Pirelli World Challenge reveals 2017 schedule

Circuit of the Americas, will move from the start of the season to Labor Day weekend, and like VIR, will feature the series’ eight categories. The VIR date replaces Barber Motorsports Park on the schedule.

Also announced today was that five GT weekends will feature live telecasts on CBS Sports Network beginning with the new season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., as support for the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Greg Gill, president and CEO of WC Vision, declared: “After a successful 2016 season including 127 entries in the season finale last weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, we are pleased with the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge schedule.

“There are a few remaining contracts and venue details to be worked out. We will work through those details in the coming days. 

“We want to thank North America’s most iconic and legendary road racing venues in bringing the best GT Production-based motorsports racing to their racing facilities in 2017. We expect another outstanding season in 2017 for the fans, teams, drivers and sponsors.”

A press release states that “the complete class participation for each PWC weekend will be announced in the near future as GT single-driver sprint events will continue to run in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series weekends.” As well as St. Petersburg, PWC will share the bill with IndyCar at Long Beach, Road America, Mid-Ohio, and Sonoma.  All except Long Beach will be double-headers.

In the five events where PWC is the headline series – VIR, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport), Lime Rock Park, Utah Motorsports Campus and COTA – all eight racing divisions will compete.

PWC’s finale will again will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and will share the bill with the SRO Blancpain GT Series. The SRO Motorsports Group Intercontinental GT Challenge will include an eight-hour GT endurance contest with GT3 machines.

2017 Pirelli World Challenge Schedule

March 10-12,  Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
April 7-9, Streets of Long Beach, Calif.
April 28-30, Virginia International Raceway, Va.
May 19-21, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ont., CAN
May 26-27, Lime Rock Park, Conn.
June 23-25, Road America, Wisc.
July 28-30, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ohio
August 11-13, Utah Motorsports Campus, Utah
September 1-3, Circuit of the Americas, Texas
September 15-17, Sonoma Raceway, Calif.
October 13-15, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas, Calif. 
(with SRO International GT Challenge)