It is easy to know why the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has become the most anticipated season in series history.
Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya are joining the series on a full-time basis as part of the new Acura Team Penske. World champion Fernando Alonso is part of the United Autosports team at the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. These names along with the defending Prototype champion Wayne Taylor Racing and newcomer Mazda Team Joest, plus many others will give fans plenty to watch in 2018.
Today, IMSA in conjunction with their broadcast partner FOX Sports, revealed the complete television schedule for the series.
The season begins with the drop of the green flag at the 56th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. EST. The first three hours of the race will air live on FOX. A total of 14 ½ hours will air live with those hours broadcast on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona also marks the start of coverage throughout the season on the FOX Sports Go app. The live streaming app offers coverage of all 12 WeatherTech Championship races in 2018. FSGO will simulcast all FOX Sports telecasts in their entirety and will have 12 1/2 hours of exclusive coverage during the year.
“IMSA and FOX Sports have developed a robust schedule for the 2018 WeatherTech Championship broadcasts,” IMSA vice president, marketing David Pettit said. “FOX Sports does an incredible job delivering all the drama, stories and excitement of the IMSA season and we know they will continue to do so in 2018. This partnership keeps our same presence on FOX as we did in 2017, continues to feature a small number of channel changes during our Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup events and utilizes FOX Sports GO throughout the season.
“The combination of FS1 and FS2, with the ability to watch anywhere on FSGO, provides our fans and partners a terrific viewing platform. It’s a package that will capture the essence and drama of race weekends all season long.”
Besides the first three hours of the Rolex 24, FOX will televise the BUBBA burger SportsCar Grand Prix at Long Beach on Saturday, April 14.
FS1 will feature 26 1/2 hours of WeatherTech Championship action throughout the year including six 1/2-hour live blocks from the Rolex 24 and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
FS1 will also telecast complete events at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. FS2 will carry 33 hours of live coverage in 2017 including full coverage of races at Mid-Ohio, Detroit and Lime Rock Park.
Nine of 12 events will have FOX Sports GO streaming with authentication for all FS1 cable subscribers. That includes all four Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup races – the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on July 1 and the Motul Petit Le Mans on Oct. 13.
2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Television / Streaming Schedule
Date Event/Venue Channel Times (All Times ET)
Jan. 27-28 Rolex 24 At Daytona FOX 2 – 5 p.m. Sat.
Daytona International Speedway FS2 5 – 10 p.m. Sat.
Daytona Beach, Florida FSGO 10 – 11 p.m. Sat.
FS1 11 p.m. Sat. – 1 a.m. Sun.
FSGO 1 a.m. – 8 a.m. Sun.
FS1 8 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Sun.
FSGO 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
FS1 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sun.
March 17 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring FS1 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sebring International Raceway FS2 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Sebring, Florida FSGO 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
FS2 3:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
April 14 BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach FOX 4 – 6 p.m.
Long Beach, California
May 6 Mid-Ohio FS2 1 – 4 p.m.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Lexington, Ohio
June 2 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix FS2 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Detroit, Michigan
July 1 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen FS1 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
July 8 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park FS1 4 – 7 p.m.^
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
July 21 Northeast Grand Prix FS2 3 – 6 p.m.
Lime Rock Park
Lakeville, Connecticut
Aug. 5 Continental Tire Road Race Showcase FS1 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Aug. 19 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR FS1 1 – 2 p.m.
VIRginia International Speedway FS2 2 – 4 p.m.
Danville, Virginia
Sept. 9 Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix FS1 5 – 8 p.m.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, California
Oct. 13 Motul Petit Le Mans FS1 10:30 – 12 p.m.
Road Atlanta FS2 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Braselton, Georgia
IMSA/Fox Sports PR
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