975 IMSA GT Championship|1975]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1976 IMSA GT Championship|1976]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
! [[1977 IMSA GT Championship|1977]]
|colspan=
|colspan=
|-
!rowspan=2| [[1978 IMSA GT Championship|1978]] !!colspan=3| GTX !!colspan=2| GTO !! GTU
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|colspan=3| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Fitzpatrick (racing driver)|John Fitzpatrick]]
|colspan=2| {{flagicon|DOM}} Luis Mendez
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Walt Bohren]]
|-
! [[1981 IMSA GT Championship|1981]]
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!rowspan=2| [[1982 IMSA GT Championship|1982]] !!colspan=3| GTP !!colspan=2| GTO !! GTU
|-
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Paul
| colspan=2| [[Porsche 935]]
| colspan=2| {{flagicon|USA}} Don Devendorf
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| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Brabham]]
| [[Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo]]
| {{flagicon|MEX}}
| colspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dorsey Schroeder]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} Lance Stewart
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! [[1991 IMSA GT Championship|1991]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Brabham]]
| [[Nissan NPT-90|Nissan NPT-91]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Parker Johnstone]]
| colspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Pete Halsmer]]
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|-
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Juan Manuel Fangio II]]
| [[Eagle MkIII|Toyota Eagle
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Parker Johnstone]]
| {{flagicon|NZ}} [[Steve Millen]]
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! [[1993 IMSA GT Championship|1993]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Juan Manuel Fangio II]]
| [[Eagle MkIII|Toyota Eagle
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Parker Johnstone]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tommy Kendall]]
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==See also==
*[[IMSA GT classes]]
*''[[Prototypes: The History of the IMSA GTP Series]]''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Imsa Gt Championship}}
[[Category:International Motor Sports Association| ]]▼
[[Category:IMSA GT Championship| ]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1998 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1971]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company]]
[[Category:Sports car racing series]]
[[Category:Auto racing series in the United States]]
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