The 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the 47th season of International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) GT Championship that traces its lineage to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship, and the fourth as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It began on January 28 with the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Contents
Classes
The class structure remained largely unchanged from 2016.
Race schedule
The 2017 schedule was released on August 5, 2016 and features twelve rounds.
Calendar changes
Television Coverage
The first 3 hours of the 24 Hours of Daytona and Long Beach will be broadcast on Fox. The other rounds will all be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and Fox Sports GO.
Prototype
Prototype Challenge
Race results
Bold indicates overall winner.
Points systems
Championship points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event. Points are awarded based on finishing positions as shown in the chart below.
Points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event. The point for the fastest lap is only awarded in the drivers' championship.
Team points are calculated in exactly the same way as driver points, using the point distribution chart. Each car entered is considered its own "team" regardless if it is a single entry or part of a two-car team.
There are also a number of manufacturer championships which utilize the same season-long point distribution chart. The manufacturer championships recognized by IMSA are as follows:
Prototype (P): Chassis Constructor GT Le Mans (GTLM): Car Manufacturer GT Daytona (GTD): Car ManufacturerEach manufacturer receives finishing points for its highest finishing car in each class. The positions of subsequent finishing cars from the same manufacturer are not taken into consideration, and all other manufacturers move up in the order.
Example: Manufacturer A finishes 1st and 2nd at an event, and Manufacturer B finishes 3rd. Manufacturer A receives 35 first-place points while Manufacturer B would earn 32 second-place points.The points system for the North American Endurance Cup is different from the normal points system. Points are awarded on a 5-4-3-2 basis for drivers, teams and manufacturers. The first finishing position at each interval earns five points, four points for second position, three points for third, with two points awarded for fourth and each subsequent finishing position.
At Daytona (24 hour race), points are awarded at six hours, 12 hours, 18 hours and at the finish. At the Sebring (12 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish. At Watkins Glen (6 hour race), points are awarded at three hours and at the finish. At Road Atlanta (10 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish.
Like the season-long team championship, North American Endurance Cup team points are awarded for each car and drivers get points in any car that they drive, in which they are entered for points. The manufacturer points go to the highest placed car from that manufacturer (the others from that manufacturer not being counted), just like the season-long manufacturer championship.
For example: in any particular segment manufacturer A finishes 1st and 2nd and manufacturer B finishes 3rd. Manufacturer A only receives first-place points for that segment. Manufacturer B receives the second-place points.