A combined schedule for 2014 has also been a big talking point. How many races and where? Ideas of a 12-race calendar have been tossed around. But in reality, I could see it increasing more towards 15 or 16 rounds, depending on the economic conditions as well as manufacturer activation.

There is certainly no shortage of qualified venues. Start with the ISC and/or now NASCAR-owned properties at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta, throw in Indianapolis, Road America, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Lime Rock and Mosport, along with premier street races in Long Beach, Detroit and Baltimore and you’re already looking at 14 events. And that doesn’t include the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, or other new races that could come on the horizon before the unification year.

The top-tier P1 division in the ALMS is expected not to be retained under the unified championship. (Photo: John Dagys)

While it all sounds rosy, there are challenges to overcome in the scheduling department as well. Maintaining a large enough gap around the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for select teams wanting to make the trip overseas, will be crucial, as it has been with the ALMS. However, with an expanded schedule, it could be difficult to fit everything in, while factoring that four-week early summer break.

Instead, the best-case scenario may come with teams being able to drop their worst result from the championship, a concept originated by the ALMS during its combined ELMS schedule in 2000, and brought back into debate this week by Panoz during Wednesday’s announcement.

And with an expected overall increase in car count under the unified series, could we see separate races for Prototypes and GTs on select weekends? That tactic was previously used in the Rolex Series some six years ago with mixed success, but may become a necessity on tight street circuits and shorter permanent circuits that have reduced capacity.

The final major piece of the puzzle comes with the actual organization of the sanctioning body. While both IMSA and GRAND-AM, while under the same umbrella, plan to operate independently next year, it’s unclear of the exact structure for 2014. Will the series’ headquarters be in Daytona Beach or Braselton? Will everyone consolidate to one location?

Given his level of executive-level experience not only leading ALMS/IMSA but also previously with California Speedway, Nazareth Speedway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Atherton would be a perfect fit as President and CEO of the new unified series.

But on the flip side, could it be time to bring in some new blood from the outside? However, would NASCAR want a new face steering the ship, especially for the crucial first few years?

While it’s nearly a given that a combination of existing IMSA and GRAND-AM employees will join forces, will there simply be two people each job now, or reassignments and/or potential future layoffs? Atherton denied anyone being let go for the time being, but as with many industry mergers, changes are sometimes made further down the road.

In terms of officiating and technical staff, both series boast key individuals, including Scot Elkins (ALMS/IMSA COO), Paul Walter (ALMS Race Director), Mark Raffauf (GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations), Gabriel Cadringher (GRAND-AM Managing Director of Technical Regulations and Development) and Charlie Cook (ALMS Technical Director), that will likely all play an important role during the transition period and beyond.

While the ALMS has typically enjoyed a more consistent race officiating staff, GRAND-AM, on the other hand, has the potential to become a marketing powerhouse, thanks to its close ties with NASCAR. The question, though, comes if they’ll take advantage of it, especially now under a single series? Will there be a need to, given no direct competition?

And finally, what will the TV package comprise of? Contracts for both series conveniently expire at the end of next year, opening the door for a fresh start. Could there be another quantum leap, given the expected increased viewership of a combined championship?

There are many questions to be answered as it’s still very early days. While details will be coming out over the next few months, and year, heading into the first unified race in 2014, we have to keep a cautious, yet optimistic eye towards the future.

As seen with the unification of Champ Car and IRL some four years ago, the U.S. open wheel scene has flourished under a single set of leadership. And the same can happen to sports car racing.

While it will no doubt be a rough road ahead, there’s hope that the leaders of the sport, no matter their past differences, can truly work together in unison, all for the common goal.

After all, we may only have one chance to get it right.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED