IMSA GTP

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Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
Eagle HF-98
Jaguar XJR-9
Jaguar XJR-9
Eagle Toyota HF-89
IMSA GTP "EAGLE" #99
March-BMW IMSA GTP (1986)
Chevrolet Corvette GTP.

Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) is the name of a former classification designated to

Group 6 cars.[3][4][5]

The IMSA GTP moniker was revived in 2023 to replace DPi as the top class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship for the merger of DPi and the World Endurance Championship Hypercar class.

History

GTP era

Class decal of GTP category
Toyota Eagle Mk.III GTP class car

In 1981, purpose-built GTP cars (Grand Touring Prototypes) appeared in the championship, and were similar to the new FIA

Alba
, Fabcar, and Kudzu.

Starting with the 1986 season, the GTP category had their own decal, which was similar to the IMSA GT side decal, with a P being added to denote their category.[7] Camel Lights cars also used the same decal[8]

There were many other manufacturers in the GTP class, such as URD Rennsport,

Intrepid or Gebhardt
, and in the early 1990s, Mazda.

Fall of GTP

Following a successful heart surgery in 1987, Bishop began to rethink his priorities. He was approached by Mike Cone and Jeff Parker, owners of

Tampa Race Circuit. In January 1989, Bishop and France sold the series to Cone and Parker. The new owners relocated the IMSA headquarters from Connecticut to Tampa Bay.[6] Bishop would stand down as president in favor of Mark Raffauf, who was his deputy, and its representative on the ACCUS board.[9] Cone and Parker sold it to businessman Charles Slater. Both lost millions attempting to revive the sagging TV ratings.[6]

By 1992, there were a number of factors that led to the decline of the GTP category. Porsche concentrated on its

Phoenix International Raceway.[10]

The GTP category was credited for many innovations in the U.S., including

camaraderie among drivers, especially rivals. But Hans Stuck, commenting in the foreword of the book "Prototypes: The History of the IMSA GTP Series", sarcastically compared the series' camaraderie to Formula One's lack of such.[6]

References

  1. ^ "IMSA Archives - International Motor Racing Research Center". www.racingarchives.org.
  2. ^ Quiniou, Louis (March 14, 2016). "#Focus – The IMSA GT Championship Story".
  3. ^ "An introduction to the IMSA GT Championship (part 1) #blogpost". Car Throttle.
  4. ^ "The Story of Mazda's Success in the IMSA GT Championship". Car Throttle.
  5. ^ "IMSA GTU Division Featured Close Competition". May 26, 2016.
  6. ^
    ISBN 1-893618-01-3
  7. ^ Photo by courtesy of: Fred Lewis Photos. "Daytona 24 Hours 1986". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  8. ^ Photo by courtesy of: Michael O. Crews. "Daytona 24 Hours 1986". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  9. ISBN 1-85532-228-5
  10. ^ Michael Strahan (December 1993). "The Last Race". Car Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-05-15.
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