IMSA Prototype Challenge
CategorySports car racing
CountryUnited States, Canada
Inaugural season2006
Folded2022
ClassesLMP3
Last Drivers' championEstonia Tõnis Kasemets
Last Teams' championWulver Racing
Official websiteIMSA Official Site

IMSA Prototype Challenge (formerly IMSA Prototype Lites) was a racing series featuring two classes of single-seat prototype cars racing simultaneously. The series was sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Most races were held in support of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.[1] The series raced LMP3 class prototype sportscars. The cars have grown in size and speed since its 2006 introduction, starting from four-cylinder and motorcycle powered race cars to large V8 powered cars. Each race was 1 hour and 45 minutes long apart from the season opening 3 hour race at Daytona International Speedway.

The series' final season was in 2022. For 2023, the series was replaced with the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.[2]

Car Specifications

LMP3 Class

Minimum weight930 kilograms (2,050 lb)
Maximum length4,650 millimetres (183 in)
Maximum width1,900 millimetres (75 in)
EngineNaturally aspirated Nissan V8 5.6L
Fuel tank size85 litres (22 US gal)
Maximum wheel diameter28 inches (710 mm)
Maximum wheel width13 inches (330 mm) [3]

Former classes

MPC Class

L2 Class[5]

L2 Class 2006-2012 only[6]

L3 Class 2006-2009 only, class discontinued for 2010[7]

Champions

SeasonClassDriver ChampionMasters ChampionTeam Champion
2006 L1 United States Adam Pecorari[8] n/a United States Cape Motorsports
L2 United States Dan McBreen n/a PVM Racing
L3 United States Robert Mumm n/a n/a
2007 L1 Puerto Rico Gerardo Bonilla n/a United States B-K Motorsports
L2 United States Robby Card n/a PVM Racing
L3 United States Richard Spicer n/a United States Spicer-Hagerman
2008 L1 United States Jonathan Goring United States Jon Brownson United States Comprent Motorsports
L2 Australia Tom Drewer United States Eric Vassian United States WEST Racing
L3 United States Chris Funk United States Chris Funk KC Racing
2009 L1 United States Joel Feinberg United States Gary Gibson United States Eurosport Racing
L2 United States John Weisberg United States Alain Nadal United States Berg Racing
L3 United States Chris Doyle United States Chris Funk Surface Exploration
2010 L1 United States Charlie Shears United States Charlie Shears United States Core Autosport
L2 United States John Weisberg United States Jim Garrett United States Berg Racing
2011 L1 Puerto Rico Ricardo Vera United States Daniel Mancini United States Eurosport
L2 Canada Robert Sabato United States Alan Wilzig Canada 6th Gear Racing
2012 L1 United States Tristan Nunez United States Jon Brownson United States Performance Tech
L2 United States Scott Tucker United States Alan Wilzig United States Level 5 Motorsports
2013 L1 United States Sean Rayhall United States Jon Brownson United States Performance Tech
L2 United States Brian Alder United States Jerome Mee United States Ansa Motorsports
2014 L1 Russia Mikhail Goikhberg United States John Falb United States JDC Motorsports
L2 United States Brian Alder United States Jerome Mee United States BAR1 Motorsports
2015 L1 United States Kenton Koch United States John Falb United States JDC Motorsports
L2 United States Brian Alder n/a United States BAR1 Motorsports
2016 L1 United States Clark Toppe United States Joel Janco United States JDC Motorsports
2017 LMP3 United States Colin Thompson United States Naj Husain United States P1 Motorsports
MPC United States Kyle Masson United Kingdom Stuart Rettie United States Performance Tech Motorsports
2018 LMP3 United States Kris Wright Canada Cameron Cassels United States #30 Extreme Speed Motorsports
MPC United States Jon Brownson n/a United States #34 Eurosport Racing
2019 LMP3 United States Austin McCusker
Peru Rodrigo Pflucker		 United States Joel Janco United States #47 Forty 7 Racing
2020 LMP3 United Kingdom Matthew Bell
United States Naveen Rao		 United States Steven Thomas United States #64 K2R Motorsports LLC
2021 LMP3-1 United States Dakota Dickerson
United States Josh Sarchet		 United States David Grant
United States Keith Grant		 United States MLT Motorsports
LMP3-2 Canada Danny Kok
Canada George Staikos		 Canada Danny Kok
Canada George Staikos		 Canada Conquest Racing
2022' LMP3 Estonia Tõnis Kasemets n/a United States Wulver Racing
[9]

References

  1. ↑ "IMSA, Cooper Tire align for partnership in Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship" (PDF). Press release. International Motor Sports Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "IMSA to Replace Prototype Challenge with New Sprint Racing Class in 2023". autoweek.com. Hearst Autos, Inc. July 1, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ "The different classes". Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  4. ↑ 2014 Technical Regulations, IMSA.com/competitors, Retrieved 20 September 2014
  5. ↑ 2014 Technical Regulations, IMSA.com/competitors, Retrieved 20 September 2014
  6. ↑ "Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Technical Regulations Lites 2 / L-2 2011" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. January 20, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Technical Regulations Lites 3 / L-3 2010" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. February 1, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  8. ↑ Åberg, Andres. "The racing career of Adam Pecorari — in detail". Driver Database. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  9. ↑ "Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Results and Points". International Motor Sports Association. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
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