Breaking: IMSA to race at IMS in 2023

In a press conference today, IMS President J. Douglas Boles was joined by IMSA President John Doonan, and Sebastian Bourdais to announce that SportsCar racing will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September of 2023. IMS will host the Battle of the Bricks, the weekend of September 15th 2023, headlined on September 17th by a 2 hour and 40 minute WeatherTech Sportscar series race featuring all WTSC classes. The 16th will play host to the Michelin Pilot Cup in a four hour endurance race, running from light into dark. “Something special” is hinted at for 2024 and 2025, most likely an endurance race of a yet to be determined length. It is unknown if this race will replace an existing component of the Michelin Endurance Cup or be added as a 5th endurance race.

This is the first time that IMSA will run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since they joined the NASCAR Brickyard 400 weekend in 2014. ”This is a great day for IMSA” said John Doonan going on to say ”What this facility means to our sport is massive.” Additionally, the plan is to open the infield for camping as well. Said Doonan ”We’re going to camp this place like it’s never been done before. We’re gonna blow this place out and make it a proper sportscar race.” Sebastian Bourdais, no stranger to IMS during his long INDYCAR career, and winner of the 2012 edition of the GrandAm race shared in the enthusiasm. “Such a mythical place. I’m so privileged to be with Cadillac, evolving into a works program at 43 years old. Super excited, super thankful.”

Testing performed previously has indicated that with the scoring pylon and video boards around IMS no lights will be required to be added to the oval portion of the track, but some corners in the infield like turns 7 and 10 may receive tempoary lighting to improve visibility in the braking zones at night.

More details on the 2023 schedules for all seven IMSA sanctioned series will be released at next week’s State of the Series, along with what classes will make up the field at for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races.