Category: IMSA

Motorsport is a hotbed of new technology, which is essential to its existence, but sometimes, don’t you just wish an unhinged group of fanatics would develop something that reminds you why you love racing?

So much of modern motorsport is governed by parity, and many series choose to do that by keeping regulations for things like engines the same. You can often build your own, but to a certain capacity and stringent, suffocating regulations mean everything merges into a variation of the same thing.

It’s at this moment I’m transported back to the 12 Hours of Sebring last year, standing with my tour guide, RACER’s Marshall Pruett, that I saw, and more importantly, heard, that unhinged thing we so seldom, but desperately want, to see.

Cadillac’s V-Series.R sounds like it is being fueled by the asphalt it is driving on, powered by ghouls, scorpions, children’s nightmares, that sort of thing. It’s a deep growl which rasps and bellows through its seven gears.

If you haven’t heard the marque’s IMSA and World Endurance Championship challenger, watch/listen to this.

It’s no surprise that, given Cadillac’s first proper foray into sports car racing in 1950 produced the legendary “Le Monstre” — with a 5.4-liter V8 — and its second, the 4.0-liter, V8 turbocharged Northstar LMP of 2000, that the brand has produced yet another raucous machine.

But there’s plenty more to this one that makes it a paradox of the old and new, a reflection of the excellent IMSA rules cycle and proof that motorsport doesn’t need to be formulaic and homologous, if the rule makers broaden their horizons.

The noise is something Cadillac’s lead propulsion engineer Adam Trojanek tells RACER it knew it wanted from the start; that its new car should “sound great, bring that American thunder not only to IMSA, but the WEC paddock and all over the world, and really make sure that everyone knew that it was a Cadillac going around the track”.

The 32-valve, 5.5-liter V8, which produces around 670hp, was designed from the beginning to sound incredible as well as perform to the highest level.

The four-into-one exhaust, and utilizing many key personnel who had engineering knowledge of how parts of engine production impact acoustics, was obviously very important. Monitoring the sound on the dyno was also crucial during the development phase.

Sound isn’t always a staple of the development process for many manufacturers but it’s clearly very important to Cadillac. If you want any evidence of that, Trojanek tells a story of something that happened in the car’s development, when blending the hybrid power unit — which the current IMSA cars start on in the pits, and then the engine kicks in later on.

“We looked at how we utilize the different powertrain components down pit lane,” Trojanek explains. “We found something that’s maybe a little better for fuel. We’re like, nah, the original one sounds better! We’re just gonna run and make it sound better down pit road, because that is the part that makes the car! So yeah, definitely try to keep the ‘let’s make this thing sound great’ when we can.”

Trojanek also recalls the first time Cadillac shook down the V-Series.R, at Indianapolis in 2022, and it was just after July 4.

“Being an American, American team, it was pretty ironic with the timing of things,” he said. “The first time we went on track, it was amazing. The social media presence from that and then further testing just showed how enamored people are, and continue to be, with the Cadillac sound.”

It wasn’t a foregone conclusion it would go naturally aspirated — remember the Northstar LMP was a turbocharged V8 — but doing so when all of its competitors are running a smaller displacement, turbocharged engine (Acura’s is a 2.4-liter, less than half the size of the Cadillac!) opened the realms of possibility.

Turbo lag isn’t as much of a problem, such is the development of turbo technology these days, but nevertheless, the Cadillac doesn’t have that worry and provides supple driver-feel for the engine’s power delivery. Perhaps the most beneficial thing though is — and you may well have heard and grown to hate this word as I have — the “packaging” is much less of a problem. With turbos, battery packs and cooling, packaging all of this stuff into the car and having it perform reliably has been an issue.

But with just a naturally aspirated engine, Trojanek reckons Cadillac had to do less work than their rivals in this area and dedicate important time elsewhere. Design, making components more lightweight, developing materials, manufacturing processes and production line checking, things like this, to find gains in other areas.

It’s true that because of the balance of performance which regulates and keeps sportscars equal, you can only produce and use so much power, and software has become the big, key battleground in IMSA versus any one of the “hardware” parts like the engine.

But IMSA is a series of marginal gains and just because power is limited, there’s still a need to focus on how that power is delivered. There are almost 2000 parts in the LMC55R engine, so there’s plenty to hone and work on and make it reliable, too. Over a 24-hour event, including the sessions prior to the race, IMSA cars might cover the distance from Seattle to New York and more.

With such tough opposition, it’s vital to ensure reliability and speed.

The paradox is, although this is what some people would call an extremely nostalgic engine, the IMSA rule set means that it’s mated to a hybrid unit. The “old” and the new, showing that motorsport can do just that and blend different eras of technology in order to make sure it’s relevant to its manufacturers, just like it does with things like letting the car makers use headlights you would see on a road car.

As well as the hybrid, Cadillac reckons 30 percent of the parts used in the car are 3D printed. So while this engine might be nostalgic on paper, the package is undeniably modern, cutting-edge.

While the engine stays the same in 2025, it’s a period of change this year for Cadillac. With Chip Ganassi exiting the fold and Wayne Taylor Racing replacing it, there’s a new team and a driver shake-up which could provide some initial teething issues, but also provide a fresh level of input and insight from new people, at a time when the hardware remains the same.

The noise will also sound the same, and I urge you to try and get trackside to an IMSA race this year. Especially one at night, if you can. It’s one of the best noises in modern motorsport.

It will have actual competition this year when the even bigger Aston Martin engine gets select outings truly delivering on IMSA’s “bring the noise” ethos – the series has even asked to make the Aston Martin louder!

These engines give you faith that motorsport doesn’t have to become soulless. There’s still plenty of life left in making motorsport loud and relevant at the same time.

For more detail on the Cadillac LMC55R engine, click here or watch below.

For a tech tour of the Cadillac V-Series.R, click here or check out the video below.

This has been my first column for RACER. It’s truly an honor to write for the biggest and best motorsport media brand in North America, a publication I’ve read and a website I’ve perused for many years, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Its team of writers have always been so welcoming to me in the paddock, and I hope to emulate them in bringing you great content from IMSA throughout the year.

 

IMSA has released an updated entry list for the 63rd annual Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Roar Before The Rolex 24, with all 61 original teams remaining on course to compete in the opening round of the IMSA season.

Automobili Lamborghini Squadra Corse is still likely to compete with its previously-announced quartet of Mirko Bortolotti, Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat and Edoardo Mortara in the No.63 Lamborghini SC63 prototype.

The other entry that was uncertain in GTP was the No.5 Proton Competition Porsche 963, though it is also on the newest entry list. Following the announcement of Gianmaria Bruni’s move to JDC-Miller MotorSports, the No.5 Porsche will now be driven by Neel Jani, former JDC-Miller driver Tristan Vautier, and LMP2 graduate Nico Pino of Chile, plus space for a fourth driver to be named later.

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All LMP2 line-ups are now set for the moment, with confirmation that Dylan Murry will be the Silver-rated driver aboard the No.88 ORECA 07 for AF Corse (PECOM Racing).

Meanwhile in GTD PRO, only the line-ups of Paul Miller Racing’s two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs have yet to be decided, but most seats are now filled up at the other teams.

This includes Jules Gounon as the fourth driver in the No.75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3, where he joins Maro Engel, Mikaël Grenier, and Kenny Habul, and Maxime Martin, who will make his Mercedes-AMG factory debut with GetSpeed in the No.69 car.

The latest entry list also confirms almost all of the 22 GTD entries and their four-driver crews, including recent announcements from Vasser Sullivan Racing, Triarsi Competizione, and Van der Steur Racing.

Eddie Cheever III is now entered in the No.023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3, with the previously-announced Ricciardo Agostini moving into the No.50 AF Corse Ferrari, where he joins Custodio Toledo, Ferrari Driver Academy alumnus Arthur Leclerc, and Conrad Laursen.

Scott Andrews returns to Lone Star Racing, with past GT World Challenge America Champion Eric Filgueiras, and Mercedes-AMG factory driver Ralf Aron joining team owner Dan Knox in the No.80 Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Three-quarters of Gradient Racing’s line-up for the new No.66 Ford Mustang GT3 has been set, featuring Ford Performance factory driver Joey Hand, a return for Gradient Racing mainstay and Lola Cars owner Till Bechtolsheimer, and Colombian Tatiana Calderon, who drove for the team last year.

Nicki Thiim has been confirmed to reprise his role as the fourth driver for Magnus Racing. In the team’s final IMSA race, Thiim shares the No.44 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 with John Potter, Andy Lally, and Spencer Pumpelly.

David Fumanelli and Franck Perera fill out the last vacancies at Inception Racing and Forte Racing, respectively.

A look over the new entry list also has a few driver slots that were previously announced by their respective teams now appearing as TBDs. But this is more likely due to finalizing paperwork and applications for the event, and not a suggestion of any last-minute driver changes – with the exception of Austin Cindric replacing the injured Ben Barker in the No.64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3.

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Vasser Sullivan Racing has restructured its two-car, two-class effort in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the 2025 season.

2023 IMSA GTD Pro Champions Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat will be split after three seasons together in GTD PRO. Barnicoat will remain in the GTD PRO No.14 Lexus RC F GT3, but this year the British driver will be joined by American Aaron Telitz, who returns to a full-time role at Vasser Sullivan after running the Michelin Endurance Cup in 2024.

Meanwhile, Hawksworth will join Canadian Parker Thompson in the GTD No.12 Lexus for the full season.

Hawksworth and Barnicoat finished fifth in last year’s GTD PRO standings with a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, while Thompson was sixth in the GTD championship with a win at Long Beach, with Barnicoat as his co-driver in a one-off arrangement.

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Andretti Global IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood will continue in his role as the Michelin Endurance Cup driver aboard the No.14 Lexus, joined by Lexus veteran, 2014 GTD winner at Daytona, and NBC Sports Townsend Bell – back in the Daytona 24 Hours for the first time since 2022.

Kirkwood will also pull double-duty at Daytona, sharing the No.12 GTD entry with Hawksworth, Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo, who has shifted from full-time to an Endurance Cup role for 2025. Likewise, Bell will drive and work for NBC as a race analyst for its coverage of the Rolex 24.

Jeff Bal, Senior Manager of Lexus Motorsports, said: “The 2025 IMSA season can’t come soon enough. The only thing more difficult than winning the 2023 championship, was defending it.

“We learned that the hard way last year and haven’t taken a day off since the checkered flag at Road Atlanta in October. The entire Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing team has managed through the highs and the lows, coming into this season fully focused and committed to winning it all. The driver lineups showcase that we’ve got what it takes to win and we’re intending to do just that beginning with Daytona.

“IMSA continues to put on an incredible show for all race fans and we’re fortunate to be racing among many of the world’s greatest, most storied programs. This year’s going to be one for the ages.”

Vasser Sullivan Racing co-owners Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan said in a joint statement: “We are headed into the 2025 season with unfinished business and the team has prepared accordingly. Every driver in this line-up has won with us and we’re laser focused on clinching another championship and bringing home the Rolex 24 victory. With Kyle Kirkwood pulling double duty between both cars, and Townsend Bell pulling double duty with the NBC booth, this will be a very dynamic and powerful Rolex 24 race for us.”

Barnicoat is also committed to a full-season role at Akkodis ASP Team in the FIA World Endurance Championship, which has two date clashes with the IMSA GTD Pro class: The Motul Course de Monterey on the same weekend as the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on the same weekend as the WEC 6 Hours of Sao Paulo. No announcement has been made about Barnicoat’s priority program.