Level of Competition Keeps Everyone in Contention throughout Season
By Tony DiZinno
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Hypothetically, if IMSA’s 18 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) were laid out on a wheel and you spun the wheel, you’d have as good a chance of picking a winner as it would actually play out on track.
Imagine, though, if that wheel produced a 100 percent hit rate – where it landed on each manufacturer at least once.
Welcome to the 2024 IMSA season just completed, where hypothesis turned into reality.
Seventeen of those 18 OEMs achieved victories in one of the three IMSA-sanctioned series where there is manufacturer competition: the top-tier IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Mazda currently competes only in its single-make series, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, where it notched its manufacturer wins. Other IMSA-sanctioned single-make series are the Ferrari Challenge North America, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the new-for-2024 Mustang Challenge.
How the wins were spread across the WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge, in particular, was impressive:
WeatherTech Championship
• Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class: All four full-season manufacturers (Porsche, Cadillac, Acura, BMW) won at least once.
• Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO): Five of seven full-season manufacturers (Porsche, Aston Martin, Chevrolet, BMW, Lexus) plus two partial-season manufacturers (Ferrari, Lamborghini) won at least once.
• Grand Touring Daytona (GTD): Six of 10 full-season manufacturers (Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lexus) won at least once.
Michelin Pilot Challenge
• Grand Sport (GS): Four of six full-season manufacturers (Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW, McLaren) won at least once.
• Touring Car (TCR): All four full-season manufacturers (Audi, Alfa Romeo, Honda, Hyundai) won at least once.
The only additional OEMs not mentioned above to win this year were Ford and Toyota, which won races in the VP Racing Challenge. Toyota, in fact, became the last of the 18 marques to collect a win when it came home first in the VP Racing Challenge Grand Sport X (GSX) class finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
“In my previous life, I cared who won,” said IMSA President John Doonan, alluding to his previous role as director at Mazda Motorsports. “Now, I don’t necessarily care. I want us to put on the best and most exciting show possible.
“When I see 18 OEMs have won a race this year in IMSA competition – and in multi-manufacturer racing, it’s all 17 there – that’s my measuring stick and a report card for us in terms of what the show is.
“We’re a huge fan of what they’re doing, and based on interest, there will be more OEMs that want to be a part of this.”
At the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, that prediction came to reality with CUPRA announced as the 19th confirmed OEM for 2025. The Spanish-based manufacturer will compete in the Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR class, expanding the class to five manufacturers and looking to join the roster of winners in its first year.
Among brands in multi-manufacturer championships, Porsche led the way with 13 wins this year, spread across four classes in two series. BMW also won in four classes in two series, the same four as Porsche.
Ford ranked second with seven wins, all achieved in the VP Racing Challenge GSX class with its Mustang GT4.
Total Wins by Brand in the WeatherTech Championship, Michelin Pilot Challenge and VP Racing Challenge in 2024
• Porsche: 13 (4 GTP, 3 GTD PRO, 1 GTD, 5 GS)
• Ford: 7 (7 GSX)
• Mercedes-AMG: 6 (5 GTD, 1 GSX)
• Aston Martin: 5 (1 GTD PRO, 1 GTD, 3 GS)
• BMW: 4 (1 GTP, 1 GTD PRO, 1 GTD, 1 GS)
• McLaren: 4 (3 GSX, 1 GS)
• Audi: 4 (4 TCR)
• Hyundai: 4 (4 TCR)
• Ferrari: 3 (2 GTD PRO, 1 GTD)
• Acura: 2 (2 GTP)
• Cadillac: 2 (2 GTP)
• Lexus: 2 (1 GTD PRO, 1 GTD)
• Chevrolet: 1 (1 GTD PRO)
• Lamborghini: 1 (1 GTD PRO)
• Alfa Romeo: 1 (1 TCR)
• Honda: 1 (1 TCR)
• Toyota: 1 (1 GSX)