1978 IMSA GT Championship

{{short description|8th season of the racing series organized by IMSA}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Motorsport season | series = IMSA GT Championship | year = 1978 }} The '''1978 [[Camel (cigarette)|Camel]] GT Challenge season''' was the 8th season of the [[IMSA GT Championship]] [[auto racing]] series. It was the first year of the new GTX class, which allowed for [[Group 5 (racing)|Group 5]] cars to compete. The GTO and GTU class [[Grand tourer]] cars remained from before. It began February 4, 1978, and ended November 26, 1978, after fourteen rounds.

==Schedule== Not all classes participated in some events. Races marked with ''All'' had all classes on track at the same time.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |- ! Rnd ! Race ! Length ! Class ! Circuit ! Date |- ! 1 | [[24 Hours of Daytona]] | 24 Hours | align="center" | All | [[Daytona International Speedway]] | February 4 February 5 |- ! 2 | [[12 Hours of Sebring]] | 12 Hours | align="center" | All | [[Sebring International Raceway]] | March 18 |- ! 3 | 6 Hours of Talladega | 6 Hours | align="center" | All | [[Talladega Superspeedway]] | April 2 |- ! rowspan=2 | 4 | rowspan=2 | [[Camel (cigarette)|Camel]] [[Grand Prix of Atlanta|GT Challenge]] | {{convert|75|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTU | rowspan=2 | [[Road Atlanta]] | rowspan=2 | April 16 |- | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO |- ! rowspan=2 | 5 | rowspan=2 | [[Monterey Sports Car Championships|Monterey Triple Crown]] | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO | rowspan=2 | [[Laguna Seca Raceway]] | rowspan=2 | April 30 |- | 45 Minutes | align="center" | GTU |- ! rowspan=2 | 6 | rowspan=2 | Hallett Grand Prix | 1 Hour | align="center" | GTU | rowspan=2 | [[Hallett Motor Racing Circuit]] | rowspan=2 | May 7 |- | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO |- ! rowspan=2 | 7 | rowspan=2 | [[Coca-Cola]] [[Lime Rock Grand Prix|300]] | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO | rowspan=2 | [[Lime Rock Park]] | rowspan=2 | May 29 |- | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTU |- ! 8 | [[Pepsi]] Grand Prix | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | All | [[Brainerd International Raceway]] | June 18 |- ! 9 | [[Paul Revere 250]] | {{convert|250|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | All | [[Daytona International Speedway]] | July 4 |- ! rowspan=2 | 10 | rowspan=2 | [[Grand Prix of Sonoma|Sears Point Grand Prix]] | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO | rowspan=2 | [[Infineon Raceway|Sears Point International Raceway]] | rowspan=2 | July 30 |- | {{convert|75|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTU |- ! rowspan=2 | 11 | rowspan=2 | [[G.I. Joe's]] [[Portland Grand Prix|Grand Prix]] | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO | rowspan=2 | [[Portland International Raceway]] | rowspan=2 | August 6 |- | 45 Minutes | align="center" | GTU |- ! 12 | [[Camel (cigarette)|Camel]] [[Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio|GT Mid-Ohio 250]] | {{convert|250|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | All | [[Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course]] | August 27 |- ! rowspan=2 | 13 | rowspan=2 | [[Grand Prix of Atlanta|Arthur Montgomery 100]] | {{convert|75|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTU | rowspan=2 | [[Road Atlanta]] | rowspan=2 | September 4 |- | {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | GTX/GTO |- ! 14 | [[Camel (cigarette)|Camel]] [[Daytona Finale|GT Daytona 250]] | {{convert|250|mi|km|abbr=on}} | align="center" | All | [[Daytona International Speedway]] | November 26 |}

==Season results== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |- ! rowspan=2 | Rnd ! rowspan=2 | Circuit ! GTX Winning Team ! GTO Winning Team ! GTU Winning Team ! rowspan=2 | Results |- ! GTX Winning Driver(s) ! GTO Winning Driver(s) ! GTU Winning Driver(s) |- ! rowspan=2 | 1 | rowspan=2 | [[Daytona International Speedway|Daytona]] | #99 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #58 Diego Febles Racing | #01 J. Dana Roehrig | rowspan=2 | [[1978 24 Hours of Daytona|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|GER}} [[Rolf Stommelen]] {{flagicon|NED}} [[Toine Hezemans]] {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|PUR}} Diego Febles {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Alec Poole]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave White {{flagicon|USA}} Gary Mesnick {{flagicon|USA}} J. Dana Roehrig |- ! rowspan=2 | 2 | rowspan=2 | [[Sebring International Raceway|Sebring]] | #9 [[Dick Barbour Racing|Dick Barbour Performance]] | #33 JLP Racing | #77 Bill Scott Racing | rowspan=2 | [[1978 12 Hours of Sebring|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Brian Redman]] {{flagicon|USA}} [[Charles Mendez]] {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Garretson]] | {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Paul, Sr. (racing driver)|John Paul, Sr.]] {{flagicon|PUR}} Bonky Fernández | {{flagicon|VEN}} Francisco Romero {{flagicon|VEN}} Ernesto Soto |- ! rowspan=2 | 3 | rowspan=2 | [[Talladega Superspeedway|Talladega]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #33 Boricua Racing | #76 [[Quality Inn]] | rowspan=2 | [[1978 6 Hours of Talladega|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brad Frisselle]] | {{flagicon|PUR}} Bonky Fernández {{flagicon|USA}} Dave Cowart | {{flagicon|USA}} Lee Mueller {{flagicon|USA}} Frank Thomas |- ! rowspan=2 | 4 | rowspan=2 | [[Road Atlanta]] | #59 [[Brumos Racing|Brumos Porsche Audi]] | #25 Deren Automotive | #01 Roehrig Racing | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Road Atlanta Challenge|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Kenper Miller | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave White |- ! rowspan=2 | 5 | rowspan=2 | [[Laguna Seca]] | #16 [[Vasek Polak]] | #01 ''[[BMW]]'' | #48 ''[[Datsun]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Monterey Triple Crown|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[George Follmer]] | {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Morton (racing driver)|John Morton]] | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Frank Leary]] |- ! rowspan=2 | 6 | rowspan=2 | [[Hallett Motor Racing Circuit|Hallett]] | #2 [[McLaren|McLaren North America]] | #25 ''[[BMW]]'' | #51 ''[[Porsche]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Hallett Grand Prix|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Hobbs (racing driver)|David Hobbs]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Kenper Miller | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Aase]] |- ! rowspan=2 | 7 | rowspan=2 | [[Lime Rock Park|Lime Rock]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #58 Diego Febles Racing | #33 Bob Sharp Racing | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Lime Rock 300|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|PUR}} Diego Febles | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Posey]] |- ! rowspan=2 | 8 | rowspan=2 | [[Brainerd International Raceway|Brainerd]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #07 Morrison's Inc. | #01 ''[[Porsche]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Brainerd Grand Prix|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave Cowart | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave White |- ! rowspan=2 | 9 | rowspan=2 | [[Daytona International Speedway|Daytona]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #25 ''[[BMW]]'' | #01 ''[[Porsche]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Paul Revere 250|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Kenper Miller | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave White |- ! rowspan=2 | 10 | rowspan=2 | [[Infineon Raceway|Sears Point]] | #2 [[McLaren|McLaren North America]] | #55 ''[[Porsche]]'' | #48 ''[[Datsun]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Sears Point Challenge|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Hobbs (racing driver)|David Hobbs]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Howard Meister | {{flagicon|USA}} Frank Leary |- ! rowspan=2 | 11 | rowspan=2 | [[Portland International Raceway|Portland]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #07 Morrison's Inc. | #64 ''[[Porsche]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Portland Grand Prix|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave Cowart | {{flagicon|USA}} Dennis Aase |- ! rowspan=2 | 12 | rowspan=2 | [[Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course|Mid-Ohio]] | #94 Whittington Brothers Racing | #07 Morrison's Inc. | #42 ''[[Porsche]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Mid-Ohio 250|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bill Whittington]] {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jim Busby (racing driver)|Jim Busby]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Dave Cowart {{flagicon|COL}} [[Mauricio de Narvaez]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Bill Bean |- ! rowspan=2 | 13 | rowspan=2 | [[Road Atlanta]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #55 Andial Porsche-Meister Homes | #83 Sun/Moon [[Electramotive]] | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Arthur Montgomery Challenge|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Howard Meister | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Don Devendorf]] |- ! rowspan=2 | 14 | rowspan=2 | [[Daytona International Speedway|Daytona]] | #59 [[Brumos Porsche]] | #04 ''[[Chevrolet]]'' | #79 ''[[Datsun]]'' | rowspan=2 | [[1978 Daytona 250|Results]] |- | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]] | {{flagicon|USA}} Rick Thompkins | {{flagicon|USA}} Richard Kendrick {{flagicon|USA}} Scott Hoerr |}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091128135133/http://wsrp.ic.cz/imsa1978.html World Sports Racing Prototypes] - 1978 IMSA GT Championship results

{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Imsa Gt Championship Season}} [[Category:IMSA GT Championship seasons]] [[Category:1978 in American motorsport|IMSA GT]]