1982 IMSA GT Championship explained

The 1982 Camel GT Championship season was the 12th season of the IMSA GT Championship auto racing series. It was the first year of the GTP class, which combined the previous GTX class of Group 5 cars and prototypes. Other competitors ran in the GTO and GTU classes of Grand Tourer-style racing cars. It began January 30, 1982, and ended November 28, 1982, after nineteen rounds.

John Paul Junior won the GTP category driving a Porsche 935 and a Lola T600 Chevrolet. Don Devendorf won GTO and Jim Downing won GTU.

Schedule

The GTU class did not participate with the GTP and GTO classes in shorter events, instead holding their own separate event which included touring car competitors from the IMSA Champion Spark Plug Challenge. These touring cars did not race for points in the IMSA GT Championship. Races marked with All had all classes on track at the same time.

RndRaceLengthClassCircuitDate
124 Hour Pepsi Challenge24 hoursAllDaytona International SpeedwayJanuary 30
January 31
2Coca-Cola 12 Hours of Sebring12 hoursAllSebring International RacewayMarch 20
3Road Atlanta Grand Prix150milesGTP/GTORoad AtlantaApril 4
45 minutesGTU
4Los Angeles Times/Toyota Grand Prix6 hoursAllRiverside International RacewayApril 25
5Datsun Monterey Triple Crown45 minutesGTULaguna Seca RacewayMay 2
100milesGTP/GTO
6Charlotte Camel GT 500500 kmAllCharlotte Motor SpeedwayMay 16
7Red Roof Inns Sprints1 hourGTUMid-Ohio Sports Car CourseMay 23
100milesGTP/GTO
8Coca-Cola 4001 hourGTP/GTOLime Rock ParkMay 31
45 minutesGTU
9The NTW 300100milesGTUSummit Point Motorsports ParkJune 20
10Paul Revere 250250milesAllDaytona International SpeedwayJuly 3
11Pepsi Grand Prix200 kmAllBrainerd International RacewayJuly 11
12California Grand Prix100milesGTP/GTOSears Point RacewayJuly 25
75milesGTU
13G.I. Joe's/Toyota Grand Prix100milesGTP/GTOPortland International RacewayAugust 1
30 minutesGTU
14Labatt's 50 GT6 hoursAllMosport ParkAugust 15
15Pabst 500500milesAllRoad AmericaAugust 22
16Lumbermen's Six Hours6 hoursAllMid-Ohio Sports Car CourseSeptember 5
17Sprite 500500 kmAllRoad AtlantaSeptember 12
18Grand Prix of Pocono500milesAllPocono RacewaySeptember 26
19Daytona Three Hour3 hoursAllDaytona International SpeedwayNovember 28

Season results

RndCircuitGTP Winning TeamGTO Winning TeamGTU Winning TeamResults
GTP Winning DriversGTO Winning DriversGTU Winning Drivers
1Daytona #18 JLP Racing #77 Mazda North America #98 Kent RacingResults
John Paul, Sr.
John Paul Jr.
Rolf Stommelen
Yojiro Terada
Yoshimi Katayama
Takashi Yorino
Lee Mueller
Kathy Rude
Allan Moffat
2Sebring #18 JLP Racing #9 Diego Febles Racing #38 Mandeville Auto TechResults
John Paul, Sr.
John Paul Jr.
Diego Febles
Tato Ferrer
Chiqui Soldevilla
Roger Mandeville
Jeff Kline
Amos Johnson
3Road Atlanta #18 JLP Racing #11 Kendall Racing #85 Alderman DatsunResults
John Paul Jr. Dennis Aase Logan Blackburn
4Riverside #0 Interscope Racing #05 T&R Racing #82 Trinity RacingResults
Ted Field
Bill Whittington
Tico Almeida
Ernesto Soto
Jim Cook
Jim Mullen
5Laguna Seca #18 JLP Racing #82 Electramotive #82 Casey-MontexResults
John Paul Jr. Don Devendorf Joe Varde
6Charlotte #18 JLP Racing #44 Stratagraph #85 Alderman DatsunResults
John Paul, Sr.
John Paul Jr.
Billy Hagan
Gene Felton
George Alderman
Logan Blackburn
7Mid-Ohio #2 John Fitzpatrick Racing #82 Electramotive #63 Jim DowningResults
John Fitzpatrick Don Devendorf Jim Downing
8Lime Rock #2 John Fitzpatrick Racing #83 Electramotive #82 Casey-MontexResults
John Fitzpatrick Don Devendorf Joe Varde
9Summit PointDid not participateDid not participate #82 Casey-MontexResults
Joe Varde
10Daytona #0 Interscope Racing #55 Diego Montoya #85 Alderman DatsunResults
Ted Field
Danny Ongais
Diego Montoya Logan Blackburn
11Brainerd #18 JLP Racing #05 Tico Almeida #85 Alderman DatsunResults
John Paul Jr. Tico Almeida Logan Blackburn
12Sears Point #16 Zakspeed Roush #83 Electramotive #82 Casey-MontexResults
Klaus Ludwig Don Devendorf Joe Varde
13Portland #18 JLP Racing #83 Electramotive #38 Mandeville Auto TechResults
John Paul Jr. Don Devendorf Roger Mandeville
14Mosport #46 JLP Racing #91 Electrodyne #38 Mandeville Auto TechResults
John Paul, Sr.
John Paul Jr.
Wayne Baker
Chester Vincentz
Roger Mandeville
Amos Johnson
15Road America #2 John Fitzpatrick Racing #14 Oftedahl Racing #82 Casey-MontexResults
John Fitzpatrick
David Hobbs
Bob Raub
Chris Gleason
Joe Varde
Jeff Kline
16Mid-Ohio #2 John Fitzpatrick Racing #82 Electramotive #32 Alderman DatsunResults
John Fitzpatrick
David Hobbs
Don Devendorf
Tony Adamowicz
Logan Blackburn
George Alderman
17Road Atlanta #46 JLP Racing #13 T&R Racing #38 Mandeville Auto TechResults
John Paul, Sr.
John Paul Jr.
John Greenwood
Rene Rodriguez
Roger Mandeville
Amos Johnson
18Pocono #0 Interscope Racing #91 Electrodyne #63 Jim DowningResults
Jim Field
Danny Ongais
Wayne Backer
Chester Vincentz
Jim Downing
John Maffucci
19Daytona #00 Interscope Racing #44 Stratagraph #63 Jim DowningResults
Ted Field
Danny Ongais
Billy Hagan
Gene Felton
Jim Downing
John Maffucci

Series standings

John Paul Junior won the GTP category driving a Porsche 935 and a Lola T600 Chevrolet.[1] Don Devendorf won GTO and Jim Downing won GTU.[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Peter Higham, The Guiness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 444