2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship
The 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was the 47th season of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) GT Championship that traces its lineage to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. It was the fourth season of the United SportsCar Championship and second under the name as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It began on 28 January with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on 7 October with the Petit Le Mans. Classes. The class structure remained largely unchanged from 2016. Schedule. Race schedule. The 2017 schedule was released on 5 August 2016 and features twelve rounds. Television  Coverage. The first 3 hours of the 24 Hours of Daytona and Long Beach were broadcast on Fox. The other rounds were all broadcast on Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and Fox Sports GO. Entries. Prototype. The Prototype class is made up of LMP2 cars both in LMP2 trim, with the ACO specification Gibson V8 engine, and in Daytona Prototype International (DPi) trim, where manufacturers are allowed to alter certain body panels designed to reflect the automaker's design language, and run their own engines. Mazda (Riley Technologies), Cadillac (Dallara), and Nissan (Onroak Automotive) run chassis from the respective  constructors featuring manufacturer-specific bodywork. Prototype Challenge. All entries use an Oreca FLM09 chassis powered by a LS3 6.2 L V8 engine. Race results. Bold indicates overall winner. Championship standings. Points systems. Championship points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event. Points are awarded based on finishing positions as shown in the chart below. Points are awarded in each class at the finish of each event. The point for the fastest lap is only awarded in the drivers' championship. Team points are calculated in exactly the same way as driver points, using the point distribution chart . Each car entered is considered its own "team" regardless if it is a single entry or part of a two-car team. There are also a number of manufacturer championships which utilize the same season-long point distribution chart. The manufacturer championships recognized by IMSA are as follows: Each manufacturer receives finishing points for its highest finishing car in each class. The positions of subsequent finishing cars from the same manufacturer are not taken into consideration, and all other manufacturers move up in the order. The points system for the North American Endurance Cup is different from the normal points  system. Points are awarded on a 5-4-3-2 basis for drivers, teams and manufacturers. The first finishing position at each interval earns five points, four points for second position, three points for third, with two points awarded for fourth and each subsequent finishing position. At Daytona (24 hour race), points are awarded at six hours, 12 hours, 18 hours and at the finish. At the Sebring (12 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish. At Watkins Glen (6 hour race), points are awarded at three hours and at the finish. At  Road Atlanta (10 hour race), points are awarded at four hours, eight hours and at the finish. Like the season-long team championship, North American Endurance Cup team points are awarded for each car and drivers get points in any car that they drive, in which they are entered for points. The manufacturer points go to the highest placed car from that manufacturer (the others from that manufacturer not being counted), just like the season-long manufacturer championship. For example: in any particular segment manufacturer A finishes 1st and 2nd and manufacturer B finishes 3rd. Manufacturer A only receives first -place points for that segment. Manufacturer B receives the second-place points.