IMSA Long Beach Entry List Released
Updated: Apr 12, 2023
28 car field set to do battle on the Streets of Long Beach next weekend!
After two grueling endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring, the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season enters its first sprint race weekend of the season during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. The event, which takes place April 14th and 15th, showcases the GTP, GTD-Pro and GTD classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. LMP2 and LMP3 cars will not contest this round of the championship.
Long Beach will be the first true street course track test for the new cars in both the GTP, GTD-Pro and GTD classes. The bumpy and undulating service of the street circuit will prove to be a true test for all drivers. Last season, Chip Ganassi Racing took the first two spots on the podium with the No. 01 of Renger van der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais taking the checkered flag first. The No. 02 of Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn finished in second, while Tristian Vautier and Richard Westbrook finished in third, giving Cadillac and podium sweep.
(IMSA)
With eight GTP entries, five GTP-Pro entries and and 15 GTD entries, the California street circuit is sure to showcase fantastic racing as it has in years prior. While a majority of the driver lineups have not changed, there are a few exceptions. Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR Andretti enters its Acura NSX GT3 with drivers Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher at the controls. A notable absence from the grid is the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche, as the team announced the car would scale back their efforts in order to focus on the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds of the championship.
The No. 92 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche sees a new co-driver for Alec Udell as Jeroen Bleekmeolen joins him for the Long Beach Round. Also in GTD, the No. 97 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 will contest in the GTD class after previously contesting the first two races of the season in GTD-Pro. Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull will handle driver duties for the No. 97.
The full entry list can be viewed here: https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2023/04/05/2023_IWSC_LongBeach_PreEvent_EntryList.pdf
