Indianapolis 8 Hour

{{Short description|Prominent International Sportscar Race}}

{{Infobox motor race

|Race title = Indianapolis 8 Hours

|Logo =

|Track map = Image:Indianapolis IndycarGP.svg

|Series long = Intercontinental GT Challenge

|Series short = IGTC

|Venue = Indianapolis Motor Speedway

|Sponsor =

|First race = 2020

|First series race = 2020

|Last race =

|Distance =

|Laps =

|Duration = 8 Hours

|Previous names =

|Most wins driver = Dries Vanthoor (2)
Sheldon van der Linde (2)

|Most wins team = Team WRT (2)

|Most wins manufacturer = BMW (3)

}}

The Indianapolis 8 Hour is an endurance sports car race contested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway using the infield road course, first held in 2020,{{Cite web |title=23 Car Entry For Indianapolis 8 Hour, 13 x GT3 & 10 x GT4 |url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/09/28/23-car-entry-for-indianapolis-8-hour-13-x-gt3-10-x-gt4.html |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=www.dailysportscar.com}} making it the first ever endurance sports car race at this venue.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Nathan |title=After IMS hosts its first endurance race, a look at the track's future of hosting 'events that matter around the world' |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2020/10/06/ims-future-hosting-events-matter-around-world-indycar-nascar-formula-1-imsa/5902310002/ |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=The Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}} The event is the US leg of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) and the finale of the GT World Challenge America series.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-27 |title=Intercontinental GT and World Challenge Team to Bring Sports Car Racing Back to Indianapolis |url=https://jalopnik.com/intercontinental-gt-and-world-challenge-team-to-bring-s-1836743433 |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=Jalopnik |language=en}}

The race was originally open to GT3 and GT4 cars. In 2022 the GT4 class was dropped; in addition the race ran into the twilight for the first time; and the GT World Challenge America entrants were awarded points at the full 8 hours rather than at the three-hour mark in previous years.

For the GT World Challenge America drivers, this event is the longest of the races and the only event to include three drivers.

For the cars additionally competing in IGTC, this event differs from the remainder of IGTC, with the maximum number of Gold or Platinum drivers reduced to two.

In 2022 14 cars took part in the IGTC within the total grid of 25 entries running GT World Challenge America.

History

The US leg of the SRO's IGTC - the California 8 Hours - was held at Laguna Seca circuit from 2016 to 2019.{{Cite web |last=Coch |first=Mat |date=2019-07-26 |title=Indianapolis joins Bathurst on IGTC calendar |url=https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/07/27/indianapolis-joins-bathurst-on-igtc-calendar/ |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=Speedcafe |language=en-US}} The event was moved to Indianapolis in 2020.

For 2022 the GT World Challenge America element of the event was extended such that the entire 8 hour duration scored points for the GTWC America entrants;{{Cite web |date=2022-10-06 |title=Indianapolis 8 Hour to decide GT World Challenge America Pro-Am |url=https://racer.com/2022/10/06/indianapolis-8-hour-to-decide-gt-world-challenge-america-pro-am/ |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=RACER |language=en-US}} in previous years those entrants scored points for the first three hours only.

Additionally for 2022 GT4 classes were dropped from the race making it GT3 only.

Winners

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"
Year

! Drivers

! Vehicle

! Entrant

! Laps

! Report

! Ref

2020

| {{flagicon|NED}} Nicky Catsburg
{{flagicon|USA}} Connor De Phillippi
{{flagicon|BRA}} Augusto Farfus

| BMW M6 GT3

| {{flagicon|GER}} Walkenhorst Motorsport

| align="center"| 300

| Report

| align="center"|{{cite web |title=2020 Indianapolis 8 Hour Race - Classification - Provisional |url=https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/images/results/122/GT3%20&%20INTGTC%20Classification.pdf |access-date=8 October 2022}}

2021

| {{flagicon|DEU}} Christopher Haase
{{flagicon|SUI}} Patric Niederhauser
{{flagicon|DEU}} Markus Winkelhock

| Audi R8 LMS Evo

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Audi Sport Team Saintéloc

| align="center"| 265{{efn|name=Indianapolis 8 Hours 2021|Due to the kerbing damage in the Turn 5-6 chicane, the 2021 race was run on the SCCA Runoffs layout instead of the INDYCAR Grand Prix layout, which utilised the old Formula One course with the newer Snake Pit section.}}

| Report

| align="center"|{{cite web |title=2021 Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by aws Race - Classification - Provisional - Amended |url=https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/images/results/125/Race%20Classification%20Provisional%20Amended.pdf |access-date=8 October 2022}}

2022

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Daniel Juncadella
{{flagicon|SUI}} Raffaele Marciello
{{flagicon|CAN}} Daniel Morad

| Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo

| {{flagicon|HKG}} Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing

| align="center"| 328

| Report

| align="center"|{{cite web |title=2022 Indianapolis 8 Hour Race - Classification - Provisional |url=https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/images/results/128/IGTC%20Classification%20Provisional.pdf |access-date=9 October 2022}}

2023

| {{flagicon|AUT}} Philipp Eng
{{flagicon|ZAF}} Sheldon van der Linde
{{flagicon|BEL}} Dries Vanthoor

| BMW M4 GT3

| {{flagicon|BEL}} Team WRT

| align="center"| 332

| Report

| align="center"|{{cite web |title=2023 Indianapolis 8 Hour Race - Classification - Provisional |url=https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/images/results/136/IGTC%20Race%201%20Provisional%20-%20Results.pdf|access-date=9 October 2023}}

2024

| {{flagicon|BEL}} Charles Weerts
{{flagicon|ZAF}} Sheldon van der Linde
{{flagicon|BEL}} Dries Vanthoor

| BMW M4 GT3

| {{flagicon|BEL}} Team WRT

| align="center"| 320

| Report

| align="center"|{{cite web |title=2024 Indianapolis 8 Hour Race - Classification - Provisional |url= https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/images/results/141/IGTC%208%20Hour%20Race%20Unofficial%20-%20Results.pdf|access-date=6 October 2024}}

Multiple winners

= By driver =

class="wikitable"

!Wins

!Driver

!Years

rowspan="2" |2

|{{flagicon|ZAF}} Sheldon van der Linde

|2023, 2024

{{flagicon|BEL}} Dries Vanthoor

|2023, 2024

= By manufacturer =

class="wikitable"

!Wins

!Manufacturer

!Years

3

|{{flagicon|GER}} BMW

|2020, 2023, 2024

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}