---
title: "22 Car Entry List Released for 2018 IMSA Long Beach Contest"
description: "The 100-minute Californian race drops the GT Daytona class in favor of the all-pro GT Le Mans and Prototype categories."
date: "2018-04-05"
modified: "2018-04-05"
authors:
  - name: "Caleb Jacobs"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/caleb-jacobs"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19930/22-car-entry-list-released-for-2018-imsa-long-beach-contest"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar series"
  - "Long Beach Grand Prix"
  - "motorsport"
  - "racing"
---

# 22 Car Entry List Released for 2018 IMSA Long Beach Contest

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/04/ripshaub_imsa_2018_sebring_winners-37.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

A stacked field of IMSA competitors will return to Long Beach, California once again this April with a 22-car field set to enter the 100-minute event. With the series' pro-am GT Daytona category missing from the list, entries from the GT Le Mans and Prototype classes will take to the tight city circuit on Saturday the 14th following qualifying the day prior. The contest will be part of the action-stuffed weekend that also includes IndyCar, vintage Trans-Am, and more.

The Prototype grid will stand with 14 entries in total. Wayne Taylor Racing and its No. 10 Cadillac DPi-V.R will be looking to lock in the team's fourth consecutive victory at the event with close competition from Mazda Team Joest, Team Penske Acura, and more expected. The Spirit of Daytona crew will [notably be absent](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19605/spirit-of-daytona-to-skip-long-beach-imsa-contest>) from the Long Beach race after a harsh outing at the [12 Hours of Sebring](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19359/tequila-patron-esm-nabs-first-victory-at-sebring-for-nissan-since-1994>) in March that landed its car in rehab following a late-hour crash with Tristan Vautier behind the wheel.

BAR1 Motorsports has also elected to skip out on this round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

![message-editor%2F1522967060603-ripshaub\_imsa\_2018\_sebring\_qual-6.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1522967060603-ripshaub_imsa_2018_sebring_qual-6.jpg>)
**© 2018 Rip Shaub. All Rights Reserved**

![message-editor%2F1522967834427-ripshaub\_imsa\_2018\_sebring\_gtlm1-35.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1522967834427-ripshaub_imsa_2018_sebring_gtlm1-35.jpg>)
**© 2018 Rip Shaub. All Rights Reserved**

GTLM will feature a familiar lineup albeit without Risi Competizione's Ferrari 488 GTE Evo as anticipated. [Chip Ganassi Racing](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19809/ganassi-looks-to-hone-racecraft-strategy-ahead-of-imsa-long-beach-contest>), Porsche, BMW Team RLL, and Corvette Racing will all be present with two-car efforts as the latter looks to recreate its victory at the coastal event last Spring.

- [**FULL IMSA LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX ENTRY LIST**](<https://competitors.imsa.com/sites/default/files/competition/downloads/2018_iwsc_longbeach_preevent_entrylist.pdf>)

Stay tuned to *The Drive* as we put boots on the ground for the entire Long Beach Grand Prix weekend with IMSA and IndyCar coverage from April 13-15.

## Author
Caleb Jacobs is The Drive’s senior editor. When he’s not searching for stories or poring over copy, he’s usually driving his dump truck or wishing it was running so he could drive it. He was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks, and he lives there today with his family.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-jacobs-319323119>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/calebjwords>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/calebjacobs0611>)