The Brewmeister

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Schedule Released

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12-Event Inaugural Season Will Showcase New Series At Premium Venues

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2013) – Continuing its commitment to revolutionize sports car racing in North America, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) today announced a 12-race schedule for the 2014 debut season of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship starting with the 52nd running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25-26.

"We have created a premium schedule for sports car fans, taking our new championship to some of the best road racing facilities in North America," said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. "Our event lineup also underscores the cooperative spirit of the merger between the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS). The 'best of both worlds' approach, our shared guidepost throughout the merger process, is certainly evident when you look at the 2014 schedule.

"We had many interested parties but for 2014, we only considered facilities from our 2013 Rolex Series and ALMS schedules. That was in fairness to our existing track partners, who have been such strong supporters of both series. The first TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season will feature iconic tracks deeply rich in history. We are very proud of this group of 12 facilities which have been selected for the inaugural season."

Illustrating the post-merger synergy is the fact that the 2014 lineup features four race tracks currently on the Rolex Series schedule, four that are on the current ALMS schedule and four that are on both series' 2013 slates.

In addition, preseason test sessions have been set for Nov. 16-17 at Sebring International Raceway and Nov. 19-20 at Daytona International Speedway. The test sessions will be open to all four classes of cars that will compete in the new championship: Prototype, Prototype Challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona. Session schedules will be announced in the near future.

The 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship schedule rundown:
Jan. 25-26: Daytona International Speedway ... The 52nd running of the Rolex 24 will be perhaps the most significant sports car race in the history of North America, as the debut event for the new championship.

March 15 Sebring International Raceway ... The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh From Florida – North America's oldest sports car race – will be run for the 62nd time. ... For the first time since 1998, the Daytona and Sebring endurance classics will be part of the same series and under the same sanctioning (IMSA). ... Previously the ALMS' premier event.

April 12 Long Beach ... Longtime ALMS street race again in conjunction with IZOD IndyCar Series. ... Prototype and GT Le Mans classes will compete in one of the largest and most important consumer markets (Southern California) for nearly all TUDOR United SportsCar Championship stakeholders.

May 4 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca ... Historic Monterey, California circuit considered hallowed ground for sports car racing. ... On both series' schedules this season.

May 31: Detroit Belle Isle ... Also a companion street-race event to IndyCar. ... Will feature the Prototype, Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona classes. ... The Rolex Series has raced at Detroit the last two years; previously, the ALMS was part of the Detroit weekend. The "Motor City" is home to many of the auto manufacturers participating in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship plus numerous supplier partners.

June 29: Watkins Glen International ... The Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen endurance event in Watkins Glen, New York has been a staple on the Rolex Series schedule. ... Event started in 1968 and for many years was part of IMSA's former Camel GT Series.

July 13: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park ... Historic Bowmanville, Ontario circuit – currently amid a massive renovation project – is retained from the ALMS schedule.
July 25: Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Brickyard Grand Prix will again join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend for third consecutive year, with Friday-at-dusk finish. ... Previous two years was part of Rolex Series schedule.

Aug. 10: Road America ... Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin track has been on both ALMS and Rolex Series schedules. ... Hosted historic event this season when both series raced there on the same weekend.

Aug. 24: Virginia International Raceway ... Danville, Virginia track has fervent fan following and an ALMS race next month. ... Formerly part of the Rolex Series schedule. ... Event will have a combined GT Le Mans/GT Daytona race and another race featuring the Prototype Challenge class.

Sept. 20: Circuit of The Americas ... Spectacular year-old road racing facility in Austin, Texas hosted the Rolex Series in the spring this season and is hosting the ALMS and FIA World Endurance Championship this weekend.

Oct. 4: Road Atlanta ... The Petit Le Mans, traditional 10-hour or 1,000 mile ALMS season finale at the storied Braselton, Georgia road course. ... Event will retain its status as a link with the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

With three circuits (Long Beach, Detroit Belle Isle and Virginia International Raceway) on the 2014 schedule not having all four TUDOR United SportsCar Championship classes competing, each class (Prototype, Prototype Challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona) will race 11 times next season.

"This is, without a doubt, the best sports car schedule in the history of North America," said IMSA President and COO Scott Atherton. "When we announced the merger plans last year, we immediately envisioned a dream schedule, one that our industry and, most importantly, our fans would embrace. Although it wasn't easy, we feel like we have arrived at just that. There were so many options to consider and we could have added more events, but we had to ensure that we didn't over-tax our industry. So, we stuck to our plan of going with the 'best of the best' and capped the lineup at 12 events.

"This lineup will have it all – historic road courses, major market street circuits and two of the most spectacular superspeedways in the world, Daytona and Indy. And it also will have the continent's new jewel – Circuit of the Americas. Overall, a dream schedule, indeed."

2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Schedule

Jan 25-26 Daytona International Speedway
Mar 15 Sebring International Raceway
Apr 12 Long Beach Street Circuit
May 4 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
May 31 Detroit Belle Isle
Jun 29 Watkins Glen International
Jul 13 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Jul 25 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug 10 Road America
Aug 24 Virginia International Raceway
Sep 20 Circuit of The Americas
Oct 4 Road Atlanta

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/22/2...sed/#continued

This is also posted on the Racing & DE forum but hasn't generated much discussion. I'm going to miss big time sports car racing at Lime Rock, been attending ALMS since their first race in 2004, and every Grand-Am event also. Summers are soon to be long and boring.

I'm attending Grand-Am season and series finale this weekend, it's going to be a bittersweet affair, though.

I feel bad for Mid Ohio fans as well...

ilko

This is indeed bad news for us and very bad news for Lime Rock. ALMS and Grand AM were the two top races they held every year. It's a huge hit for them

Not sure if I want to take the drive to the Glen to watch the race there. I love to drive that track but from a spectator stand point it's not great. Lime Rock was awesome.

But PCA has a club race at LRP every year which I love to go to. And the Ferrari Challenge is fun. And so is the Vintage Fest.

ilko

Well, 5 hours later I'm still livid about this calendar. Not only is Lime Rock gone, so is Baltimore. I've been going to 2 ALMS races per year as of late (spending well over $500 in tickets, food, and merchandise) and looks like next year I'll be going to none. Lame.

TMc993

Welcome to the NASCARization of sports car racing. This wasn't a merger. It was a takeover. A lot ALMS fans got screwed by the calendar and we all got screwed by the elimination of the P1 class. My "home track," Road Atlanta, is still on the schedule, but I'm not paying $60-80 a ticket to see second-tier cars race.

The Brewmeister

Interesting perspective from Skip at this years Vintage Festival. http://www.roadandtrack.com/features...jilted-by-uscr

There are no good spectator viewing areas at the Glen?

ilko

There are. It's just not very accessible. Once you're at a corner, that's your spot. You can't walk the track like at LRP. By the time you get to the boot from the main straight the race is over.

The Brewmeister

United Sportscar Racing may end up forcing a break-away series before they can "unite".

http://nasportscar.wordpress.com/201...k-away-rumors/

.Thoughts on the P1 “Break Away” Rumors
August 26, 2013 · by kistlermedia · in ALMS, Features, GA, USCC, WEC. ·
Obviously a lot is changing in the North American sportscar scene and depending on who you talk to, change is good, or change is bad. Well, according to some high powered racing figures, this change is bad. So if you haven’t heard these rumors, that started pretty much when the USCR merger was announced, Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi and a few other P1-backers, were very upset the category would not be included in the newly formed North American Series – USCR. So the “breakaway” talks begin.

Apparently Roger Penske has a contract with Porsche for their new for 2014 LMP1 project. A little background here: This LMP1 project was originally a Porsche North America project, but when the ALMS and therefore P1 class went away, it moved to Europe and WEC, with a very impressive driver lineup I might add. So fast forward to July 9, where Dailysportscar puts out a story claiming the rumor is still very much alive, while still a rumor, but very much alive. Obviously the sportscar world is really pumping this story up with some saying “yes, it could happen and I’d love it” with others saying “this is crap, no way it happens”. People are just as fired up and divided over this rumor as they are with the “merger” of ALMS and Grand Am. So here’s what I think:


This rumor is very much a possibility. The DSC sources say that 4 manufacturers are very interested. You can pretty much assume that would be, 1) obviously Porsche 2) HPD – (w/ Ganassi and others) 3) Audi and 4) Toyota. Obviously these 4 manufacturers want, no, to NEED to be in the United States, it’s their biggest market, and they want to show off to the fans, owners, rivals, and potential buyers by winning at the top level of sportscar racing. For the foreseeable future, that is unfortunately not a possibility in the United States, except for 1 weekend each year when the WEC visits Austin, Texas. They need much more exposure than that, and that needed exposure isn’t enough from a Daytona Prototype or GT program.

There are really three possible things that could happen with this whole break away series thingy. 1) It never happens. This is the possibility I think most people are expecting. 2) This is being used to get the P1 class into the USCR. While it may not happen in 2014, I find it hard to believe the USCR would deny the funds from Porsche, Audi, Toyota and HPD entry if they all wanted in. 3) 2014 is a trial period for the USCR and the breakaway series guys are waiting to see how the USCR pans out. If they feel they have ground to join the USCR, they will. If they fill they have enough push to actually start a standalone series, they will.

So when could all this happen you ask? Well 2014 is not a possibility. While the USCR is taking their sweet time to announce the important details for their upcoming 2014 season, they at least have a foundation, the breakaway series has only an idea. That we know of. So 2015 is the absolute earliest a standalone series could begin. If this standalone series really has the INDYCAR-backing that some claim, this is a possibility. While the series would need to do something creative with the schedule (Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta not available), they could still make it work with many great circuits around North America not owned by ISC. But this is where it gets interesting. The USCR has plans for their combined DP/P2 category to go for 2014 and 2015 with 2016 open. They have no idea about what prototype racing will look like in the states in 2016. So this could be the perfect time for the P1 push themselves into the USCR as the top class or to really get the wheels spinning on a standalone series. Mix in the possible world-wide GT platform being spoken about, and sportscar racing in the United States could really get turned upside down.

So it’s hard to say exactly what will happen and when, but I do know that these players (team owners and manufacturers) do have a lot of sway. If this standalone series does come to fruition, I can guarantee it will be to full ACO rules and we’ll see every single P2 and GTE team come on over. Then we might be back to square one – Grand Am vs ALMS

TMc993

Too little, too late. The major problem is tracks. The "breakaway" group has access to few quality road courses and none of the big name road courses that play to the P1 cars' strengths. They won't even be able to use the dinky infield tracks at superspeedways like Talladega and Michigan because NASCAR controls them or controls the people who own them.