ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — A State of the Sport presentation drew a capacity crowd of industry stakeholders and media to the Osthoff Resort on Saturday evening, when IMSA announced a new entitlement sponsor for its top series, a 10-year extension of partnerships with TUDOR Watch USA and Rolex Watch USA, and 2016 schedules for its top two series.
The biggest news was the introduction of WeatherTech as the entitlement partner in a multiyear agreement for IMSA’s top series, which now will be called the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship effective November 1, 2015.
TUDOR Watch USA moves from entitlement partner to “Official Timepiece of IMSA” in a 10-year extension of its partnership with the sanctioning body. Rolex Watch USA, announced an extension of 10 years of its partnership as an official sponsor at Sebring International Raceway, after announcing a 10-year extension of its entitlement sponsorship of the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this year.
In addition to the major partnership news, 2016 schedules for both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge also were unveiled.
The entitlement partnership was made by WeatherTech Founder and CEO David MacNeil, and his son, Cooper MacNeil, who drives a Porsche in the GT Daytona class of what will become the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. IMSA executives pointed to WeatherTech’s advertising and marketing prowess as a key component to the entitlement partnership.
“I am proud to announce that WeatherTech will become the entitlement partner in 2016 for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” said David MacNeil. “We want this to be the new golden era of sport car racing in America, and I want WeatherTech to be a big part of it.
“It is my intention to use our marketing horsepower to elevate the awareness of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to the general public. We want to increase our fan base for the betterment of the teams, the sponsors and finally the drivers.”
“WeatherTech is the perfect choice to serve as our new entitlement partner as we further expand the marketing activation and exposure of what now will be known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” added IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. “David MacNeil’s enthusiasm and personal passion for our sport, along with his proven success at growing the WeatherTech brand through brilliant, high-quality manufacturing and aggressive product marketing, will pay dividends for all involved.”
The 2016 WeatherTech Championship schedule will include a total of 12 events and opens with the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona in Daytona Beach, Florida on Jan. 30-31. It will be the first event in the new Daytona International Speedway motorsports stadium following the completion of the $400 million DAYTONA Rising project.
The WeatherTech Championship schedule will be anchored by four Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup events, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in Sebring, Florida on March 19, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in Watkins Glen, New York on July 3 and the season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia on Oct. 1.
Other WeatherTech Championship events include the Grand Prix of Long Beach (California) on April 16, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on May 1, Detroit’s Belle Isle on June 4, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario on July 10, Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut on July 23, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Aug. 7, VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia on Aug. 21 and Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on Sept. 17.
The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will run as companion events to the WeatherTech Championship at all 2016 races except for Long Beach and Detroit.