2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge
The 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge presented by Mazda is the thirteenth season of the IMSA Lites series and its successors and the second season as the IMSA Prototype Challenge. The season features 6 races across 6 weekends.
Series news
- 2018 is the final season Fox Sports will televise the series, NBC Sports Group becomes the series' broadcaster, starting in 2019.
- 2018 is also the final season that Continental Tire will be the tire supplier, Michelin will take over that role for the 2019 season.
- 2018 will be the final season of the Mazda Prototype Challenge class, with LMP3 to become to sole class from 2019 onwards.
Classes
- Le Mans Prototype 3
- Mazda Prototype Challenge
Calendar
Race schedule
The 2018 schedule was released on 24 August 2017 and features six rounds.| Circuit | Location | Date | Duration | Supporting | |
| 1 | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach, Florida | January 6 | 1 hour 45 mins | WeatherTech SportsCar Championship |
| 2 | Sebring International Raceway | Sebring, Florida | March 16 | 1 hour 45 mins | 12 Hours of Sebring |
| 3 | Barber Motorsports Park | Birmingham, Alabama | April 22 | 1 hour 45 mins | Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama |
| 4 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario | July 8 | 1 hour 45 mins | WeatherTech SportsCar Championship |
| 5 | Virginia International Raceway | Alton, Virginia | August 18 | 1 hour 45 mins | WeatherTech SportsCar Championship |
| 6 | Road Atlanta | Braselton, Georgia | October 12 | 1 hour 45 mins | Petit Le Mans |
| NC | Sebring International Raceway | Sebring, Florida | November 9 | 4 hours | IMSA Michelin Encore1 |
1 LMP3 will participate in this race with the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's GT Daytona class and the Grand Sport and TCR cars from the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge as one single four-hour race. This race will preview the 2019 IMSA rules package and new tyre supplier Michelin.
Calendar Changes
- The race weekend format has been changed to feature a single 1 hour 45-minute race instead of two 45 minute races as was the case in 2017.
- The rounds at Watkins Glen International, Lime Rock Park and Circuit Trois-Rivières were removed from the calendar and replaced by rounds at Daytona International Speedway and Virginia International Raceway, this reduced the number of events from seven down to six.
Entry list
LMP3
All teams use Nissan VK50VE 5.0L V8 engines.Note: A driver with a is participating in the Amateur Masters Category.
Mazda Prototype Challenge (MPC)
All teams use Elan DP02 chassis and Mazda MZR 2.0L 4 cylinder engines.Results
Race results
Bold indicates overall winner.| Round | Circuit | LMP3 Winning Car | MPC Winning Car |
| Round | Circuit | LMP3 Winning Drivers | MPC Winning Drivers |
| 1 | Daytona | No. 4 ANSA Motorsports | No. 11 Performance Tech Motorsports |
| 1 | Daytona | ''' |