Championship scenarios and more for Petit Le Mans | News & Notes

By J.A. Ackley
Oct 9, 2024 | Road Atlanta, IMSA, Petit Le Mans

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

The IMSA 2024 season concludes this weekend at Road Atlanta, with the 10-hour Petit Le Mans. The point battles among the four classes still remain contested as the sun sets on the year.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Motul Petit Le Mans
Saturday, October 12: 12:10 p.m. Eastern start time
TV: NBC (Noon-3 p.m.), Peacock (flag to flag)

Full entry list here.

GTP Championship: It’s probably going to be a Penske Porsche 963 that wins the championship. Most likely, it will be the No. 7–driven Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr and Matt Campbell–as it has to just finish fourth or better to clinch. If for some reason the No. 7 slips, the No. 6–driven by Nick Tandy, Mathieu Jaminet and Kevin Estre–could take first spot. A bonus for the No. 6 is Tandy has the most wins at Road Atlanta among all drivers entered, but those victories came in GT cars.
LMP2 Championship: If the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports entry–driven by Nick Boulle, Jakub Smiechowski and Tom Dillman–finishes third or better, they win the championship. The No. 74 Riley entry–driven by Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga and Josh Burdon–currently sits second in points.
GTD Pro Championship: Third or better is also the goal for the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, with drivers Laurin Heinrich, Michael Christensen and Julien Andlauer. Waiting to take advantage of any misstep will be the second-place No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, with drivers Ross Gunn, Alex Riberas and Roman De Angelis.
GTD Championship: For the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3–with drivers Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and Indy Dontje–only a 14th or better finish punches their ticket for a championship. However, this class also has 20 entries, so a DNF or any kind of significant hiccup could result in the second-place team, the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3–driven by Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher and Jake Walker–swiping that top spot away. The No. 96 has been on a hot streak as of late, with a first-, fourth- and third-place finish within the last three races.
Other News & Notes: This will be the last race for the Acura NSX in IMSA competition. Acura currently does not offer any two-door cars, a requirement for the GTD class, so do not expect a replacement in the near future. In its eight years in IMSA, the Acura NSX won 8 races, 1 manufacturer championship, 2 driver championships and 2 team championships.

IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
Fox Factory 120
Friday, October 11: 12:45 p.m. Eastern start time
TV: 12:40 p.m. on Peacock (replay on CNBC on Saturday, October 19, 1 p.m.)

Full entry list here.

GS Championship: The No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin Vantage GT4 driven by Matt Plumb and Paul Holton needs to just start the race to eliminate everyone from contention, except for one team: the second-place No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS driven by Stevan McAleer and Trent Hindman. They have made a strong push at the end of the season–with two wins and a second in the last four races–but still sit 110 points out. If the No. 46 finishes in sixth place or better, it wins the championship.
TCR Championship: Hyundai may have wrapped up the manufacturers’ title, but it’s a team fielding an Audi RS3 LMS in the points lead for the teams’ championship. Specifically, the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller entry driven by Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor. Only one other team has a shot at them: the reigning champs, the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N piloted by Harry Gottsacker and Robert Wickens. Bryan Herta Autosport has won four of the last six races at Road Atlanta. However, they’ll need the No. 17 Audi to have a bit of misfortune. The Unitronic/JDC-Miller team needs to finish 11th or better in a 12-car field. Last year the Audi finished 12th due to a mechanical issue.