1997 IMSA GT Championship explained

The 1997 Exxon World Sports Car Championship and Supreme GT Series seasons were the 27th season of the IMSA GT Championship. It consisted of open-cockpit prototypes referred to as World Sports Car (WSC) and Grand Tourer-style racing cars divided into GTS-1, GTS-2, and GTS-3 classes.

It began February 1, 1997, and ended October 26, 1997, after eleven rounds. 1997 would mark the final year in IMSA GT for the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. In 1998, the SCCA's revived United States Road Racing Championship would acquire the events.

Schedule

Most races on the schedule ran with the GTS and WSC classes running separate races, sometimes with different lengths. Races marked with Both had both classes on track at the same time for the whole race.

RndRaceLengthClassCircuitDate
1Rolex 24 at Daytona24 HoursBothDaytona International SpeedwayFebruary 1
February 2
2Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring12 HoursBothSebring International RacewayMarch 15
3NAPA Grand Prix of Atlanta2 HoursGTSRoad AtlantaApril 19
WSCApril 20
4Dodge Dealers Grand Prix1 Hour 45 MinutesGTSLime Rock ParkMay 26
WSC
5First Union Six Hours at the Glen6 HoursBothWatkins Glen InternationalJune 1
6California Grand Prix1 Hour 45 MinutesGTSSears Point RacewayJuly 13
2 HoursWSC
7Mosport Festival1 Hour 45 MinutesGTSMosport International RacewayAugust 31
2 HoursWSC
8Sportscar Grand Prix1 Hour 45 MinutesGTSLas Vegas Motor SpeedwaySeptember 20
2 HoursWSC
9Festival of Road Racing2 HoursWSCPikes Peak International RacewaySeptember 28
1 Hour 45 MinutesGTS
10NAPA Sebring Octoberfest2 HoursWSCSebring International RacewayOctober 18
1 Hour 45 MinutesGTS
11Visa Sports Car Championship1 Hour 45 MinutesGTSLaguna Seca RacewayOctober 26
WSC

Season results

RndCircuitWSC Winning TeamGTS-1 Winning TeamGTS-2 Winning TeamGTS-3 Winning TeamResults
WSC Winning DriversGTS-1 Winning DriversGTS-2 Winning DriversGTS-3 Winning Drivers
1Daytona #20 Dyson Racing #01 Rohr Corp. #99 Roock Racing #10 PTGResults
Elliott Forbes-Robinson
John Schneider
Rob Dyson
John Paul Jr.
Butch Leitzinger
Andy Wallace
James Weaver
Jochen Rohr
Andy Pilgrim
Harald Grohs
Arnd Meier
Ralf Kelleners
Patrice Goueslard
Claudia Hürtgen
André Ahrlé
Javier Quiros
Derek Hill
Boris Said
Bill Auberlen
Tom Hessert
2Sebring #3 Team Scandia #11 Robinson Racing #61 Konrad Motorsport #10 PTGResults
Yannick Dalmas
Stefan Johansson
Fermín Vélez
Andy Evans
Irv Hoerr
Jack Baldwin
George Robinson
Bob Wollek
Franz Konrad
Wido Rössler
Javier Quiros
Bill Auberlen
Derek Hill
Tom Hessert
3Road Atlanta #16 Dyson Racing #66 Panoz Motorsports #99 Schumacher Racing #39 Jim MatthewsResults
Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver
Doc Bundy
Andy Wallace
Larry Schumacher
John O'Steen
Jim Matthews
David Murry
4Lime Rock #30 Moretti Racing #91 Rock Valley #99 Schumacher Racing #6 PTGResults
Antônio Hermann
Andrea Montermini
Stu Hayner
Roger Schramm
Larry Schumacher
John O'Steen
Javier Quiros
Derek Hill
5Watkins Glen #16 Dyson Racing #66 Panoz Motorsports #61 Konrad Motorsport #77 Mattco RacingResults
Elliott Forbes-Robinson
Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver
Doc Bundy
Andy Wallace
David Brabham
Franz Konrad
Nick Ham
Michel Ligonnet
Pete Halsmer
John Morton
6Sears Point #16 Dyson Racing #66 Panoz Motorsports #61 Konrad Motorsport #10 PTGResults
Andy Wallace
James Weaver
Doc Bundy
Andy Wallace
Franz Konrad
Nick Ham
Bill Auberlen
Boris Said
7Mosport #43 Central Arkansas Racing #01 Rohr Motorsport #61 Konrad Motorsport #6 PTGResults
Ron Fellows
Rob Morgan
Jochen Rohr
Dorsey Schroeder
Andy Pilgrim
Franz Konrad
Nick Ham
Javier Quiros
Derek Hill
8Las Vegas #20 Dyson Racing #01 Rohr Motosport #99 Schumacher Racing #39 Jim MatthewsResults
John Paul Jr.
Butch Leitzinger
Andy Pilgrim
Allan McNish
Larry Schumacher
Price Cobb
Jim Matthews
David Murry
9Pikes Peak #30 Moretti Racing #00 Rohr Motorsport #61 Konrad Motorsport #10 PTGResults
Antônio Hermann
Andrea Montermini
Andy Pilgrim
Allan McNish
Franz Konrad
Nick Ham
Bill Auberlen
Boris Said
10Sebring #30 Moretti Racing #01 Rohr Motorsport #99 Schumacher Racing #10 PTGResults
Antônio Hermann
Andrea Montermini
Andy Pilgrim
Allan McNish
Larry Schumacher
Price Cobb
Bill Auberlen
Butch Leitzinger
Marc Duez
11Laguna Seca #20 Dyson Racing #96 Panoz Motorsports #61 Konrad Motorsport #7 PTGResults
John Paul Jr.
Butch Leitzinger
Éric Bernard
David Brabham
Franz Konrad
Nick Ham
Dieter Quester
Marc Duez

Teams Championship

Points are awarded to the finishers in the following order:

Exception however for the 12 Hours of Sebring, which awarded in the following order:

And the 24 Hours of Daytona, which is awarded in the following order:

Teams only score the points of their highest finishing entry in each race.

WSC Standings

PosTeamChassisEngineRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Rd 5Rd 6Rd 7Rd 8Rd 9Rd 10Rd 11Total
1 Dyson RacingRiley & Scott Mk IIIFord 5.0 L V83326252125252125191925264
2 Moretti RacingFerrari 333 SPFerrari F310E 4.0 L V12251419256141719252521210
3 Dibos RacingRiley & Scott Mk III
Ferrari 333 SP
Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8
Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12
2724
10
1913
19

15
1514
17

17
190
4 Doyle/Riley & ScottRiley & Scott Mk IIIOldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V820131410711192121519160
5 Central Arkansas RacingFerrari 333 SPFerrari F310E 4.0 L V12151421172517131310145
6 Downing Atlanta RacingKudzu DLMMazda 2.0 L 3-Rotor23221371510121110108141
7 FAB Factory MotorsportSpice SC95
Kudzu DG-2
Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8
Buick 4.5 L V6
1517
8

11
1991341194120
8 MSI RacingRiley & Scott Mk IIIChevrolet 6.0 L V8121917812148714111
9 Support Net RacingHawk C-8
Riley & Scott Mk III
Chevrolet 6.0 L V8
Ford 5.0 L V8
21163121262
12
96
10 Screaming Eagles RacingRiley & Scott Mk IIIFord 5.0 L V81418913131279
11 Davin RacingArgo P
Kudzu DLM
BMW 4.0 L V8
Buick 4.5 L V6
1746527
10

8

8

2
69
12 Courage CompétitionCourage C41Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V811291012611667
13 Team ScandiaFerrari 333 SPFerrari F310E 4.0 L V12293059
14= Kopf Precision ProductsKeiler KIIFord 5.0 L V818118351156
14= TRV MotorsportsKudzu DL-4Chevrolet 6.0 L V813118712556
16 URD Rennwagenbau USAURD WSC95BMW 4.0 L V813104936
17 Target 24Riley & Scott Mk IIIOldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8191433
18 Team South CarolinaHawk MD3RMazda 2.0 L 3-Rotor61723
19 Graham WilliamsProSport 3000Ford 5.0 L V82222
20 Fantasy JunctionCannibalChevrolet 6.0L V8494320
21 John ChristieX-250Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V121010
22 Bill DollahiteSpice BDG-02Chevrolet 6.0 L V855
23 Wheel WorksBennett Special MkIIPontiac 5.0 L V8314

External links