A Progressive Platform

The 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship started superbly at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Our fans attended in record numbers, we witnessed thrilling racing, and GTP prototype cars featuring the most advanced technology performed admirably on their debut. Over 1.2 million peak viewers tuned in on NBC, a double-digit increase over the previous year.

Discussions about endurance sportscar racing often start with the obvious, the notion of competitiveness – who will win? Yet, the notion is broader and more profound; it’s about the why and how of all we do.

• If we control costs, we’ll attract premium automotive brands and enjoy full grids.
• If we seek (always) to provide fair competition, we’ll deliver the best entertainment for our fans.
• If we invest in and encourage innovation, we’ll always be relevant for our OEMs and marketing partners.

What we witnessed at Daytona is a further realization of this and of the significant commitments made by many people over many years to drive IMSA forward to be the most progressive platform for auto racing in North America, with 61 cars across top prototype and GT race teams from around the world taking to the grid. It made for an impressive lineup. And what a race we saw, with the top 4 finishers within 11 seconds of each other after 24 grueling hours of racing!

During a Daytona media session, our seven GTP team owners, Bobby Rahal, Bob Johnson, Michael Shank, Chip Ganassi, Roger Penske, Wayne Taylor, and Michael Andretti, took to the stage in front of a mass of global media. An inspiring moment for me personally: collectively, they epitomize competitiveness in terms of how they embrace their role as catalysts for the growth, progress, and sustainability of endurance sportscar racing. In partnership with their respective manufacturers - Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche - they invest in their teams, facilities, and capabilities to be the best versions of themselves. The level of commitment bodes well – I eagerly await the action resuming at the Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 18th. Many lessons and learnings from Daytona will undoubtedly be implemented.

A case in point, last week, I attended Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s 5th Annual Partner Summit—my first visit to their new state-of-the-art 100,000-square foot HQ facility at Zionsville, Indiana. RLL now manages all their racing teams under one roof, a giant step forward in planning, building, and managing all their programs. A significant commitment and investment for their long-term success. A truly dynamic environment for research and development.

Our 2023 season is off to a strong start; nevertheless, our long-term success – competitiveness – hinges on our steadfast commitment to delivering the most cost-effective, technologically advanced endurance sportscar racing that entertains our fans. It’s working; we are getting noticed. I mentioned record attendance earlier. TV/streaming viewership is also exceeding all our expectations, and our Win the Weekend docuseries is building a large following and gaining critical acclaim. We’ve recently welcomed many new marketing partners to the IMSA platform.

IMSA is an ecosystem of people and partnerships, as I saw in Indiana; you’ll also see this in evidence throughout the paddock on race weekends. I’m excited to see our continual, collective progression to provide the automotive industry with such a dynamic platform to support its commercial aims.

Thank you again; I am forever grateful; see you at the track, and keep those questions coming.

Photo: The 7 IMSA GTP Team owners. Front row: Bobby Rahal, BMW M Team RLL, BMW M Hybrid V8, Bob Johnson Whelen Engineering Racing, Cadillac V-LMDh, Michael Shank, Meyer Shank Racing W/Curb-Agajanian, Acura ARX-06, Back Row: Chip Ganassi Cadillac Racing, Cadillac V-LMDh, Roger Penske, Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963, Wayne Taylor and Michael Andretti, Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06