Last year it was reported that General Motors was still mulling over the possibility of competing in IMSA’s new P2-spec Daytona Prototype International class, which will replace the current Daytona Prototype class for 2017. At that time both Chevrolet and Cadillac-branded DPi racecars were recognized as possibilities for the program, however now it seems GM has settled on Cadillac.
According to Sportscar365, a total of five manufacturers are currently evaluating the possibility of a DPi program, with Cadillac being one of them. The manufacturer would likely partner with chassis builder Dallara to craft the new car, which would be powered by the same 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6 found under the hood of Cadillac Racing’s ATS-V.R racecar.
Due to their close relationship with Dallara and their prior successes racing DPs in IMSA, Sportscar365 has pegged Wayne Taylor Racing to lead Cadillac’s factory-backed DPi efforts in 2017. Action Express Racing could also be on the cards, with team boss Gary Nelson having recently visited Dallara’s headquarters in Italy.
Other manufacturers said to evaluating a DPi effort include Mazda, Bentley, Nissan and Honda Performance Development (HPD).
Comments
I think it is a waste here. The Daytona class is a joke compared to the real sports car classes in Europe etc . or the old ALMS. The frances ruin everything. There are small crowds and little ROI.
Having lived through and been at the races in the past series and old IMSA in the 80’s I can say the cars were a lot more fun.
But there in lies the rub. They also became so expensive that they became toxic to the series and as any mfg got the publicity they wanted they generally left the series soon after.
That is the problem anymore with open series is the cost go up and the interest by companies goes down. It makes for some really great cars but it generally last for a short 8 years before it dies.
While what the present IMSA is not the best it has keep the series viable for a long while. They do have things they need to still work out. The adding and changing of weight has really played havoc with some teams that have won while playing within the rules and taken the championship away at the last couple months because of the changes. This too has killed series in the past like Trans Am and needs to be better applied.
Racing anymore with the run what you brung mentality is a short lived formula in these high cost high tech times. I am not sure if we will ever see that being used again in any series as it is just not sustainable. Even F1 is not looking to control cost.
Crowds are down in all series and road racing has never been a big draw everywhere. The sad part is city street races are the biggest draw but they really suck vs, places like Mid Ohio and Road Atlanta for true racing.