Sports car racing is back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks on Sept. 20-22, with the unique, “race within a race” format of class racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge series.
Just one type of race car competes either on the 2.5-mile oval or the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at the Racing Capital of the World during NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. The length of those series’ races also is measured by laps, and there is just one driver assigned per car.
IMSA is different.
Four different classes of cars will race simultaneously when the featured WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race starts at 11:40 a.m. ET Sunday on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. And the race is not measured by laps; it’s measured by time – up to a six-hour endurance race this year after a two-hour, 40-minute “sprint” last year.
Drivers from all over the world compete for overall victory but also for first place within their respective class. That unique format always keeps the racing interesting, and the varying speeds of the four classes of machines creates intense racing within classes and plenty of traffic for the fastest classes to navigate for most of the race.
The four classes of cars in the series are comprised of two styles of cars – prototype, which showcases the latest automotive technology and are designed uniquely for the racetrack; and GT, based on road-going production models.
Teams also perform driver changes during selected pit stops, as drivers rotate in and out of the cars over the six-hour endurance race.
So, let’s take a look at the four classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship:
Grand Touring Prototype (GTP): The newest and most technologically advanced Prototype race car debuted in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2023, featuring a common hybrid powertrain for all entries that takes kinetic energy gained in braking and stores it in batteries for later use when needed. Five global automotive manufacturers – Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lamborghini and Porsche – are entered in the class this weekend. Each manufacturer developed its unique internal combustion engine and bodywork styling.
Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2): The Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) is a closed-cockpit car developed by four approved constructors. In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, LMP2 cars are eligible to compete in other global series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.
GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro): GTD PRO, which debuted in 2022, includes race cars built to FIA GT3 technical regulations and offers the opportunity for factory teams and driver lineups to compete in the class. GTD PRO features a veritable rolling showroom of manufacturers competing in this class this weekend, including Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
GT Daytona (GTD): The GT Daytona cars are enhanced – not defined by – technology and use the global FIA GT3 specification. The GTD class this weekend consists of cars from a host of leading manufacturers, including Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES fans will recognize plenty of names competing in the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. Current star Romain Grosjean is racing for Lamborghini in GTP, while four-time series champion Sebastien Bourdais and former NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Tom Blomqvist drive for Cadillac in GTP.
Former INDYCAR SERIES drivers Ben Hanley and Matt Brabham and INDY NXT by Firestone race winner Hunter McElrea are racing in LMP2, while former INDYCAR SERIES driver Jack Hawksworth is driving in GTD Pro for a team co-owned by INDYCAR SERIES champion Jimmy Vasser.
Ex-INDYCAR SERIES driver Gabby Chaves will team with Jarett Andretti – the son of former INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR race winner John Andretti – in the GTD class. Former INDYCAR SERIES drivers Devlin DeFrancesco and Jan Heylen and ex-INDY NXT by Firestone driver Rasmus Lindh also are racing in GTD.
The Michelin Pilot Challenge also is racing this weekend at IMS. That series also features a “race within a race,” but with just two classes of production-based sports cars and touring cars.
A look at the two classes:
Grand Sport (GS): The Grand Sport class consists of SRO GT4-homologated cars with engines tuned to produce between 400 and 450 horsepower and can reach speeds faster than 160 mph. Competition is equalized by adjustments to fuel-tank capacities, ride height, power and weight. Manufacturers competing this weekend in GS include Aston Martin, BMW, Ford, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
Touring Car (TCR): The Touring Car class consists of WSC TCR-homologated cars with engines tuned to produce between 300 and 350 horsepower and can reach speeds faster than 140 mph. Competition is equalized by adjustments to fuel-tank capacities, ride height, power and weight. Manufacturers competing this weekend in TCR include Alfa Romeo, Audi, Honda and Hyundai.
Former INDYCAR SERIES driver Robert Wickens will capture plenty of attention in the TCR class, driving a Hyundai for the team owned by former INDYCAR SERIES race winner Bryan Herta.
This exciting event weekend also will feature two single-make series in which competitors race the same brand of car, placing the skill of the driver in the spotlight.
The Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America features a 50-minute race at 4 p.m. Friday and another 50-minute event at 5:10 p.m. Saturday. Drivers compete in machines from the exotic Italian marque.
Porsche enthusiasts also can see the evocative German machines compete in identical 911 GT3 Cup race cars in two Porsche Carrera Cup North America races this weekend. Both races are 40 minutes each. Race 1 is at 3 p.m. Friday, with Race 2 at 11:10 a.m. Saturday.
Tickets and information for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks are available at IMS.com.
TIRERACK.COM BATTLE ON THE BRICKS PUBLIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 20
8:20-9:20 a.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 1
9:35-10:05 a.m. Porsche Carrera Cup North America Qualifying
10:20-10:35 a.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 1
10:40-10:55 a.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 2
11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Practice 1 (all classes)
1:45-2:45 p.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 2
3-3:40 p.m. Porsche Carrera Cup North America Race 1 (40 mins.)
4-4:50 p.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 1 (50 mins.)
Saturday, Sept. 21
8-8:15 a.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR Qualifying
8:20-8:35 a.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge GS Qualifying
8:55-10:25 a.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Practice 2 (all classes)
11:10-11:50 a.m. Porsche Carrera Cup North America Race 2 (40 mins.)
1:05-3:05 p.m. Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Race for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (two hours)
3:40-3:55 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (GTD Pro/GTD)
4:05-4:20 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (LMP2)
4:30-4:45 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (GTP)
5:10-6 p.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 2 (50 mins.)
Sunday, Sept. 22
11:40 a.m.-5:40 p.m. TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Race (six hours)
