A Look Back: The End of ALMS and the Rise of USCC

The American Le Mans series started in 1999 by Dr. Don Panoz. Born from the ashes of the IMSA GT series of the 1980’s and later the American Sportscar Series of the 1990’s, Panoz used his love of racing, and clout, to form an ally in Automobile Club de L’Ouest (ACO), the sanctioning body that oversees the rules for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and its support series.

By adhering to the ACO rules, Panoz ensured that the teams in his series would be eligible to compete in the fabled French endurance racing classic. This coalition also created a niche market that drew in international sponsors, giving the series worldwide marketability and, hopefully, longevity.  The ALMS series has always taken a nearly two month hiatus from its racing schedule each year to give teams time to prepare for and compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The TUDOR United Sports Car Championship will begin its 12 race inaugural season with the 2014 Rolex 24 hours of Daytona January 25 and 26. Still under IMSA’s reign the series will include Rovals (infield road courses with large banking such as Daytona), Road Courses (Laguna Seca, and VIR), and Street Courses (Long Beach and Belle Isle).

I got my first taste of sports car racing at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington Ohio in the mid 1980’s. My father would take me there to cheer on Bob Tullius, Brian Redman, Hurley Haywood, and Chip Robison in the Group 44 Jaguars. As much as I miss that era of American sports car racing, I’m sure that the next chapter will create many new racing fans and keep us all glued to our seats watching more auto racing history unfold.

Tim DeLong