The 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge presented by Mazda is the thirteenth season of the

IMSA Lites IMSA Prototype Challenge (formerly IMSA Prototype Lites) is a racing series featuring two classes of single-seat prototype cars racing simultaneously. The series is sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Most races are ...

series and its successors and the second season as the

IMSA Prototype Challenge IMSA Prototype Challenge (formerly IMSA Prototype Lites) is a racing series featuring two classes of single-seat prototype cars racing simultaneously. The series is sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Most races are ...

. The season features 6 races across 6 weekends.

Series news

*2018 is the final season

Fox Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the Fo ...

will televise the series,

NBC Sports Group NBC Sports Group is a division of NBCUniversal that is responsible for NBC Sports' media properties, encompassing the NBC television network's sports division as well as day-to-day operation of the company's sports-oriented cable networks and oth ...

becomes the series' broadcaster, starting in 2019. *2018 is also the final season that

Continental Tire Continental AG, commonly known as Continental or colloquially as Conti, is a German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company specializing in tires, brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, powertrain and chassis compo ...

will be the tire supplier,

Michelin Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and la ...

will take over that role for the 2019 season. *2018 will be the final season of the Mazda Prototype Challenge (MPC) class, with LMP3 to become to sole class from 2019 onwards.

Classes

*Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) *Mazda Prototype Challenge (MPC)

Calendar

Race schedule

The 2018 schedule was released on 24 August 2017 and features six rounds. ¹ LMP3 will participate in this race with the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's GT Daytona class and the Grand Sport and TCR cars from the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge as one single four-hour race. This race will preview the 2019 IMSA rules package and new tyre supplier Michelin.

Calendar Changes

*The race weekend format has been changed to feature a single 1 hour 45-minute race instead of two 45 minute races as was the case in 2017. *The rounds at

Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International, nicknamed "The Glen", is an automobile race track located in the town of Dix just southwest of the village of Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It was long known around the world as the hom ...

Lime Rock Park Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lakeville, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the town of Salisbury, in the state's northwest corner. Built in 1956, it is the nation's third oldest continuously ope ...

and

Circuit Trois-Rivières The Circuit Trois-Rivières is a street circuit in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. The circuit has been the home of the annual Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, the longest-running street race in North America, since 1967. The circuit is located o ...

were removed from the calendar and replaced by rounds at

Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NA ...

and

Virginia International Raceway Virginia International Raceway (commonly known as "VIR") is a race track located in Alton, Virginia, near Danville. It is less than a half-mile from the North Carolina/Virginia border just outside Milton, North Carolina, on the banks of the Dan ...

, this reduced the number of events from seven down to six.

Entry List

LMP3

All teams use Nissan VK50VE 5.0L V8 engines. Note: A driver with a (M) is participating in the Amateur Masters Category.

Mazda Prototype Challenge (MPC)

All teams use Elan DP02 chassis and

Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...

MZR 2.0L 4 cylinder engines.

Results

Race Results

Bold indicates overall winner.

Points system

Drivers' Championships

LMP3

Mazda Prototype Challenge

Team's Championships

LMP3

Mazda Prototype Challenge

References

External links

Prototype Challenge Website

IMSA Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:IMSA Prototype Challenge

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

2018 in American motorsport