Sports Cars: With 2023 behind us, let's walk down Memory Lane
One week past the 2023 calendar, we're looking ahead toward what promises to be an exciting 2024 as it quickly approaches.
However, for sports car racing fans, 2023 was just the start of a new beginning for this coveted form of racing.
From the debut of hybrid machinery in IMSA, to a historic 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, this past year's season in sports car racing may be known as the year that catapulted the sport back into mainstream relevancy.
Yes, there is still work to be done and the future of sports car racing has a bright future ahead, but the leaps and boundaries that were broken this year were ones to remember.
Here, now, is a look back on some of the highlights of 2023:
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GTPs Reunite With IMSA
IMSA going back to the GTP class was a sight, one we may have not expected to see happen.
But, the advancements and opportunities that came with the GTP class heading into 2023 were extraordinary.
Being at Daytona and seeing the crowds with their excitement for this new era for IMSA was a sight to see.
The top class was revamped, bringing a new image to the sport, as well as a new set of eyes.
With the introduction of Hybrids, teams, drivers and IMSA had the gates open to many possibilities, including this year seeing the mix of LMDh and LMh entries together in WEC.
Having the GTPs back in a new form created fresh hype for fans, one that hasn't been there as apparent since the merger almost a decade back.
By no means was the DPi class a failure or stale. With the new technology and the series wanting to embrace a more environmentally friendly -- and just overall fan-friendly image -- adding hybrids to the series could be the start of something greater for IMSA in the future.
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Garage 56
The Garage 56 entry was one of the most iconic scenes this past season at a place racing fans love to pay homage to in person, namely, Le Mans.
Seeing the grid and the new era that hybrids would have at Le Mans in 2023, and with the marking of the 100th anniversary of the legendary race, having NASCAR's new technologically advanced machine compete was particularly special.
The "stock car" brought such a unique look into what the future of NASCAR can bring and legitimized the sport's push towards making a more global form of racing.
You can't deny NASCAR -- and keeping within its roots, holding on to what the sport was built off of -- but seeing the success of international racing, NASCAR had to do something to show that they aren't the small, southern U.S.-based series they used to be.
Having the Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro at Le Mans was fun to see, especially for how much of a force it was.
With the car seeing great success and basically completing all 24 hours, NASCAR had so much to be proud of and the potential for exciting one-off type events that could come from the success at Le Mans is unprecedented.
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New Toys
Seeing what we saw in 2023, there also came the announcement of new machinery coming for 2024, which truly ties into the excitement to come of the next few years, with the intrigue of the now.
There was the announcement of new hybrid prototypes in both LMh and LMDh, with the likes of Lamborghini and Aston Martin.
In addition to the announcement of hydrogen-powered cars running in the near future, the technological advances that began in 2023 and continue in 2024 and beyond brings a whole new look towards this form of racing.
We are seeing new cars, new manufacturers and new systems being used and jumping into the highest levels of sports car racing. It's something that is looking to not stop any time soon going forward in all series.