Yahoo Autos How IMSA is winning the race to tomorrow
Time is a racer’s unrelenting enemy, and speed is their ultimate ally. There is only now in the race to what’s next. Performance under pressure reveals the great ones, who do much more than merely entertain us. They show us what is possible when we push ourselves to the limit, and beyond. This extends to everyone who competes, at every level within the sport. If they’re in it to win it, they must expect only the best from themselves and their teammates — especially when the odds are against them.
This is particularly true for those who lead a top racing series. Success isn’t simply about delivering safe and fair wheel-to-wheel competition, controlling cost and improving TV ratings, digital engagement or ROI for partners. Ultimately, it is about driving positive change, and creating meaning that generates value at every touchpoint in the competitive and cultural environment of the sport. The best understand that they need to drive change to benefit their series stakeholders and attract new partners. Most importantly, they know they must consistently deliver something truly worthy of devotion by current fans and can attract new fans in an era where audience energy amplifies cultural gravity via social media.
This winning mindset has been apparent in the relentlessly competitive behavior of IMSA’s leadership in the 21st century. IMSA’s first stint in the new millennium was driven by former president Scott Atherton, who took the wheel during the Don Panoz-owned American Le Mans Series era from 2000-2013. Scott then was central to the welcome unification of IMSA and Grand Am as part of the successful NASCAR family of companies, where he continued his stint as president. Atherton then helped to deliver a game-changing alignment of rules, competitive philosophy and future vision between IMSA, FIA WEC and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), that controls the sport’s defining event, and arguably, the world’s most important race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Since Atherton’s well-earned retirement at the end of 2019, IMSA’s next president John Doonan has been boldly driving meaningful change for Jim France’s highly-capable IMSA organization. Under John’s able leadership, IMSA and the Weathertech Sportscar Championship is evolving and adapting to the new realities of this young century. As a result, IMSA is now several laps ahead in the all-important race to relevance for auto manufacturers, suppliers, racing fans, enthusiasts and consumers influenced by motorsports. This is because what happens next in IMSA has meaning, and it matters — especially to the companies who invest their resources, technologies and brand reputations into the sport.
Atherton set IMSA up for its current success during his tenure as president, overseeing the unification of the ALMS and Grand Am, and later, an alignment of rules and philosophy between IMSA, the WEC and Le Mans. Motorsport Images
It’s no surprise that there are now 18 manufacturers in IMSA’s paddock. Clearly, France and Doonan know how to leverage the powerful emotional and intellectual attractors represented by the rich diversity of IMSA’s automakers, racecars, teams and drivers who are literally, and metaphorically, racing to tomorrow.
This connects directly to the original authentic DNA of auto racing and is vibrantly represented in the remarkable lives of Gaston and Louis Chevrolet, Enzo Ferrari, Henry Ford, Soichiro Honda and Ferdinand Porsche. Driving change is core to racing’s origins. Special places like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway and the Circuit de le Sarthe exist to do more than simply entertain us.
Auto racing’s ultimate truth and intuitive raison d’etre is to inspire us to dream bigger, to push harder, learn more, and take chances to get to tomorrow, faster.
But there is another ultimate truth: Nothing lasts forever… except a fatal mistake.
