In 1981, purpose-built GTP cars appeared in the championship, similar to the new FIA Group C cars which would be introduced to the World Endurance Championship from 1982. Derek Bell noted the difference between the two categories, stating, “Race fans do not come to races to watch an economy run.”
Nissan took control of the series in 1988, but faced challenges from Jaguar, Porsche, and Toyota throughout the next three years. Toyota was quickest in 1992 and 1993, at the end of the GTP era, with Dan Gurney's All American Racers team campaigning the Eagle Mk III, a car so dominant that it has been blamed for the demise of the class. Alongside the GTP cars, the Camel Lights cars, a smaller capacity, non-turbocharged, lower powered prototype category was introduced in 1985. Argo Racing Cars was the first ‘Lights’ Champions, followed by Spice Engineering.
Starting with the 1986 season, the GTP category had their own decal, similar to the IMSA GT side decal, with a P being added to denote their category. Camel Lights cars also used the same decal. Manufacturers such as URD Rennsport, Spice, Intrepid, Gebhardt, and Mazda also participated in the GTP class.
Following a successful heart surgery in 1987, Bishop began to rethink his priorities. He was approached by Mike Cone and Jeff Parker, owners of Tampa Race Circuit, and in January 1989, Bishop and France sold the series to Cone and Parker. The new owners relocated the IMSA headquarters from Connecticut to Tampa Bay. Bishop would stand down as president in favor of Mark Raffauf, who was his deputy, and its representative on the ACCUS board. Cone and Parker later sold it to businessman Charles Slater, and both lost millions attempting to revive the sagging TV ratings.
By 1992, several factors led to the decline of the GTP category. Porsche concentrated on its IndyCar program when critics stated that the marque should have built a followup to its 962. Al Holbert proposed a follow-up open-top Porsche powered racer in 1988, which would also be sold to customer teams, but the project never got off the ground due to Holbert’s death later that year. Some blamed the organization for allowing the Japanese "works" teams to dominate the series. Privateer teams walked away as the Japanese economy started to go downhill. Critics predicted that the decreased variety of cars would disappoint race fans, and it ultimately killed the series in 1993. GTP cars ran their last race on October 2, 1993, at Phoenix International Raceway.
The GTP category was credited for many innovations in the U.S., including antilock brakes, traction control, and active suspension. Dave Cowart and Kemper Miller’s Red Lobster sponsored team of the early 1980s innovated race team hospitality, practices which were subsequently adopted by virtually every other team. For those that competed, GTP was recognized for its camaraderie among drivers, especially rivals. However, Hans Stuck sarcastically compared the series’ camaraderie to Formula One’s lack of such, in the foreword of the book "Prototypes: The History of the IMSA GTP Series".
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