IMSA – 50 cars entered at Daytona

20 prototypes, 9 GTLM and 21 GTD. Here is the expected field for the first round of theIMSA Sportscar Championship 2018, in just over a week on the Florida track of Daytona for the famous double clock tower.

In the premier category, in addition to the Cadillac DPi-VR, Nissan DPi, Ligier JS P217 and Oreca 07 already seen in 2017, the big news will come from the Acura ARX-05 from Acura Team Penske. The two prototypes entered by Roger Penske's structure will be able to count on two leading crews with the Montoya trios – Pagenaud – Cameron and Castroneves – Rahal – Ricky Taylor.

The latter, champion in 2017, left Wayne Taylor Racing which will be part of the Cadillac armada, ultra-dominant in the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at the start of the month. Spirit of Daytona (with Frenchman Tristan Vautier) and Action Express Racing will complete the American brand's commitment.

Mazda Team Joest with two RT24-Ps revised and corrected since the takeover of the program by the structure of Reinhold Joest, ESM with its two Nissan DPi (and its French Nicolas lapierre and Olivier Pla), Jackie Chan DC Racing with two Oreca 07s where we will notably find the Canadian Lance stroll, pilot Williams F1, will also be there. Romain Dumas and Loïc duval will be brought together on the No. 07 Oreca 54 of CORE Autosport.

But all eyes will logically be on United Autosports and its two Ligier JS P217s. The British team will field the Spaniard Fernando Alonso alongside Phil Hansson and Lando Norris, a trio whose evolution will be closely followed.

In GTLM, Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, BMW and Ford will compete again, with the major premiere of the racing debut of the M8 GTLM, which will also compete in the WEC. The Munich brand notably involved Philipp Eng and Connor de Philippi for its American commitment.

In the French clan, Sébastien Bourdais will be there with Ford when Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki will be teammates in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR.

It is in GTD that we will find the greatest number of cars registered with 21 GT3s. In spirit during testing for the Roar Before the Rolex 24, Franck Perera will be lined up alongside Mirko Bortolotti, Rolf Ineichen and Rik Breukers in the No. 3 Lamborghini Huracan GT11 – GRT.

Second at the 24 Hours of Dubai with Manthey Racing, Mathieu Jaminet will find a 911 GT3 R in Florida, operated by Wright Motorsports and also entrusted to Patrick Long, Christian Nielsen and Robert Renauer.

Côme Ledogar will contest the event in one of Michael Shank Racing's two Acura NSX GT3s, while Turner Motorsport has confirmed the presence of Martin Tomczyk in the only BMW M6 GT3 in the field.

Lexus, Audi, Ferrari and Mercedes will also be represented in the category.

List of entrants for the 24 2018 Hours of Daytona