2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge explained

The 2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge was the seventeenth and final season of the IMSA Lites series and its successors, and the sixth under the IMSA Prototype Challenge name. The season started on January 21 at Daytona International Speedway and concluded on October 1 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Calendar

The provisional 2022 calendar was released on August 6, 2021 at IMSA's annual State of the Sport Address, featuring five rounds.^[1]

Round	Circuit	Location	Date	Duration
1	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, Florida	January 21–23	3 Hours
2	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	Lexington, Ohio	May 13–15	1 Hour 30 Minutes
3	Canadian Tire Motorsport Park	Bowmanville, Ontario	July 1–3	1 Hour 30 Minutes
4	Virginia International Raceway	Alton, Virginia	August 26–28	1 Hour 30 Minutes
5	Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta	Braselton, Georgia	September 28–October 1	1 Hour 30 Minutes

Calendar Changes

• All races are now 1 hour 30 minutes in length, apart from the opening round at Daytona.
• Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) returned to the calendar after being cancelled for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Sebring International Raceway did not return for 2022. Watkins Glen International, which served as the replacement for Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2021, also did not return to the schedule.

Series News

• 2015-spec LMP3 machinery would no longer be permitted to compete from 2022 onwards, returning the series to a single class consisting entirely of 2020-spec machinery.^[2]

Entry list

Team Car Drivers Class Rounds Jr III Racing^[3] Ligier JS P320 3 Courtney Crone^[4] All Terry Olson 1–2, 4–5 Ari Balogh^[5] 3 30 Ari Balogh B 1–2, 4–5 Thomas Merrill^[6] 2 Nolan Siegel^[7] 5 CrowdStrike Racing by D Motorsports^[8] Ligier JS P320 4 Jon Bennett^[9] B 1 George Kurtz 1 D Motorsports 15 Niclas Jönsson 1 Mike Watt 1 Performance Tech Motorsports^[10] Ligier JS P320 6 Oscar Bitar 1–2, 4–5 Dan Goldburg 1–2, 4–5 7 Christopher Allen^[11] 4 Robert Mau 4 JDC MotorSports^[12] ^[13] Duqueine M30 - D08 9 Gerry Kraut 2 Stephen Simpson 2 23 Memo Gidley^[14] All Alexander Koreiba All 40 Keith Grant B All David Grant 1–2, 4–5 Dakota Dickerson^[15] 3 43 Stevan McAleer 1 Joe Robillard 1 Sean Creech Motorsport^[16] Ligier JS P320 14 Lance Willsey 1–3 Sebastian Priaulx 1 Parker Thompson 2–3 AWA^[17] Duqueine M30 - D08 17 Anthony Mantella B 1–4 Orey Fidani 1 Mühlner Motorsports America Duqueine M30 - D08 18 Efrin Castro 1 Riley Dickinson 1 Mark Kvamme 2 Dillon Machavern 2 Alex Popow^[18] 5 Óscar Tunjo 5 21 Bob Doyle 1 Moritz Kranz 1 Ave Motorsports with GRS^[19] Ligier JS P320 44 Tony Ave B 1–3, 5 Antoine Comeau 1 Josh Sarchet 4 Kaz Grala 4–5 61 George Staikos All Hanna Zellers All CT Motorsports LLC Duqueine M30 - D08 46 Steve Scullen All Danny Formal 1–3 Scott Huffaker 4–5 Forty7 Motorsports Duqueine M30 - D08 47 Jon Brownson 1, 4–5 Dario Cangialosi 1, 4–5 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320 54 Dakota Dickerson 1 Josh Sarchet 1 Jason Rabe 2, 4–5 Tyler Maxson 2 Corey Lewis 4–5 Ophanim Motorsports Ligier JS P320 57 John Saurino 1–2, 4–5 Josh Saurino 1–2 Nigel Saurino 4 Hans Saurino 5 Wulver Racing Ligier JS P320 60 Tonis Kasemets B All Bruce Hamilton 1 CORE Autosport Ligier JS P320 65 Jon Bennett B 5 George Kurtz 5 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320 74 Shane Lewis 4 Gar Robinson 4 US RaceTronics Ligier JS P320 77 Patrick Kujala All Brian Thienes All

Race results

Rnd	Circuit	Pole position	Race winners
1	Daytona	No. 23 JDC MotorSports	No. 60 Wulver Racing
		Memo Gidley Alexander Koreiba	Bruce Hamilton Tonis Kasemets
2	Mid-Ohio	No. 23 JDC MotorSports	No. 23 JDC MotorSports
		Memo Gidley Alexander Koreiba	Memo Gidley Alexander Koreiba
3	Mosport	No. 60 Wulver Racing	No. 60 Wulver Racing
		Tonis Kasemets	Tonis Kasemets
4	Virginia	No. 60 Wulver Racing	No. 60 Wulver Racing
		Tonis Kasemets	Tonis Kasemets
5	Road Atlanta	No. 60 Wulver Racing	No. 60 Wulver Racing
		Tonis Kasemets	Tonis Kasemets

Championship standings

Points system

Championship points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event. Points are awarded based on finishing positions in the race as shown in the chart below.

Driver's Championship

Drivers DAY MOH MOS VIR ATL Points 1 Tonis Kasemets 1 2 1 1 1 1720 2 Memo Gidley Alexander Koreiba 3 1 5 2 2 1550 3 Patrick Kujala Brian Thienes 2 4 10 3 4 1390 4 Ari Balogh 9 3 6 5 9 1250 5 Keith Grant 10 5 4 10 6 1210 6 Courtney Crone 5 9 6 12 12 1110 7 Steve Scullen 8 14 8 11 8 1060 8 Anthony Mantella 13 6 3 9 950 9 David Grant 10 5 10 6 930 10 George Staikos Hanna Zellers 17 11 7 16 11 930 11 Terry Olson 5 9 12 12 860 12 Tony Ave 12 15 9 5 830 13 Oscar Bitar Dan Goldburg 18 7 6 10 830 14 Lance Willsey 6 8 2 800 15 John Saurino 14 12 15 13 700 16 Jon Brownson Dario Cangialosi 4 7 14 690 17 Jason Rabe 16 13 3 630 18 Danny Formal 8 14 8 630 19 Parker Thompson 8 2 550 20 Corey Lewis 13 3 480 21 Dakota Dickerson 11 4 480 22 Kaz Grala 14 5 430 23 Scott Huffaker 11 8 430 24 Josh Sarchet 11 14 370 25 Josh Saurino 14 12 360 26 Bruce Hamilton 1 350 27 Thomas Merrill 3 300 28 Shane Lewis Gar Robinson 4 280 29 Sebastian Priaulx 6 250 30 Niclas Jönsson Mike Watt 7 240 31 Alex Popow Óscar Tunjo 7 240 32 Christopher Allen Robert Mau 8 230 33 Nolan Siegel 9 220 34 Mark Kvamme Dillon Machavern 10 210 35 Antoine Comeau 12 190 36 Orey Fidani 13 180 37 Gerry Kraut Stephen Simpson 13 180 38 Hans Saurino 13 180 39 Efrin Castro Riley Dickinson 15 160 40 Nigel Saurino 15 160 41 Stevan McAleer Joe Robillard 16 150 42 Tyler Maxson 16 150 43 Jon Bennett George Kurtz 19 DNS 120 44 Bob Doyle Moritz Kranz DNS 0 Drivers DAY MOH MOS VIR ATL Points

Bold - Pole positionItalics - Fastest lap

†: Post-event penalty. Car moved to back of class.

Bronze Driver's Cup

	Drivers	DAY	MOH	MOS	VIR	ATL	Points
1	Tonis Kasemets	1	1	1	1	1	1750
2	David Grant Keith Grant	3	3		4	2	1200
3	Anthony Mantella	5	4	2	3		1160
4	Ari Balogh	2	2		2		960
5	Tony Ave	4	5	3			840
6	Bruce Hamilton	1					350
7	Thomas Merrill		2				320
8	Antoine Comeau	4					280
9	Orey Fidani	5					260
10	Jon Bennett George Kurtz	6				DNS	250
	Drivers	DAY	MOH	MOS	VIR	ATL	Points

†: Post-event penalty. Car moved to back of class.

Team's Championship

	Drivers	DAY	MOH	MOS	VIR	ATL	Points
1	#60 Wulver Racing	1	2	1	1	1	1720
2	#23 JDC MotorSports	3	1	5	2	2	1550
3	#77 US RaceTronics	2	4	10	3	4	1390
4	#40 JDC MotorSports	10	5	4	10	6	1210
5	#3 Jr III Racing	5	9	6	12	12	1110
6	#46 CT Motorsports LLC	8	14	8	11	8	1060
7	#30 Jr III Racing	9	3		5	9	1000
8	#44 Ave Motorsports with GRS	12	15	9	14	5	1000
9	#17 AWA	13	6	3	9		950
10	#61 Ave Motorsports with GRS	17	11	7	16	11	930
11	#54 MLT Motorsports	11	16		13	3	830
12	#6 Performance Tech Motorsports	18	7		6	10	830
13	#14 Sean Creech Motorsport	6	8	2			800
14	#57 Ophanim Motorsports	14	12		15	13	700
15	#47 Forty7 Motorsports	4			7	14	690
16	#18 Mühlner Motorsports America	15	10			7	610
17	#74 Riley Motorsports				4		280
18	#15 D Motorsports	7					240
19	#7 Performance Tech Motorsports				8		230
20	#9 JDC MotorSports		13				180
21	#43 JDC MotorSports	16					150
22	#4 CrowdStrike Racing by D Motorsports	19					120
23	#65 CORE Autosport					DNS	0
24	#21 Mühlner Motorsports America	DNS					0
	Drivers	DAY	MOH	MOS	VIR	ATL	Points

†: Post-event penalty. Car moved to back of class.

External links

• Official Website

Notes and References

1. News: State of the Sport Sets Table for Momentous 2022 IMSA Season. August 6, 2021. imsa.com. October 2, 2021.
2. News: IMSA Challenge, Single-Make Series Calendars Revealed. August 6, 2021. Dagys. John. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. October 2, 2021. Unlike this year, only 2020-spec LMP3 machinery will be permitted in 2022, with previous-gen cars to be phased out at the end of this season..
3. News: JR III Confirms Full-Season LMP3 Program. November 12, 2021. John. Dagys. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. November 12, 2021.
4. News: New, Returning Drivers in Jr III Lineup. January 12, 2022. John. Dagys. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. January 12, 2022.
5. Web site: Canada . imsa.com . IMSA . 30 June 2022 . Canada Entry List.
6. News: 2022_IPC_MidOhio_PreEvent_EntryList.pdf. May 4, 2022. imsa.com. May 9, 2022.
7. News: IPC Official.pdf. September 27, 2022. results.imsa.com. October 1, 2022.
8. News: CrowdStrike Racing Kicks Off New Year in Daytona. January 7, 2022. crowdstrikeracing.com. January 8, 2022.
9. News: 2022_IPC_Roar_PreEvent_EntryList_v3.pdf. January 12, 2022. imsa.com. January 20, 2022.
10. News: Performance Tech Set for IPC Return With Goldburg, Bitar. January 12, 2022. John. Dagys. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. January 12, 2022.
11. News: IPC Official Entry List.pdf. August 26, 2022. results.imsa.com. August 26, 2022.
12. News: JDC to Operate Duqueine LMP3 for AL Autosport. November 19, 2021. John. Dagys. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. November 19, 2021.
13. News: JDC to Run Robillard Entry. January 6, 2022. John. Dagys. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. January 6, 2022.
14. News: Gidley making Daytona return in Prototype Challenge. January 10, 2022. Marshall. Pruett. racer.com. January 10, 2022.
15. News: 03_Results_Race_Unofficial.PDF. July 3, 2022. imsa.com. IMSA. July 3, 2022.
16. News: 01_Grid_Race_Official.PDF. January 22, 2022. imsa.com. January 22, 2022. January 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220122170902/http://results.imsa.com/Results/22_2022/01_Daytona%20International%20Speedway/03_IMSA%20Prototype%20Challenge/202201221205_Race/01_Grid_Race_Official.PDF. dead.
17. News: Pilot Challenge Outfit AWA Announces LMP3 Program. December 14, 2021. Daniel. Lloyd. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. December 14, 2021.
18. News: Juan Pablo Montoya y su hijo Sebastián, entre los colombianos que verán acción en el automovilismo este fin de semana. Juan Pablo Montoya and his son Sebastián, among the Colombians who will see action in motorsports this weekend. Spanish. October 1, 2022. infobae.com. October 1, 2022. For his debut in the United States, Tunjo teamed up with veteran Venezuelan driver Alex Popow, driving the #18 Duqueine D08 LMP3 for the Muehlner Motorsports America team..
19. News: Ave, GRS to Field Two-Car Ligier Effort. December 30, 2021. sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. December 30, 2021.