With Indy Expanded to Six Hours, the Last Two Events of the 2024 Season Count toward Both the Season and Michelin Endurance Cup Titles
By Mark Robinson
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Standings
IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Standings
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s difficult enough to focus on attacking one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title as the season winds down to the last couple races. Now there are two on the line.
The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks set for Sept. 22 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been expanded to a six-hour race this year. So, in addition to again being a key event for the season championship, it’s now a part of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup as well.
It also means that, for the first time, the last two races of the season will count toward both the season and Michelin Endurance Cup crowns that run under separate scoring systems. It begs the natural question: How do teams and drivers balance their quest for overall titles with their bid for the highly regarded endurance honor in each of the four WeatherTech Championship classes?
While the season championships tally points earned in qualifying and the race at every event, Michelin Endurance Cup champs are determined by points awarded at varying points of each of the five endurance races. At Indy, those points are given at the halfway mark and race completion. In the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans that closes the season Oct. 12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, endurance points are offered at the four- and eight-hour marks along with the finish.
It provides quite the quandary for teams vying to compete for both championships in their class. Teams must plan accordingly to accumulate as many endurance points as possible without jeopardizing their effort for the overall race finish.
“The Endurance Cup is more of a strategic move where you try and see how you can get those points without sacrificing your day,” explained Sebastien Bourdais, who drives the No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. “It always is a bit of a tricky one when you’re fighting for a championship because you don’t want to compromise those chances just to get the Endurance Cup.”
“You don’t ever try to compromise that (season) championship for the endurance championship,” added Bourdais’ No. 01 co-driver, Renger van der Zande, “but at the same time, it’s something nice to have on the side. If you don’t win the main championship and you can still say you’re a champion in 2024, that’s something you take home.”
The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing team was able to strike that balance last year, collecting both the GTP season and Michelin Endurance Cup championships. Driver Pipo Derani admitted it’s a tightrope act to accomplish the feat.
“We do the best that we can to maximize the points,” he said, “obviously trying not to compromise the overall championship, but always with an eye on making sure we clinch the endurance championship as well. It’s nice when we get it done. Every once in a while, strategy-wise during the race can be tricky, but it’s part of the endurance races.
“If you want to win that championship, you’ve got to play the game during the race as well. That’s why we try it, always.”
Paul Miller Racing won the 2020 Michelin Endurance Cup title in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class. Now competing in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), the honor means just as much now to PMR driver Bryan Sellers.
“It is something that we take a lot of pride in because I think the endurance championship shows what a true team effort can look like,” Sellers said. “There’s so much more that goes into an endurance round than just speed or good car balance. There’s strategy, multiple pit stops and the combination of all those things coming together. For a lot of years, we have put a lot of emphasis on that because it’s something that we pride ourselves on; being good in the long races.”
Race strategies will vary by team in the next two races, depending on if they still have a legitimate shot at the season championship or can focus on the endurance title. Sellers, Madison Snow and the No. 1 Paul Miller BMW M4 GT3 remain in striking distance for the GTD PRO season crown in third place. Along with third driver Neil Verhagen, they lead the class in the Michelin Endurance Cup rankings. As such, they’ll gameplan for both.
“In the next two rounds that will be the only emphasis, is making sure you score points at the appropriate hours and you backlog the race the appropriate way to try and take advantage of all those opportunities,” Sellers said. “You get to the point when you have something to chase, you want to make sure you execute it.
“Truth be told, (the endurance championship) is all bragging rights,” he added. “And no matter what, you’re going up against great teams. Risi (Competizione) is an incredible team, has been for a long time. Corvette is an incredible team, has been forever. You take any small victory you can get against great competition, so we’ll go into these next two rounds and it will be our only priority.”
Heading to Indianapolis, here are the season championship and Michelin Endurance Cup leaders in each class:
Season Championship
- GTP: No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 +100 points over No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963
- LMP2: No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 +27 points over No. 74 Riley ORECA LMP2 07
- GTD PRO: No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R +17 points over No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
- GTD: No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 +284 points over No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Michelin Endurance Cup
- GTP: No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 +5 points over No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R
- LMP2: No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 +1 point over No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07
- GTD PRO: No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 +2 points over No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3
- GTD: No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 +3 points over No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo