On May 6th, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will serve as the stage for the first time since the 12 Hours of Sebring that the four classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will reunite and the last time until the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen in July. Between the two races, certain competitors will cross the Atlantic to compete in the 85th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including Test Day which will take place the day after the race in Detroit at which will be absent the GTLM competitors.

In that class, currently led by Ford and in which the two Ford GTs will join their sister cars from the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, only one change will happen relative to the drivers from the Long Beach round: the arrival of Wolf Henzler, winner in the former LMGT2 class at Le Mans in 2010, in the #92 official Porsche 911 RSR along with Laurens Vanthoor, replacing Kévin Estre.

The Austin round will serve as the final rehearsal before Le Mans for Risi Competizione's Ferrari 488 GTE, the two official Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs and the two official Ford GTs, with the two official Porsche 911 RSRs remaining in the U.S. since they are the two cars entered in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) set to take the start at the 24 Hours.

Like in the GTLM class, there is only one change in the P for Prototype class, with the replacement of Tom Kimber-Smith, three-time class winner at Le Mans recruited for another championship, by Marco Bonanomi, former official Audi driver, in PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports' #52 Ligier JS P217. 

In GTD, Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen, who will debut the Riley MK30 LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will start off leaders after having won the last two races.

The start of the COTA race, 2:40 hours long, will be given on Saturday, May 6th at 1:35 p.m., 7:35 p.m. in the U.K..

Entry List

Photo (Copyright - Richard Dole/LAT-IMSA): Final rehearsal before the 24 Hours of Le Mans for certain competitors in the GTLM field pictured at  Long Beach.