Does NASCAR have a sports car racing division? Exploring its connection to IMSA

NASCAR, the stock car racing competition, is also home to IMSA, the sports car racing divison. IMSA, which is based in Daytona Beach, is a four-class car series championship that comprises 11 rounds of endurance racing, with races being upto 24 hours long. While IMSA has been a NASCAR property since 2008, it operates as its own entity.

IMSA, the International Motor Sports Association, started in 1969 and was created by NASCAR founder Bill France and John Bishop, the Executive Director of the Sports Car Club of America.

Over the next few decades, races like the Rolex 24 and the 12 hours of Sebring would join the sport's calendar. By the end of the 1990s, the ownership of IMSA changed hands multiple times and went through organizational changes including the introduction of the American Le Mans Series which races under IMSA.

In the 2000s, the GRAND-AM Road Racing Association was created, seperate from ALMS. In 2008, NASCAR bought GRAND-AM, with the agreement to operate them as individual entities. In 2012, the ALMS and GRAND-AM merge under IMSA, with the joint championship debuting in 2014 and continuing till date.

The IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car championship comprises four classes that race at the same time. The GTP (Grand Touring Prototype), which has a top speed of 202 mph with 680 horsepower, is the fastest class.

Following that is the Le Mans Prototype 2, with a top speed of 186 mph with 510 hp. The Grand Touring Daytona classes, which is the GTD and the GTD Pro, are identical cars that have a top speed of 175 mph with a 540 hp. The difference between them are the colors on the side mirrors, rear wing endplates and number plates.

The IMSA Championship begins in 2025 with the inaugural race of the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the Daytona International Speedway during the weekend of January 25 to 26.

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NASCAR team will race at the Rolex 24 at Daytona

The Rolex race clock prior to the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. - Source: Imagn

Trackhouse Racing, the Cup Series team owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull, will have a team participating at the 24 hours at Daytona in 2025.

The North Carolina-based team will be an entry into the GTD Pro class of the race, with NASCAR drivers Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch being a part of the team. Also on the team is Scott Mclaughlin, IndyCar driver, and Ben Keating, a LeMans winner.

Talking about their participation, Marks said (via Forbes)

“Participating in the Rolex 24 has been a dream since the inception of Trackhouse Racing, we wanted to make sure we could enter with a top-notch partner in Chevrolet and TF Sport as well as a driver lineup that could compete for the victory. We feel like this group we have put together can compete for the trophy.”

Trackhouse Racing will partner with Chevrolet, who's also their NASCAR partner. For their participation in this endurace race, they are also partnering with racing company TF Sport. The team will be driving the #91 “Trackhouse by TF Sport” Corvette once the race kicks off in January of next year.