Sixteen Ligier JS P3s are ready to battle at Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans’ final
On October 10-11, 2019, sixteen Ligier JS P3s hit the track for Petit Le Mans, the last IMSA Prototype Challenge race of the season held at Road Atlanta. After clinching the LM P3 European Le Mans Series title one race early, the Ligier JS P3 will battle for the IMSA Prototype Challenge title with the #4 Ligier JS P3 entered by ANSA Motorsports. 2019 F3 Americas Champion, Dakota Dickerson will trade again his Ligier JS F3 for the #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P3 and join Dylan Murry at the wheel in preparation of the 2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge. In IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, CORE autosport will live its final race in the DPi category.
The LM P3 season is almost over in Europe and in the United States. With one race to go in the European Le Mans Series on October 25-27, the Ligier JS P3 has already clinched the ELMS LM P3 title for the fourth year in a row. Two Ligier JS P3s are head to head in the provisional LM P3 classification with 94 points each, 33 points in front of the first Norma. In the Ultimate Cup Series, two races still remain with two Ligier JS P3s in the lead for the title.
But now it's time for Petit Le Mans, the final event of the IMSA Prototype Challenge season.
16 Ligier JS P3s out of the 23 LM P3 pack will hit the Road Atlanta track. The Ligier JS P3 won the race in 2017 with P1 Motorsports but lost out on victory last year, finishing second. Still the Ligier JS P3 took the IMSA Prototype Challenge title home two years in a row.
So far this season, the Ligier JS P3s have won twice and clinched 6 podium finishes. The #4 ANSA Motorsports Ligier JS P3 with Leo Lamelas and Neil Alberico at the wheel which lies second on the provisional classification, only 27 points behind a Norma, is still in the title's hunt.
On the #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P3, Dakota Dickerson will join Dylan Murry. 2018 F4 U.S. Champion on a Ligier JS F4, Dickerson moved to the Ligier JS F3 and the F3 Americas in 2019. With a total of five wins, six additional podium visits and four top-10 finishes, Dickerson was crowned F3 Americas Champion! He was awarded a comprehensive package that included a full ride in a Ligier JS P3 in 2020 with MLT Motorsports and will be invited to participate in several of Ligier Automotive North America's new chassis testing and development programs.
Dickerson made his debuts in sports prototype in 2018 at the Michelin IMSA SportsCar Encore at Sebring on the #2 ANSA Motorsports Ligier JS P3. Since then, he raced twice this year on the #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P3 and clinched one victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car race and a top-4 finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
“The past few months have been filled with lots of success and learning, courtesy of the support from Ligier” said Dickerson. "Running in the F3 Americas Championship powered by Honda, we were able to lock up the championship at Road America, prior to the season finale at Sebring. The finale produced some fantastic racing and we wrapped up the season securing two more podium finishes. The highlight of the weekend, however, came when Max Crawford and Ligier Automotive announced that we will be competing full time next year in one of their Ligier JS P3 in the IMSA Prototype Challenge categories. I can't thank them enough for the opportunity.
“I'm pleased that we are also getting the chance to get 2020 started a bit early by competing in this year's season finale at Petit Le Mans. I had the chance to test with MLT Motorsports this past weekend at Road Atlanta and it is staggering how fast the Ligier JS P3 car is around the track. There are huge similarities between the Ligier JS F3 and JS P3 which made the transition into the car seem less. The Ligier JS F3 has created a great foundation for me to continue moving up through the ranks, and I'm looking forward to continue working with Ligier.”
“We are looking forward to Petit Le Mans” concluded Max Crawford, CEO of Ligier Automotive North America. “This final event promises non-stop racing action with the Ligier JS P3 still in contention for the LM P3 title. We won the title last year and are hoping for the same results this year. It's also great to see Dakota back behind the wheel of MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P3. He has dipped his toes in IMSA Prototype Challenge program and has been extremely successful. The experience he gained through the progression from the F4 and F3 SCCA Pro Series program has been proven to be very valuable.”
Petit Le Mans will also be the final of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It will mark CORE autosport's final race in the DPi category, as driver/owner Jon Bennett steps back from racing in 2020. In tribute to Bennett, the team surprised him with a new livery on his #54 Ligier Nissan DPi that harkens back to Bennett's first IMSA Prototype Lites car.
Ligier sealed victory at Petit Le Mans two years in a row, in 2016 with the Meyer Shank Racing Ligier JS P2 and in 2017 with the Tequila Patron ESM Ligier Nissan DPi. Last year, it clinched the pole position with the Tequila Patron ESM Ligier Nissan DPi. For CORE autosport's final race, the team is focusing on closing the season on strong results!
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Follow the races (local time):
Thursday October 10:
2:15 pm – 12:20 pm: Qualifying Prototype Challenge
Friday October 11:
8:00 am – 9:45 am: Race Prototype Challenge
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm: Qualifying LM P2/ DPi WeatherTech Championship
Saturday October 12:
12:05 pm – 10:05 pm: Race Petit Le Mans WeatherTech Championship
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Photo Credit:
ANSA Motorsports / Gavin Baker (SCCA Pro) / MLT Motorsports