IMSA impounds GTP field at Indy for in-depth homologation checks
IMSA has taken the unique step of placing its WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP field in a special impound immediately following Sunday’s six-hour Battle On The Bricks endurance race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The routing of the hybrid-powered marquee class into “parc ferme” is being done to conduct extensive technical inspections of the cars in “as raced” condition to perform stringent checks of each model’s bodywork, powertrain, suspension, and all other key systems to ensure they comply with their specific — now in their second year — homologation regulations.
The timing of the initiative spearheaded by Eric Haverson, IMSA’s director of technical compliance and scrutineering, Simon Hodgson, the senior VP of competition, and senior technical director Matt Kurdock comes as the WeatherTech Championship heads into its season finale across October 10-12 at Motul Petit Le Mans with the impetus to confirm or correct any areas of regulatory compliance prior to the crowning of drivers’, teams’, and manufacturers’ champions.
Random areas are chosen for deeper technical inspection at every race, but it’s rare to take a nose-to-tail dive into every car due to busy schedules. With weeks until the season finale, the timing was optimal to perform the in-depth reviews.
“At the conclusion of the Battle on the Bricks, IMSA impounded selected GTP cars to conduct extended post-race technical inspection through Monday and Tuesday,” the series said in a statement, “Periodically, such as following January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, extended technical inspections are performed by IMSA as due diligence in ensuring technical compliance. Race results will remain provisional until these inspections are completed. IMSA is committed to providing close and competitive racing for the fans and a fair and even playing field for manufacturers and competitors.”
“At the conclusion of the Battle on the Bricks, IMSA impounded selected GTP cars to conduct extended post-race technical inspection through Monday and Tuesday,” the series said in a statement, “Periodically, such as following January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, extended technical inspections are performed by IMSA as due diligence in ensuring technical compliance. Race results will remain provisional until these inspections are completed. IMSA is committed to providing close and competitive racing for the fans and a fair and even playing field for manufacturers and competitors.”
RACER understands the series sequestered at least one Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lamborghini, and Porsche from each of its GTP teams; the race-winning No. 24 BMW, the No. 6 Porsche from Porsche Penske Motorsport and the No. 85 Porsche from the privateer JDC Miller Motorsports team, plus the No. 40 Acura, No. 01 Cadillac, and the No. 63 Lamborghini were directed to the specific holding area for the chosen entries.
Prior to the surprise impounding, RACER also understands the series spent time reviewing the testing schedule for each GTP team’s operation to ensure the lengthy inspections do not hinder their post-Indianapolis plans.
The process will involve everything from full 3D scanning of each model’s bodywork to confirm dimensional accuracy, drivetrain teardown and legality checks, to checking part numbers and dimensions for control arms and any other items that are subject to homologation.
RACER understands that if any questions arise, IMSA will dispatch the components to the NASCAR R&D Center in North Carolina for further investigation as part of the longstanding collaboration between NASCAR and IMSA on overall technical matters.
The sizable effort to ensure IMSA’s top class is above reproach immediately follows the intensive efforts by the series in recent weeks to catalog and further benchmark its vast field of GT3-based GT Daytona entries by running models from all manufacturers through the Windshear wind tunnel in North Carolina.
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