IMSA Reunites as Atlantic Championship Sanctioning Body

[pits4me]

This is great news for Atlantic and Indycar fans.

INDIANAPOLIS - A key component of the 35th anniversary season for the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda has finally fallen into place as Atlantic Championship President Vicki O'Connor and officials from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced today that IMSA has agreed to sanction Atlantic Championship events for the 2008 season.

"After a lengthy period of negotiations, we are delighted to announce that IMSA will now be the sanctioning body for the Atlantic Championship," O'Connor said. "As a road racing championship in North America, it certainly makes sense to align Atlantic with North America's premier road racing sanctioning organization. Atlantic has some previous history with IMSA and--in our 35th anniversary season--we are excited to begin a new chapter with IMSA."

IMSA previously sanctioned Formula Atlantic in the United States in 1976. The U.S. championship was contested in addition to the Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC)-sanctioned Player's Challenge Series north of the border, and both championships were won by Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve. Ironically, the 1976 season also featured an event at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., where IMSA is now based. Road Atlanta will also play host to the 2008 Atlantic season finale on the same weekend as the prestigious Petit Le Mans for the American Le Mans Series.

While the Atlantic Championship will continue to be owned by Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe and will be operated by O'Connor and her staff, all races will be run under IMSA rules. The Atlantic Championship will be conducted under the IMSA Code, which establishes and oversees event, participant and safety parameters and conduct, as well as governing rules for each of its sanctioned series. The IMSA sanction takes immediate effect and will be in place for the next round of the Atlantic Championship on June 27-29 at Mont-Tremblant.

"IMSA is extremely proud to extend its sanction to the Atlantic Championship," said IMSA Chief Operating Officer Tim Mayer. "Over the past four decades, the Atlantic Championship has produced some of the world's greatest race car drivers including Formula One world champions, IndyCar champions and sports car champions. The series becomes part of a logical progression of championships sanctioned by IMSA including the Formula BMW Americas Championship, the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear and now the Atlantic Championship. Whether a driver's goals lie in open wheel, stock car or sports car racing, the IMSA family of sanctioned series provides a solid foundation.

"We believe that the Atlantic Championship provides a great basis for professional drivers. The series is superbly managed; it offers a great car, engine and tire package. If proof were needed we can simply point to 2006 series champion Simon Pagenaud's recent success in the American Le Mans Series and his great performance at Le Mans."

Atlantic championship graduates competing in top North American series in 2008 include IndyCar stars Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal, Buddy Rice and Ryan Hunter-Reay; rising NASCAR stars Patrick Carpentier, A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr.; American Le Mans Series competitors Johnny O'Connell, Luis Diaz, Simon Pagenaud, Alex Figge and Tom Sutherland; as well as reigning Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champions Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney among many others.

The Atlantic Championship is the longest-running open-wheel driver development series in North America and celebrates its 35th Anniversary season in 2008. The series is noted for its long history of graduating its drivers into the top levels of motorsport throughout the world, including IndyCar champions such as Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, Jimmy Vasser, Greg Ray, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dan Wheldon, Indy 500 winners such as Sullivan, Rahal, Villeneuve, Buddy Rice, Wheldon and Hornish, and Formula One world champions such as Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg. In 2008, Atlantic graduates will battle for race victories and championships in top North American series such as the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in addition to various other series all over the world. Learn more about Atlantic at http://www.atlantic-championship.com.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is the premier sanctioning body for road racing in North America. Since its establishment in 1969, IMSA has conducted hundreds of auto races on a variety of permanent and temporary racing circuits in the United States and Canada. Exclusively in the auto racing business, IMSA organizes and officiates professional road racing competitions. IMSA is one of the eight member clubs of the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), which is the FIA sporting association for the United States. As such, IMSA is one of just a few organizations in the U.S. authorized to stage competitions based in the International Sporting Code.

Currently IMSA sanctions several professional auto racing series including the American Le Mans Series, the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, IMSA Challenge by Michelin, Formula BMW Americas and IMSA Lites presented by Hankook. Each series provides a unique form of auto racing action through varying levels of driver and manufacturer competition.

Each year, IMSA awards millions of dollars in prize money, bonus awards and series point funds to the various winners. The headquarters office for IMSA is located in Braselton, GA.

[bennybigb]

Please close this thread, as it does not belong on the IRL forum.

IMSA is not IRL. Atlantics are not IRL.

Thank You.

[Rex Monaco]

Atlantic championship graduates competing in top North American series in 2008 include IndyCar stars Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal, Buddy Rice and Ryan Hunter-Reay

It looks like this makes it relevant to the Indycar forum.

[pits4me]

Please close this thread, as it does not belong on the IRL forum.

IMSA is not IRL. Atlantics are not IRL.

Thank You.

Atlantics is been the key development series in openwheel for decades. It outlasted the old CART Indy Lights and was boasting strong grids before the merger. I guess the mods have to decide the most appropriate place now that they have their official sanctioning. IMO there needs to be a forum dedicated to the Mazda Development ladder where drivers like Charles Hall and his announced move to Indy lights (circa 2008) can be openly discussed.

[bennybigb]

GP2 is also a feeder series for the IRL. Does that mean we should be discussing GP2 races here?

Atlantics have nothing to do with IRL races and such should have nothing to do with the IRL forums. There are many other forums in around in which to discuss Atlantic racing, just not here.

[Miatanut]

This is great news for Atlantic and Indycar fans....

Outstanding! :bounce:

[seppefan]

GP2 is also a feeder series for the IRL. Does that mean we should be discussing GP2 races here?

Atlantics have nothing to do with IRL races and such should have nothing to do with the IRL forums. There are many other forums in around in which to discuss Atlantic racing, just not here.



I have been requesting a sub section on the IRL thread for the more junior open wheel series - Atlantic & Indylights. They need a thread and if the people who run this show will not give it a thread of its own then lets have a subthread like GP2 has under F1.

This has fallen on deaf ears so far and so you will have to put up with comment on Atlantic, StarMazda, BMW etc till then. Call the mod and request the same otherwise ...

[BoilerIMS]

For the time being, the North American open wheel ladder is part of the IRL forum. quit arguing about forum organization.

[RacinRandy]

Please close this thread, as it does not belong on the IRL forum.

IMSA is not IRL. Atlantics are not IRL.

Thank You.

Maybe it doesn't belong here, but if the IRL had their way it may have been an IRL series. I do understand that the IRL and Grand Am were interested. I'm happy to see the Atlantics go to IMSA. That is a great series and would have hated to see Tony or the Frances mess it up.

[weeflyonthewall]

.. but if the IRL had their way it may have been an IRL series. I do understand that the IRL and Grand Am were interested. That is a great series and would have hated to see Tony or the Frances mess it up.

Is that fact or your perception? I thought the Series was kept as a separate entity to protect it from potential predators.


I'm happy to see the Atlantics go to IMSA.

Very strategic move by Vicki O'Conner & Co.

[!!WALDO!!]

Question I have is who is paying the bills. O'Connor and Mayer I do believe get paid by Gerry Forsythe, the owner of the Formula Atlantic Series.

It is interesting that IMSA which is owned by Dr. Don Panoz took so long to sanction this deal. I bet there was an attempt to get someone else to pay the bills and Don is already in contact with J.C. France about working something out that will cause the money flying out of Don's wallet to stop.

Good news but for how long. Atlantic is almost dead and may need to be reborn.

[pits4me]

Mayer is the COO of ALMS and IMSA. Also very tight with ACCUS and FIA. His father Teddy established McLaren F1 with Bruce McLaren. He worked for Penske and was Emo's business manager. He was also the founder of G3 Communications behind CART TV and the Rio race. Not sure why you would speculate he is also on Forsythe's payroll.

As for the innuendo about Panoz and France, I don't think there's too big a hole burning in Dr. Don's pockets these days. ALMS continues to build strength and credibility. Can't say the same for the Rolex DP's and increasing budgets problems within NASCAR.

Back to topic. History and series legacy would not allow Atlantics to play 2nd fiddle to the IPS/Indy Lights. Your "Atlantics is almost dead" comment reminds me of all the rhetoric from split shills when Toyota bailed and Yokohama left.

Many fans were surprised by how quickly Vicki responded with Mazda and Cooper Tire.

[!!WALDO!!]

Mayer is the COO of ALMS and IMSA. Also very tight with ACCUS and FIA. His father Teddy established McLaren F1 with Bruce McLaren. He worked for Penske and was Emo's business manager. He was also the founder of G3 Communications behind CART TV and the Rio race. Not sure why you would speculate he is also on Forsythe's payroll.

As for the innuendo about Panoz and France, I don't think there's too big a hole burning in Dr. Don's pockets these days. ALMS continues to build strength and credibility. Can't say the same for the Rolex DP's and increasing budgets problems within NASCAR.

I tried to correct it but my time limit ran out.

My point is that somebody must pay for the Atlantics and Don Panoz will not.

The ALMS series is not making money and what budget problems does NASCAR have? J.C. France's share of NASCAR revenue is $20,000,000 at a minimum. That is 40 Grand-Am races unsponsored a year.

Don Panoz has one show that makes money, Sebring and one that breaks even, Atlanta.
Strength? 26 cars. Credibility? Yes, problem is neither pay the bills, money does and it is Don's.

[pits4me]

That Patron sponsorship move away from IndyCar has certainly left ALMS in your crosshairs. I moved this part of the topic to the ALMS forum for thematic discussion. As for Atlantics, Vicki has always managed to maintain economic balance, even in the days of her Pro-Motion Agency. Atlantics has had a lot of Philanthropy support over the years.

[!!WALDO!!]

That Patron sponsorship move away from IndyCar has certainly left ALMS in your crosshairs.

Really so they must have left 5 years ago then

3 GP1, 7 GP2, 2 GT1 and 9 GT2 that is my concern. If you worry about competition there is the series.



I moved this part of the topic to the ALMS forum for thematic discussion. As for Atlantics, Vicki has always managed to maintain economic balance, even in the days of her Pro-Motion Agency. Atlantics has had a lot of Philanthropy support over the years.

Really? Like KK and GF's wallet? This deal for 10 races will cost someone $2,000,000 at least. I would like to know where the printing press is for the cash.
My point was those two more than likely were looking to dump it but found no takers. Who else will sanction their events? SCCA Pro Division is all but dead and not one promoter is going to take on another $200,000 per date in expenses. Not when at most of the remaining races 25,000 will be a huge crowd.

Yes Vicki does do a good job but it maybe time to pull the pull and reorginize.

[weeflyonthewall]

Question I have is who is paying the bills.
Why is that your concern? As long as the series is still alive and bringing us drivers like Matos, Hinchcliffe, Wirth, Sciuto, Lacroix and Swiss Miss Simona De Silvestro, does it really matter who is underwriting the business?



Good news but for how long. Atlantic is almost dead and may need to be reborn.
Try looking at the positive side of things for a change. We trying to stimulate discussion here, not drive people away.

[!!WALDO!!]

Why is that your concern? As long as the series is still alive and bringing us drivers like Matos, Hinchcliffe, Wirth, Sciuto, Lacroix and Swiss Miss Simona De Silvestro, does it really matter who is underwriting the business?

It is called survival. Notice what happened to that other series when the same two decided not to pay the bills any more.



Try looking at the positive side of things for a change. We trying to stimulate discussion here, not drive people away.

Stimulate discussion? How are you doing that? I would like to know. :confused:

[weeflyonthewall]

It is called survival. Notice what happened to that other series when the same two decided not to pay the bills any more.

KK was the one that decided to work a back room deal with TG, not Forsythe. There is a huge difference between the demise of Champ Car and your prediction that Atlantic's is dying because YOU can't substantiate how it will establish financial stability. At least with unification Indycar can boast grids similar is in size to what Atlantics has enjoyed for over 35 years. But now that TG has put away his OW war chest Atlantic is on the road to recovery.

[!!WALDO!!]

KK was the one that decided to work a back room deal with TG, not Forsythe.

He signed the paperwork and a no compete clause. So where is Champ Car then? Invisiable series? Racing in the minds of those that are in denial?


There is a huge difference between the demise of Champ Car and your prediction that Atlantic's is dying because YOU can't substantiate how it will establish financial stability.

Kalkhoven and Forsythe are the financial stability as they were for the CCWS. They are mentioned in the article and are the suppliers of the engines. You maybe in denial of some sort. Look at the history.


At least with unification Indycar can boast grids similar is in size to what Atlantics has enjoyed for over 35 years.

You mean like a few years ago when it was 16?



But now that TG has put away his OW war chest Atlantic is on the road to recovery.

How is it on the road to recovery? No exposure and two guys paying the bills. Sounds like 2007 too me.

[Jag_Warrior]

GP2 is also a feeder series for the IRL. Does that mean we should be discussing GP2 races here?

Atlantics have nothing to do with IRL races and such should have nothing to do with the IRL forums. There are many other forums in around in which to discuss Atlantic racing, just not here.

Lighten up, Francis. :p :