USC – IMSA publishes regulations for the 2015 season

THEIMSA has published sports regulations concerning the next USC season which will begin on January 10 and 11 with the Roar before the Rolex 24, these three-day tests to prepare for the 24 Hours of Daytona (Florida) contested on January 24 and 25. The technical regulations will remain substantially identical to that in force this year. “We analyzed the feedback from the USC paddock and it emerged that we needed to establish consistency going into the second season”, said Scott Elkins, director of IMSA. “This new regulation is the result of an open dialogue with our participants. These discussions will continue next month at the Roar before the Rolex 24 and into the season. »

New point system

IMSA has revised its points system for Prototype and GT LeMans crews with the aim of favor those based on the long term.
– Drivers will receive the same points if a car does not finish the race, regardless of its position on the grid.
– Teams registered in the Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona will be able to declare crews of four to five drivers per car for the endurance races. Silver or Bronze drivers will receive the same points as their Gold teammate if the car does not finish the race, as long as they have completed their minimum time behind the wheel.
– The Jim Trueman and Bob Akin Trophies will no longer reward the PC and GTD categories but the Prototypes and GTLM. The winners will receive automatic invitations for 24 Hours of Le Mans 2016.

Qualifications and departure

- The driver who qualified the car must start. The car will be relegated to the back of the category grid if a change takes place.
- The starting grid will be assembled by categories if all four classes participate in the race. The Prototypes will start in front of the PCs, the GTLMs and the GTDs. The two Prototypes and GT fields will have separate restarts with a single safety car.
- The tires used in qualifying must be fitted for the start of the race when conditions are dry. An unauthorized change will be synonymous with demotion to the bottom of the grid for the category concerned. The team will obviously be able to choose its type of rubber if the conditions are wet, unless the race is declared “wet” by the race direction. Grooved rubbers will then be required.

Yellow flag procedures

The organizers have chosen to create two types of yellow flags in order to reduce interruptions: the “Standard” and the “Short” (short). The stands will be open under Standard yellow flag with stops separated by category. On the other hand, they will be closed during the Short yellow flag. Cars will then have to wait for the green flag before returning to the pits, unless medical services are required.

IMSA also indicated that it intended relax sanctions in certain cases, including warnings in the event of a first violation of the regulations.