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1997 IMSA GT Championship

{{short description|27th season of the racing series organized by IMSA}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Motorsport season

| series = IMSA GT Championship

| year = 1997

}}

The 1997 Exxon World Sports Car Championship and Supreme GT Series seasons were the 27th season of the IMSA GT Championship. It consisted of open-cockpit prototypes referred to as World Sports Car (WSC) and Grand Tourer-style racing cars divided into GTS-1, GTS-2, and GTS-3 classes.

It began February 1, 1997, and ended October 26, 1997, after eleven rounds. 1997 would mark the final year in IMSA GT for the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. In 1998, the SCCA's revived United States Road Racing Championship would acquire the events.

Schedule

Most races on the schedule ran with the GTS and WSC classes running separate races, sometimes with different lengths. Races marked with Both had both classes on track at the same time for the whole race.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
Rnd

! Race

! Length

! Class

! Circuit

! Date

1

| Rolex 24 at Daytona

| 24 Hours

| align="center" | Both

| Daytona International Speedway

| February 1
February 2

2

| Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring

| 12 Hours

| align="center" | Both

| Sebring International Raceway

| March 15

rowspan=2 | 3

| rowspan=2 | NAPA Grand Prix of Atlanta

| rowspan=2 | 2 Hours

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Road Atlanta

| April 19

align="center" | WSC

| April 20

rowspan=2 | 4

| rowspan=2 | Dodge Dealers Grand Prix

| rowspan=2 | 1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Lime Rock Park

| rowspan=2 | May 26

align="center" | WSC
5

| First Union Six Hours at the Glen

| 6 Hours

| align="center" | Both

| Watkins Glen International

| June 1

rowspan=2 | 6

| rowspan=2 | California Grand Prix

| 1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Sears Point Raceway

| rowspan=2 | July 13

2 Hours

| align="center" | WSC

rowspan=2 | 7

| rowspan=2 | Mosport Festival

| 1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Mosport International Raceway

| rowspan=2 | August 31

2 Hours

| align="center" | WSC

rowspan=2 | 8

| rowspan=2 | Sportscar Grand Prix

| 1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway

| rowspan=2 | September 20

2 Hours

| align="center" | WSC

rowspan=2 | 9

| rowspan=2 | Festival of Road Racing

| 2 Hours

| align="center" | WSC

| rowspan=2 | Pikes Peak International Raceway

| rowspan=2 | September 28

1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

rowspan=2 | 10

| rowspan=2 | NAPA Sebring Octoberfest

| 2 Hours

| align="center" | WSC

| rowspan=2 | Sebring International Raceway

| rowspan=2 | October 18

1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

rowspan=2 | 11

| rowspan=2 | Visa Sports Car Championship

| rowspan=2 | 1 Hour 45 Minutes

| align="center" | GTS

| rowspan=2 | Laguna Seca Raceway

| rowspan=2 | October 26

align="center" | WSC

Season results

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
rowspan=2 | Rnd

! rowspan=2 | Circuit

! WSC Winning Team

! GTS-1 Winning Team

! GTS-2 Winning Team

! GTS-3 Winning Team

! rowspan=2 | Results

WSC Winning Drivers

! GTS-1 Winning Drivers

! GTS-2 Winning Drivers

! GTS-3 Winning Drivers

rowspan=2 | 1

| rowspan=2 | Daytona

| {{flagicon|United States}} #20 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #01 Rohr Corp.

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #99 Roock Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #10 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United States}} Elliott Forbes-Robinson
{{flagicon|United States}} John Schneider
{{flagicon|United States}} Rob Dyson
{{flagicon|United States}} John Paul Jr.
{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Andy Wallace
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} James Weaver

| {{flagicon|United States}} Jochen Rohr
{{flagicon|United States}} Andy Pilgrim
{{flagicon|Germany}} Harald Grohs
{{flagicon|Germany}} Arnd Meier

| {{flagicon|Germany}} Ralf Kelleners
{{flagicon|France}} Patrice Goueslard
{{flagicon|Germany}} Claudia Hürtgen
{{flagicon|Germany}} André Ahrlé

| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Javier Quiros
{{flagicon|United States}} Derek Hill
{{flagicon|United States}} Boris Said
{{flagicon|United States}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|United States}} Tom Hessert

rowspan=2 | 2

| rowspan=2 | Sebring

| {{flagicon|United States}} #3 Team Scandia

| {{flagicon|United States}} #11 Robinson Racing

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #10 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|France}} Yannick Dalmas
{{flagicon|Sweden}} Stefan Johansson
{{flagicon|Spain}} Fermín Vélez
{{flagicon|United States}} Andy Evans

| {{flagicon|United States}} Irv Hoerr
{{flagicon|United States}} Jack Baldwin
{{flagicon|United States}} George Robinson

| {{flagicon|France}} Bob Wollek
{{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|Germany}} Wido Rössler

| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Javier Quiros
{{flagicon|United States}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|United States}} Derek Hill
{{flagicon|United States}} Tom Hessert

rowspan=2 | 3

| rowspan=2 | Road Atlanta

| {{flagicon|United States}} #16 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #66 Panoz Motorsports

| {{flagicon|United States}} #99 Schumacher Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #39 Jim Matthews

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} James Weaver

| {{flagicon|United States}} Doc Bundy
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Andy Wallace

| {{flagicon|United States}} Larry Schumacher
{{flagicon|United States}} John O'Steen

| {{flagicon|United States}} Jim Matthews
{{flagicon|United States}} David Murry

rowspan=2 | 4

| rowspan=2 | Lime Rock

| {{flagicon|United States}} #30 Moretti Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #91 Rock Valley

| {{flagicon|United States}} #99 Schumacher Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #6 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|Brazil}} Antônio Hermann
{{flagicon|Italy}} Andrea Montermini

| {{flagicon|United States}} Stu Hayner
{{flagicon|United States}} Roger Schramm

| {{flagicon|United States}} Larry Schumacher
{{flagicon|United States}} John O'Steen

| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Javier Quiros
{{flagicon|United States}} Derek Hill

rowspan=2 | 5

| rowspan=2 | Watkins Glen

| {{flagicon|United States}} #16 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #66 Panoz Motorsports

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #77 Mattco Racing

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United States}} Elliott Forbes-Robinson
{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} James Weaver

| {{flagicon|United States}} Doc Bundy
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Andy Wallace
{{flagicon|Australia}} David Brabham

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|United States}} Nick Ham
{{flagicon|France}} Michel Ligonnet

| {{flagicon|United States}} Pete Halsmer
{{flagicon|United States}} John Morton

rowspan=2 | 6

| rowspan=2 | Sears Point

| {{flagicon|United States}} #16 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #66 Panoz Motorsports

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #10 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Andy Wallace
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} James Weaver

| {{flagicon|United States}} Doc Bundy
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Andy Wallace

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|United States}} Nick Ham

| {{flagicon|United States}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|United States}} Boris Said

rowspan=2 | 7

| rowspan=2 | Mosport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #43 Central Arkansas Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #01 Rohr Motorsport

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #6 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|Canada}} Ron Fellows
{{flagicon|United States}} Rob Morgan

| {{flagicon|United States}} Jochen Rohr
{{flagicon|United States}} Dorsey Schroeder
{{flagicon|United States}} Andy Pilgrim

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|United States}} Nick Ham

| {{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Javier Quiros
{{flagicon|United States}} Derek Hill

rowspan=2 | 8

| rowspan=2 | Las Vegas

| {{flagicon|United States}} #20 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #01 Rohr Motosport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #99 Schumacher Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #39 Jim Matthews

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United States}} John Paul Jr.
{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger

| {{flagicon|United States}} Andy Pilgrim
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Allan McNish

| {{flagicon|United States}} Larry Schumacher
{{flagicon|United States}} Price Cobb

| {{flagicon|United States}} Jim Matthews
{{flagicon|United States}} David Murry

rowspan=2 | 9

| rowspan=2 | Pikes Peak

| {{flagicon|United States}} #30 Moretti Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #00 Rohr Motorsport

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #10 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|Brazil}} Antônio Hermann
{{flagicon|Italy}} Andrea Montermini

| {{flagicon|United States}} Andy Pilgrim
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Allan McNish

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|United States}} Nick Ham

| {{flagicon|United States}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|United States}} Boris Said

rowspan=2 | 10

| rowspan=2 | Sebring

| {{flagicon|United States}} #30 Moretti Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #01 Rohr Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #99 Schumacher Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #10 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|Brazil}} Antônio Hermann
{{flagicon|Italy}} Andrea Montermini

| {{flagicon|United States}} Andy Pilgrim
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Allan McNish

| {{flagicon|United States}} Larry Schumacher
{{flagicon|United States}} Price Cobb

| {{flagicon|United States}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger
{{flagicon|Belgium}} Marc Duez

rowspan=2 | 11

| rowspan=2 | Laguna Seca

| {{flagicon|United States}} #20 Dyson Racing

| {{flagicon|United States}} #96 Panoz Motorsports

| {{flagicon|Germany}} #61 Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|United States}} #7 PTG

| rowspan=2 | Results

{{flagicon|United States}} John Paul Jr.
{{flagicon|United States}} Butch Leitzinger

| {{flagicon|France}} Éric Bernard
{{flagicon|Australia}} David Brabham

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|United States}} Nick Ham

| {{flagicon|Austria}} Dieter Quester
{{flagicon|Belgium}} Marc Duez

Teams Championship

Points are awarded to the finishers in the following order:

  • 25-21-19-17-15-14-13-12-11-10-...

Exception however for the 12 Hours of Sebring, which awarded in the following order:

  • 30-26-24-22-20-19-18-17-16-15-...

And the 24 Hours of Daytona, which is awarded in the following order:

  • 33-29-27-25-23-22-21-20-19-18-...

Teams only score the points of their highest finishing entry in each race.

=WSC Standings=

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
Pos

! Team

! Chassis

! Engine

! Rd 1

! Rd 2

! Rd 3

! Rd 4

! Rd 5

! Rd 6

! Rd 7

! Rd 8

! Rd 9

! Rd 10

! Rd 11

! Total

1

| {{flagicon|United States}} Dyson Racing

| Riley & Scott Mk III

| Ford 5.0 L V8

| align="center" | 33

| align="center" | 26

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 264

2

| {{flagicon|United States}} Moretti Racing

| Ferrari 333 SP

| Ferrari F130E 4.0 L V12

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 210

3

| {{flagicon|Peru}} Dibos Racing

| Riley & Scott Mk III
Ferrari 333 SP

| Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8
Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12

| align="center" | 27

| align="center" | 24

| align="center" |
10

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" |
19

| align="center" |
15

| align="center" | 15

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" |
17

| align="center" |
17

| align="center" | 190

4

| {{flagicon|United States}} Doyle/Riley & Scott

| Riley & Scott Mk III

| Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8

| align="center" | 20

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 7

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 5

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 160

5

| {{flagicon|United States}} Central Arkansas Racing

| Ferrari 333 SP

| Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12

|

|

| align="center" | 15

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 145

6

| {{flagicon|United States}} Downing Atlanta Racing

| Kudzu DLM

| Mazda 2.0 L 3-Rotor

| align="center" | 23

| align="center" | 22

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 7

| align="center" | 15

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 8

| align="center" | 141

7

| {{flagicon|United States}} FAB Factory Motorsport

| Spice SC95
Kudzu DG-2

| Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8
Buick 4.5 L V6

| align="center" | 15

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" |
8

| align="center" |
11

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 4

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 4

| align="center" | 120

8

| {{flagicon|United States}} MSI Racing

| Riley & Scott Mk III

| Chevrolet 6.0 L V8

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 17

|

| align="center" | 8

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 8

| align="center" | 7

| align="center" | 14

|

| align="center" | 111

9

| {{flagicon|United States}} Support Net Racing

| Hawk C-8
Riley & Scott Mk III

| Chevrolet 6.0 L V8
Ford 5.0 L V8

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 16

| align="center" | 3

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 6

|

| align="center" | 2

|

| align="center" |
12

|

| align="center" | 96

10

| {{flagicon|United States}} Screaming Eagles Racing

| Riley & Scott Mk III

| Ford 5.0 L V8

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 18

| align="center" | 9

|

|

| align="center" | 13

|

| align="center" | 13

|

|

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 79

11

| {{flagicon|United States}} Davin Racing

| Argo P
Kudzu DLM

| BMW 4.0 L V8
Buick 4.5 L V6

| align="center" | 17

|

| align="center" | 4

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | 5

| align="center" | 2

| align="center" | 7

| align="center" |
10

| align="center" |
8

| align="center" |
8

| align="center" |
2

| align="center" | 69

12

| {{flagicon|France}} Courage Compétition

| Courage C41

| Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8

| align="center" | 11

|

| align="center" | 2

| align="center" | 9

|

|

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | 67

13

| {{flagicon|United States}} Team Scandia

| Ferrari 333 SP

| Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12

| align="center" | 29

| align="center" | 30

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 59

14=

| {{flagicon|United States}} Kopf Precision Products

| Keiler KII

| Ford 5.0 L V8

| align="center" | 18

| align="center" | 11

|

|

|

| align="center" | 8

|

| align="center" | 3

| align="center" | 5

|

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 56

14=

| {{flagicon|United States}} TRV Motorsports

| Kudzu DL-4

| Chevrolet 6.0 L V8

| align="center" | 13

|

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 8

|

| align="center" | 7

|

|

| align="center" | 12

|

| align="center" | 5

| align="center" | 56

16

| {{flagicon|United States}} URD Rennwagenbau USA

| URD WSC95

| BMW 4.0 L V8

|

|

|

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 10

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 4

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 36

17

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Target 24

| Riley & Scott Mk III

| Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 L V8

| align="center" | 19

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 33

18

| {{flagicon|United States}} Team South Carolina

| Hawk MD3R

| Mazda 2.0 L 3-Rotor

|

|

| align="center" | 6

|

| align="center" | 17

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 23

19

| {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Graham Williams

| ProSport 3000

| Ford 5.0 L V8

| align="center" | 22

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 22

20

| {{flagicon|United States}} Fantasy Junction

| Cannibal

| Chevrolet 6.0L V8

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 4

|

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 4

|

| align="center" | 3

| align="center" | 20

21

| {{flagicon|United States}} John Christie

| X-250

| Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12

|

| align="center" | 10

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 10

22

| {{flagicon|United States}} Bill Dollahite

| Spice BDG-02

| Chevrolet 6.0 L V8

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 5

|

|

|

| align="center" | 5

23

| {{flagicon|United States}} Wheel Works

| Bennett Special MkII

| Pontiac 5.0 L V8

|

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 3

|

|

|

|

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 4

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20080921182011/http://wsrp.ic.cz/imsa1997.html World Sports Racing Prototypes] - 1998 IMSA GT Championship results

{{IMSA GT Championships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1997 Imsa Gt Championship Season}}

Category:IMSA GT Championship seasons

IMSA GT