Some big of big news for the Atlanta area Motorsports scene is that Road Atlanta is getting a second IMSA race. The event will replace the iconic Watkins Glen race. IMSA recently announced these schedule updates regarding their 2020 Season due to COVID. Now, in addition to Petit LeMans in October, IMSA will run a 6 hour race at Road Atlanta over labor weekend on September 4th through 6th.
The event change is due to COVID restrictions in New York and Connecticut. The event, along with another added in Charlotte, will replace the IMSA Watkins Glen and Lime Rock events. These events, particularly Watkins Glen, are iconic the COVID restrictions simply made it unworkable.
This is a big win for Road Atlanta and the Atlanta area. Having a second IMSA race gives fans double the opportunity to see the race. Despite this, expect limited tickets/fan availability for both events.
You can find out more about the event, including ticketing here: https://shiftatlanta.org/imsa-6-hour-championship-race-atlanta
Here is the full release from IMSA:
IMSA today announced realignment to upcoming dates on its 2020 schedule, which includes shifting of the Labor Day Weekend six-hour race from Watkins Glen International to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and the GT-only event from Lime Rock Park to the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will host the six-hour IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race on Sunday, Sept. 6, with three other IMSA-sanctioned series that all were previously scheduled to compete at Watkins Glen also moving to Michelin Raceway that weekend. A four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5, with doubleheader races for both the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and Lamborghini Super Trofeo races also planned for the weekend.
The Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL will host the WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes in a 100-minute race as part of the NASCAR event weekend, Oct. 9-10, at the facility. This event will replace the Lime Rock Park race previously scheduled for Sept. 11-12.
Michelin Pilot Challenge, which also was scheduled to race at Lime Rock Park, instead will have a doubleheader of two-hour races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the weekend of Sept. 25-27. The GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will have three events per weekend at Mid-Ohio and the Motul Petit Le Mans weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Oct. 14-17.
IMSA continues to monitor state and local COVID-19 guidelines which may make additional schedule revisions appropriate in the coming weeks. Current Provisional IMSA schedules follow below.
You may also recall that this is the final season of the Porsche factory backed GTLM cars. While Petit LeMans was expected to be the final, and only opportunity in the Atlanta area to see them run, this provides a second opportunity.
These schedule changes follow numerous other events that have been rescheduled, postponed or outright canceled due to COVID. Follow along on our running list to keep up to date with the latest on all Atlanta area events that have been impacted.
