More than seven months after the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the IMSA WeatherTech Championship will return today at Road Atlanta to a schedule more associated with endurance racing.
The TireRack.com Grand Prix will run six hours, the second-longest event of 2020 so far for IMSA since four “sprint” races of less than three hours followed Daytona in a season disrupted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Saturday’s event is being dubbed by some as the “Petit Petit” -- a reference to the annual 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans that will be held at the track next month.
📺 #MichelinEnduranceWeekend @IMSA tune-in times from @MichelinUSA Raceway @RoadAtlanta!
— Michelin Racing USA (@MichelinRaceUSA) September 2, 2020
Sat. #IMSA #TireRackGrandPrix 11:30a ET NBCSN, 12:30p TrackPass, 2:30p ET NBCSN
Sun. #IMPC #VPStayFrosty240 12:10p ET TrackPass
All races @IMSARadio pic.twitter.com/8iv9dD2OsJ
The schedule originally would have included two endurance races by now (Road Atlanta will replace Watkins Glen and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring has been moved to November), and many teams are adding third drivers for the first time since the Rolex 24.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Filipe Albuquerque, Tristan Vautier and Colin Braun are among the notables who have been added to the entry list for Road Atlanta.
Here are the details for IMSA this weekend at Road Atlanta (all times are ET):
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Road Atlanta
WHEN: Saturday, 11:35 a.m.
TV: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. NBCSN (streaming link); 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. NBC Sports App (streaming link) / TrackPass; 2:30 -6 p.m. NBCSN (streaming link)
IMSA Radio: All sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (Sirius channel 217, XM 202, Internet 972)
STREAM: NBC Sports App, NBCSports.com and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (live flag to flag starting at 11:30)
RADIO: IMSA Radio will have live radio coverage throughout the weekend on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com, as well as Sirius Channel 216, XM 210, Internet 970
RACE DISTANCE: Six hours around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course in Braselton, Georgia.
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 80 degrees with a 0% chance of rain at the green flag.
IMSA Road Atlanta weekend schedule
Friday
10-11 a.m. -- WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
2:25-3:40 p.m. -- WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice
6:30-7:40 p.m. -- WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying (IMSA.com/TVLive Live Qualifying Stream)
Saturday
11:35 a.m. -- IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship TireRack.com Grand Prix at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
