Chevrolet becomes newest IMSA automotive partner

SEBRING, Fla. – With the 62nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida providing the backdrop, officials from Chevrolet and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced today a multi-year agreement making Chevrolet an Official Automotive Partner of IMSA, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.

"Chevrolet is proud to partner with IMSA," said Jeff Chew, manager of business strategy and operations for Chevy Racing. "Our involvement in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship gives us a relevant platform to showcase our premier performance vehicles on the race track to our loyal customers and fans. Chevrolet's participation in the TUDOR Championship's Prototype and GT Le Mans classes – plus the GS category in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge – illustrates our commitment to IMSA."

The No. 5 Action Express Racing team and drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais gave the Corvette DP its first Rolex 24 At Daytona victory to open the 2014 TUDOR Championship and Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.

“Chevrolet’s reputation for excellence in sports car racing is well documented, and the brand is clearly a fan favorite,” said David Pettit, IMSA vice president, marketing. “The former GRAND-AM Rolex Series and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón both benefited from Chevrolet’s fantastic support, which we are proud to continue in the ‘new’ IMSA.”

The agreement also names Chevrolet as the Official Car and Official Pace Car for Sebring International Raceway, as well as upcoming events at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park on Saturday, May 31; at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 25; and at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, Aug. 10. The manufacturer has a strong presence in IMSA, through the Corvette DP and Corvette Racing teams in the TUDOR Championship and Camaro Z/28.R race cars in the Continental Tire Challenge.

"Chevrolet is pleased to continue our partnership with Sebring International Raceway as Official Car and Official Pace Car for 2014 and beyond," Chew said. “Both Chevrolet and Sebring have established rich traditions in North American sports car racing, which makes this a natural alliance. Track President and General Manager Tres Stephenson has assembled a world-class team of professionals that supports our marketing efforts each year around this historic event – one in which Chevrolet has achieved considerable on-track success."

Chevrolet has an impressive history at America's oldest endurance race. Corvette is the defending Sebring GT champion and has recorded 25 class victories here since its first appearance at the 12-hour classic in 1956. Chevrolet ranks third all-time at Sebring among manufacturers with 36 top-10 finishes.

“Sebring is proud to extend its marketing partnership with Chevrolet,” Stephenson said. “Chevrolet and Corvette have played a key role in Sebring’s history and we are excited to have the new Corvette C7 Stingray pace the field for Saturday’s 12-hour classic.”

Since 2001, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing scored 10 manufacturer and team championships in the ALMS and earned seven class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the Rolex Series, Chevrolet earned six manufacturers championships and overall victories in the 2001 and 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

IMSA