2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship

The 2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship) was the 49th motor racing championship sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) (which traces its lineage back to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship). It was the sixth season of the United SportsCar Championship and fourth to be held under the name as the IMSA SportsCar Championship. It began on January 26 with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on October 12 with the Petit Le Mans. The 2019 season marked the 50th anniversary since the founding of the International Motor Sports Association.

Series news

 * NBC Sports Group took over from Fox Sports as the series' official broadcaster. Coverage alternates between local NBC stations, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, and livestreams.
 * Michelin increased its IMSA involvement by becoming the sole official tire supplier of the series, following the departure of Continental Tire at the end of 2018.
 * As part of a plan to attempt to cut costs for the series' GT Daytona (GTD) class, the 2019 season featured a new support championship called the WeatherTech Sprint Cup. The championship was held for the GT Daytona class at the sprint events of the calendar.
 * After an eleven-year partnership, Tequila Patrón ended their involvement with IMSA altogether at the end of the 2018 season. They also ended their sponsorship of the Extreme Speed Motorsports prototype team, who subsequently closed down operations. Michelin took Patrón's place as the sponsor of the endurance cup.
 * As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of IMSA, multiple teams adopted racing liveries created in tribute to iconic teams throughout IMSA's history, such as Brumos Porsche, Electramotive Engineering, Roush Racing, and Comptech Acura.

Classes

 * Daytona Prototype international (DPi)
 * Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)
 * GT Le Mans (GTLM)
 * GT Daytona (GTD)

The Prototype class, which previously combined Daytona Prototype international cars alongside Le Mans Prototype 2 cars, was now split into two separate classes.

Rule changes

 * The DPi class is now the lead class of the championship, and features teams with full professional lineups running DPi cars. The class has its own Balance of Performance (BoP). The LMP2 class is the lower prototype class in the championship, featuring Global LMP2 cars with Pro-Am lineups. There is no BoP applied to the LMP2 class.
 * Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) and GT Daytona (GTD), the Pro-Am classes of the championship, must adhere to driver rating requirements. Each car is only allowed two Platinum-rated or Gold-rated drivers for the endurance events, alongside the requirement of at least one Bronze-rated or Silver-rated driver for all sprint races. In these classes, the Bronze or Silver-rated drivers are required to start the race.

Schedule
The 2019 schedule was released on August 3, 2018 and features twelve rounds.

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Notes:

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)
In accordance with the 2017 LMP2 regulations, all cars in the LMP2 class use the Gibson GK428 V8 engine.

GT Le Mans (GTLM)
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Race results
Bold indicates overall winner.

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

Points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event.
 * Drivers points

Team points are calculated in exactly the same way as driver points, using the point distribution chart. Each car entered is considered its own "team" regardless if it is a single entry or part of a two-car team.
 * Team points

There are also a number of manufacturer championships which utilize the same season-long point distribution chart. The manufacturer championships recognized by IMSA are as follows:
 * Manufacturer points


 * Daytona Prototype international (DPi): Engine & bodywork manufacturer
 * GT Le Mans (GTLM): Car manufacturer
 * GT Daytona (GTD): Car manufacturer

Each manufacturer receives finishing points for its highest finishing car in each class. The positions of subsequent finishing cars from the same manufacturer are not taken into consideration, and all other manufacturers move up in the order.


 * Example: Manufacturer A finishes 1st and 2nd at an event, and Manufacturer B finishes 3rd. Manufacturer A receives 35 first-place points while Manufacturer B would earn 32 second-place points.

The points system for the Michelin Endurance Cup is different from the normal points system. Points are awarded on a 5–4–3–2 basis for drivers, teams and manufacturers. The first finishing position at each interval earns five points, four points for second position, three points for third, with two points awarded for fourth and each subsequent finishing position.
 * Michelin Endurance Cup

At Daytona (24 hour race), points are awarded at six hours, 12 hours, 18 hours and at the finish. At the Sebring (12 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish. At Watkins Glen (6 hour race), points are awarded at three hours and at the finish. At Road Atlanta (10 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish.

Like the season-long team championship, Michelin Endurance Cup team points are awarded for each car and drivers get points in any car that they drive, in which they are entered for points. The manufacturer points go to the highest placed car from that manufacturer (the others from that manufacturer not being counted), just like the season-long manufacturer championship.

For example: in any particular segment manufacturer A finishes 1st and 2nd and manufacturer B finishes 3rd. Manufacturer A only receives first-place points for that segment. Manufacturer B receives the second-place points.

Drivers' championships
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GTD
† Points only counted towards the WeatherTech Sprint Cup, and not the overall GTD Championship.

1 Originally finished 2nd in class, but demoted to last after violating minimum drive time regulations. 2 Originally finished 14th in class, but demoted to last after violating minimum drive time regulations.

Standings: GT Daytona
† Points only counted towards the WeatherTech Sprint Cup, and not the overall GTD Championship.

1 Originally finished 2nd in class, but demoted to last after violating minimum drive time regulations. 2 Originally finished 14th in class, but demoted to last after violating minimum drive time regulations.

Standings: GT Daytona
† Points only counted towards the WeatherTech Sprint Cup, and not the overall GTD Championship.