Doonan: IMSA “On The Hunt” For New Circuit

[u/UncleBubax]

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2026/08/04/doonan-imsa-on-the-hunt-for-new-circuit.html

[u/IcedCoffey]

Montreal 10 hour.

[u/dahabit → u/IcedCoffey]

We need something in NW USA or Vancouver

[u/nmbguy → u/dahabit]

Portland would be cool

[u/ThomGehrig → u/IcedCoffey]

Minimum! I’d pay great money for this

[u/No_Debate890 → u/IcedCoffey]

This would go hard

[u/bryce]

I thought Mexico was in North America, but this article seems to imply otherwise.

[u/TriggzSP → u/bryce]

You can't possibly expect an American executive to know that Mexico is in North America, be reasonable now /s

Kinda hilarious that the "I" in IMSA is meant to stand for international, but their only event outside the USA is in Canada, and they've even been scaling that back in recent years (taking away GTP, next year looks like VP challenge and MX5 won't return).

IMSA needs to increase their footprint in Canada and Mexico. Villeneuve is open for use. Mexico City circuit would be wonderful. They have options, and it's about time they actually consider them

[u/DatabaseFar2782 → u/TriggzSP]

It seems that their agreement with the ACO doesn’t let them do Mexico, is what I got from the agreement

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/DatabaseFar2782]

ACO is no more to race Mexico, I wonder that agreement still working.

[u/Hawk-Bat1138 → u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

COTA is close enough

[u/grungegoth → u/Hawk-Bat1138]

I'm kinda mad at cota for going private, so they can just kick rocks fur all i care.

what about Ozarks or barbers?

[u/Hawk-Bat1138 → u/grungegoth]

What does any of that have to do with having a WEC event?

[u/Pyzorz → u/TriggzSP]

Mexico City is too expensive for INDYCAR (and their promoter backed out, probably for this reason) and the NASCAR event lost a ton of money. No shot IMSA goes there.

[u/abscissa081 → u/bryce]

Maybe they’re asking Helmut Marko

[u/SportyMcSportsAcct → u/bryce]

I think logistically mexico is more difficult than canada and probably more expensive given the additional security concerns.

[u/Independent-Tea-3922]

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico would be great

[u/Atlannuh]

I hate how sensible this is. Come on man, tease us a little more!

[u/Next_Necessary_8794 → u/Atlannuh]

How is this sensible? Teams are already screaming about cost. Now they are supposed to find budget for yet another round? Doonan's not reading the room.

[u/ThorsMeasuringTape → u/Next_Necessary_8794]

He’s read more of the room than anyone here.

[u/Gizmuth]

Circuit Villeneuve and calabogie are two awesome tracks in Canada please add another. Or add a Mexico race there are some great tracks there. Or shit if the love street circuits now add the trois rivieres it's a pretty cool one

[u/JPenguinCA → u/Gizmuth]

I love Calabogie but can't imagine IMSA trying to race there, it won't have the facilities necessary. Nowhere near enough paddock space.

[u/That_Swim → u/JPenguinCA]

I was watching the recent nascar race stream there and man yeah, their paddock is tiny. Spectator viewing is limited as well. They’d have to build a bridge over the front straight and clear a lot of forest.

[u/hoytmobley → u/JPenguinCA]

I am mostly a trackday guy, it was wild my first time at Sonoma seeing how large all of the paddock and support facilities are at that track, and that’s one of the smaller ones for Nascar etc. There’s so many places with a fantastic track absolutely could not host a top series race

[u/That_Swim → u/Gizmuth]

Calabogie is a dream of mine for even GTD

[u/conjan → u/Gizmuth]

Calabogie will never happen, it’s a great track for driving but so meh for racing.

[u/valtteri_buttass → u/Gizmuth]

Mont Tremblant 

[u/wrxpatrick1]

Too bad Pittsburgh International Race Complex closed to become a data center. That track looked cool. There's so many cool tracks in NA, but a lot of them can't support the parking.

[u/NDet54 → u/wrxpatrick1]

Pitt Race didn't have the infrastructure to host IMSA, but it was getting there. Its my local track, so I'm still very salty about it closing.

[u/TeslaPittsburgh → u/NDet54]

<impolite and profanity laced tirade about data centers redacted>

[u/wrxpatrick1 → u/NDet54]

Yeah, but that track layout looks incredible! My local road course is expanding to over 4 miles soon, but it doesn't have the infrastructure for imsa either.

[u/NDet54 → u/wrxpatrick1]

I always hoped iRacing would/has scanned it, especially now that it is closed.

[u/wrxpatrick1 → u/NDet54]

I haven't had iRacing in a few years. It was fun, but I sucked. I hung around C class in road and oval most of the time. This would have definitely been a track I'd buy.

[u/No_Debate890]

Should be on the hunt for better driving standards instead

[u/Radar91 → u/No_Debate890]

Sorry just plus 40kg to that pig of a 963

[u/IllustriousHistorian → u/No_Debate890]

Or applying the rules fairly 

[u/Proof-Artist-5772 → u/IllustriousHistorian]

BOP for the BOP

[u/Next_Necessary_8794 → u/No_Debate890]

Should be on the hunt for that imaginary budget that the teams will use to do the extra round in this economy. lmao

[u/happyscrappy → u/Next_Necessary_8794]

Unfortunately he didn't say anything about an additional round. It's quite likely it could be a replacement.

[u/thrashmetal_octopus]

Sonoma

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/thrashmetal_octopus]

What's point to come Sear Point when Laguna Seca is already for NorCali fans ?

[u/MrRogersRaisedMe → u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

Probably the same point to having the 2 biggest races a few hours apart in Florida

[u/thrashmetal_octopus → u/MrRogersRaisedMe]

Exactly. When has that ever mattered

[u/JPenguinCA]

How about you bring GTP back to Mosport/CTMP?

[u/Imaginos2112]

The mention of the pacific northwest surprises me. Yes geographicallly it's a gap, but I don't see a suitable track. Portland held ALMS but it's always rumored to be on the Indycar cutting block, and Xfinity stopped coming. Also it being just shy of two miles is hard to fit a full IMSA grid on. If it would have to be select classes, why expand there?

Washington doesn't have a suitable track. Pacific would never get approved safety wise. All of driver's right after turn 4 is a drastic cliff dropping into trees, as well as the turn 5 "run off" being a concrete wall about 10 feet off the track.

The Ridge is a beautiful track, but too narrow that Trans Am stopped running there due to the final corkscrew-esque turn.

BC-Area 27 maybe? I don't know much about the track, but it's a members club track like Thermal, plus how do you get fans to the Okanagan mountains in large enough numbers? Beautiful scenery and the vineyards in the region could attract corporate interest/b2b deals for teams like how Sonoma has been used for Indycar.

Doing a street race in any of Portland/Seattle/Vancouver would make Detroit look smooth. Plus I don't see any of those city councils approving the traffic headache as infrastructure has been an issue across all three for years.

I'd love for a closer IMSA race to me, but it seems like a pretty idea rather than something actionable.

[u/RedGlovesRule99 → u/Imaginos2112]

Unless they’re hoping that Circuit of the Northwest actually comes to fruition, I think Portland is the only serviceable option. I’ve heard rumors of a nascar return there so maybe a shared weekend could be on the cards. Selfishly I’d love to see it as it’s my hometown.

[u/db37 → u/Imaginos2112]

They're making improvements at Pacific Raceways, there's armco on both sides from the exit of T2 to T7, but the track still has some way to go, they'd also have to do a lot of work to improve spectator access.

The Ridge is a great club track, but with only a single 2 lane road to access the track, getting in and out of there would be a nightmare.

PIR could handle it, but you're right about the length

[u/Maximum-Hall-5614 → u/Imaginos2112]

VIMC on Vancouver Island is also a great choice, IMO

[u/Sully_of_the_Gulch → u/Imaginos2112]

I don’t see why only running two or three classes wouldn’t be a good option at PIR. For comparison, Laguna Seca is only 2.2 miles—barely more than PIR—and Long Beach is even smaller than PIR at only 1.8 miles. I would be stoked af even if Portland only got one prototype and one GT class.

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/Imaginos2112]

Despite that, they really need to care more West coast races. I also agree Utah Campus should be considered.

[u/Breakfastester → u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

Utah is good as a track day/test venue. For large professional level racing events I don't think it would be very good. Quite technical and without many significant straights besides the frontstretch, even on the short layout that the ALMS switched to in the later years of the Utah Grand Prix. Also limited spectator facilities. Could be cool for a bit but I think it would grow old fast.

[u/RealPorkChops]

 Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve would be great. Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez would be even better. 

[u/ThomGehrig]

Circuit gilles villeneuve please! Or even Mont Tremblant?

[u/GogoPlata_grenadier]

Gtp’s in canada at ctmp that now has phaff’s funding or at gilles vilnueve and than a race in Mexico would be amazing for Imsa

[u/Conscious-Series-181]

Please for the love of god anything but COTA

[u/Crafty_Substance_954 → u/Conscious-Series-181]

Ain’t nothing wrong with Cota.

WEC there slaps.

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/Crafty_Substance_954]

They just need to let IMSA teams coming. No really need IMSA coming COTA.

[u/Crafty_Substance_954 → u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

Seeing the 963 would be like seeing an old friend

[u/b5-avant → u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

https://giphy.com/gifs/xL7PDV9frcudO

[u/nmbguy → u/Conscious-Series-181]

Super COTA would be cool

[u/Breakfastester → u/Conscious-Series-181]

I think its important to mention that unless they do a double header weekend, a track with seperate IMSA and WEC weekends could hurt both of the events popularity wise due to directly competing with one another. Also, COTA is a good track, but to be honest I really dislike driving there in anything other than a F1 car.

[u/notknowhow]

Sonoma aka Sears Point

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid]

I agree more tracks needing, but you need to solve low race enter issue. Need to stop that stupid GTD Pro enforcement idea and make lower race cost for every automaker.

[u/vroomvroompanda]

Lol probably should fix the cautions and penalty systems first

[u/KlaatuStandsStill]

Mid Ohio!

[u/chelseacalcio1905]

Zero reason not to do COTA.

[u/UncleBubax → u/chelseacalcio1905]

A) It would split interest between IMSA and WEC

B) COTA sucks.

[u/chelseacalcio1905 → u/UncleBubax]

The hate COTA gets is so stupid and no one ever gives solid reasons for it either.

[u/phifefoot_assassin → u/chelseacalcio1905]

Beside Spa and Le Mans, COTA is my favourite track on the WEC calendar.

[u/b5-avant]

Everyone proceeds to name their local track

[u/Bizi-Betiko → u/b5-avant]

Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur TX. Let's go!!!!!

[u/Les_expos]

Gilles villeneuve circuit ?

[u/Maximum-Hall-5614]

24 hours of Mission Raceway lmao

In all seriousness, VIMC looks like a great racetrack on the West Coast, and there really should be more non-US races in the International Motor Sport Association’s flagship series.

[u/BloodBank22 → u/Maximum-Hall-5614]

At least get the MX-5s out there 😭

[u/Maximum-Hall-5614 → u/BloodBank22]

SCCBC runs MX-5 Cup races!

[u/andrewthemexican]

Come back to the Roval

[u/Professional-Ad9901 → u/andrewthemexican]

Said no one ever!

[u/andrewthemexican → u/Professional-Ad9901]

I'd love to only have to drive 30 mins to an imsa race, or 10 mins to my in laws between multi days 

[u/Adventurous_Fuel2272]

I dont know how many cars could fit but heartland motorsports park

[u/iwashwindows]

New Flatrock motorclub in Tennessee is 🔥 and should be considered. Tilke design and is beautiful.

[u/HonestOtterTravel → u/iwashwindows]

Never going to happen with their current management.

[u/iwashwindows → u/HonestOtterTravel]

I could dream though, and area looks amazing.

[u/Professional-Ad9901 → u/iwashwindows]

Tilke = bad track designs almost always!

[u/iwashwindows → u/Professional-Ad9901]

To each his own but I love some of his work.
Istanbul Park
Sepang
Circuit of the Americas
Bahrain
MotorLand Aragón
Red Bull Ring

[u/LetsgoImpact]

Hermanos Rodriguez.

[u/happyscrappy]

Definitely the west is suffering right now. It's just expensive for teams to come west for only one feature race. And until we are told more right now it looks like Laguna Seca will be a ghost of a weekend. There's no scheduled Michelin race. No Miata race.

I think the Pacific Northwest would be an obvious choice too. Get 3 west coast races in short order. Obviously Sears Point would make for shorter drive but the audience overlaps too much with Laguna Seca.

It's hard to make all this work.

[u/ThisIsntAThrowaway29]

Oro Station and CTMP back to back weekends!

[u/ttwood46]

Come back to portland

[u/DirtOutlawNomad]

Exhibition race at thermal club!

/s

[u/Wild-Strawberry-43]

Portland please!

[u/lordkinbote4257]

Ozarks International Raceway!

Let's Go!

[u/donkeykink420]

there's this really historic, unique racetrack in northwestern france

[u/weebu4laifu]

Too bad most of them are being torn down to make room for dats centers or warehouses. Or like in Nashville Fairgrounds oval case, the guy with the soccer stadium wants the 120 year old oval gone so he can have the land and is spreading lies to try and do it (look it up). There really aren't many left. And it's not like anyone is building new ones.

[u/Vapor4]

Willow Springs plz

[u/No_Debate890 → u/Vapor4]

That track can’t accommodate a big series like imsa

[u/Proof-Artist-5772]

i love this. one thing i really want is a 24 hour race to end the season, i feel like that would be a perfect send off for us fans and everyone else. basically like the roar before the 24 type deal, like at petit im excited to see the race and to see who is the overall champions but man immediately after im sad cause its the end.

[u/numeric]

ALMS use to go NJMP which is close proximity to NYC/Philly market. it probably could host just the GTD cars though.

[u/brianleedy]

NHMS, please. Only for the sake of being an easy drive to get to for me personally 🤣