IMSA releases entry list for iRacing Series at Laguna Seca

The IMSA iRacing Pro Series will returns Thursday at 6 p.m. ET with Round 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 50-driver field will consist of pro drivers who have competed in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Michelin Pilot Challenge, Protoype Challenge and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.

The 90-minute virtual race will be available on iRacing’s YouTube channel and Facebook page as well as driver Twitch channels.

ENTRY LIST: Click here for the Laguna Seca field

Among drivers in the field:

–Colton Herta, who won the IndyCar finale at Laguna Seca last year;

–NBC analysts A.J. Allmendinger and Townsend Bell;

–IMSA veterans Filipe Albuquerque, Laurens Vanthoor, Jack Hawksworth;

–Past real-life IMSA winners at Laguna Seca include: John Edwards and Connor De Phillippi (GLTM, 2017-18); Porsche winners Jeroen Bleekemolen, Nick Tandy, Patrick Long; Colin Braun; Alessandro Balzan; Richard Westbrook.

Click here for the entry list for Thursday’s race at Laguna Seca.

Drivers will have a choice of four GTLM cars in each IMSA iRacing Pro Series race: the BMW M8, Porsche 911 RSR, Ferrari 488 and Ford GT.

The series opened with the March 21 race at Sebring International Raceway that featured a podium sweep by BMW. Winner Bruno Spengler, runner-up Nicky Catsburg and Jesse Krohn all have returned for Laguna Seca.

According to IMSA, the race at virtual Laguna Seca will feature drivers from 15 countries spanning four continents.

After Laguna Seca, the series will hold four more races:

April 30 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

May 14 – IMSA venue to be determined

May 28 – IMSA venue to be determined

June 11 – Watkins Glen International

The NTT IndyCar Series will return to the Motor City for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix but with start times in a new location for 2023.

After a 30-year run on Belle Isle, the Detroit GP has moved a few miles south to the streets of downtown on a new nine-turn, 1.7-mile circuit that runs along the Detroit River.

It’s the first time single-seater open-cockpit cars have raced on the streets of Detroit since a CART event on a 2.5-mile downtown layout from 1989-91. Formula One also raced in Detroit from 1982-88.

The reimagined Detroit Grand Prix also will play host to nightly concerts and bring in venders from across the region. Roger Penske predicts the new downtown locale will be bigger for Detroit than when the city played host to the 2006 Super Bowl.

Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend (all times are ET):

CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX INDYCAR START TIMES

TV: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock, the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. Leigh Diffey is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters. Click here for the full NBC Sports schedule for IndyCar in 2023.

Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying.

POSTRACE SHOW ON PEACOCK: After the race’s conclusion, an exclusive postrace show will air on Peacock with driver interviews, postrace analysis and the podium presentation. To watch the extended postrace show, click over to the special stream on Peacock after Sunday’s race ends.

COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:23 p.m. ET

GREEN FLAG: 3:30 p.m. ET

PRACTICE: Friday, 3 p.m. (Peacock Premium); Saturday, 9:05 a.m. (Peacock Premium); Sunday, 10 a.m. (Peacock Premium)

QUALIFYING: Saturday, 1:20 p.m. (Peacock Premium)

RACE DISTANCE: The race is 100 laps (170 miles) on a nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street course in downtown Detroit.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate. Rookie drivers are allowed one extra primary set for the first practice.

PUSH TO PASS: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (Indy NXT: 150 seconds total, 15 seconds per). The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.

FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 80 degrees with a 0% chance of rain.

ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 27 drivers racing Sunday at Detroit

INDY NXT RACES: Saturday, 12:05 p.m. 45 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium); Sunday, 12:50 p.m. 45 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium)

INDY NXT ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 19 drivers racing at Detroit