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International Motor Sports Association    Lamborghini Super Trofeo series

International Motor Sports Association 

super trofeo series

 

  www.imsa.com 

photos courtesy Imsa

About the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)

International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, as well as four one-make series: Ferrari Challenge North America, Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and Porsche Carrera Cup North America. IMSA – a company within the NASCAR family – is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

 

IMSA, Collegiate Racing Series Jointly Establish National Advisory Board for Motorsports Education

Industry and Academic Leaders Unite to Help Develop the Next Generation of Motorsports Professionals

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 27, 2026) – On the heels of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and Collegiate Racing Series (CRS) today announced the joint establishment of the National Advisory Board for Motorsports Education (NABME), a collaborative effort designed to strengthen the connection between higher education and the evolving needs of the motorsports industry.


 

Last weekend at VIR, CRS Mazda MX-5 race cars representing Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee — two of more than 80 colleges and universities currently participating throughout the CRS program — were on display in the paddock, highlighting the hands-on learning opportunities that are central to the new initiative.


 

As part of the program, IMSA will provide internship opportunities in engineering and partnership marketing for qualified students, subject to IMSA business needs and applicable policies. The inaugural internship recipients will be announced during IMSA's annual State of the Sport presentation on Oct. 1 ahead of the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.


 

CRS, the "National Championship for Collegiate Motorsports," is a platform that provides students with practical experience through the design, preparation, operation and management of race programs. Other notable colleges and universities participating in CRS include UCLA, University of Florida, North Carolina State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University, University of South Carolina and Texas A&M among many others.


 

Together, IMSA and CRS have jointly established NABME to help ensure academic programs more closely reflect the skills, experiences and professional expectations required throughout today's motorsports industry.


 

"Motorsports continues to evolve at an incredible pace, and developing the next generation of industry professionals is vital to sustaining that growth," said IMSA President John Doonan. "Through NABME, we can help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience while providing students greater visibility into the diverse career opportunities available throughout our sport."


 

NABME brings together leaders from across motorsports, including engineering, race operations, manufacturing, safety, marketing and business disciplines, to help guide the development of future industry talent. The effort reinforces IMSA's longstanding commitment to education, experiential learning and workforce development while creating additional pathways for students to gain exposure to the professional motorsports environment.


 

"Creating meaningful pathways between education and industry has never been more important," said CRS President Jack Hobbs. "By bringing together educators and leaders from across the motorsports industry, NABME will help students gain practical experience, professional awareness and valuable industry connections that can support successful careers throughout the sport."


 

As universities across the United States continue expanding motorsports-focused academic programs, industry leaders have identified a growing need to better align educational experiences with workforce expectations. NABME was established to address that challenge by fostering collaboration between educators and industry stakeholders while supporting curriculum development, experiential learning opportunities and workforce readiness initiatives.


 

Central to the effort is the belief that successful preparation for careers in motorsports requires more than technical knowledge. Students benefit from exposure to real-world systems, team environments, regulatory frameworks and the fast-paced decision-making processes that are critical to modern racing operations.


 

IMSA and CRS leadership will participate in a joint NABME steering committee focused on workforce development, student engagement and long-term program growth. The organizations will conduct quarterly reviews and annual planning sessions to assess progress and identify future opportunities.


 

NABME's broader objectives include supporting accreditation guidance, curriculum alignment, skills-gap assessments, experiential learning best practices and workforce pathway development. The initiative is guided by principles that include industry relevance, hands-on experience, safety, leadership, collaboration, accessibility and continuous improvement.


 

Additional updates regarding student participation opportunities and future NABME programs are expected later this year.

 

 

IMSA, Road America Announce New Date for 2027 Motul Endurance SportsCar Grand Prix

Race Weekend Moved One Week from Originally Announced Date

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 25, 2026) – Officials from IMSA and Road America today announced that the 2027 Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix weekend will now take place on the weekend of August 5-8, 2027.


 

“The new August dates reduce overlap with other major events across Wisconsin during one of the busiest parts of summer,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America President and General Manager. “Announcing the dates now gives everyone more time to adjust their plans.”


 

The four-day event will once again bring North America’s premier sports car racing series to the legendary four-mile circuit. The weekend will be headlined by the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship six-hour Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix race, along with additional racing, fan activities and opportunities to get close to the cars and drivers. The WeatherTech Championship race again will be part of the five-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup schedule.


 

"Fan turnout at Road America has grown substantially the past few years with an all-time record for our first six-hour endurance race earlier this month," said IMSA President John Doonan. "We're already looking forward to returning one weekend later next year and we are confident that by giving the loyal Road America fans enough runway to make or alter their plans, we'll see another amazing turnout for the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix weekend in 2027."


 

Tickets already purchased for the 2027 event at the advanced price of $140 will remain valid for the new dates, and fans are encouraged to take advantage of the special 4-day pricing as it will only be available for a limited time. Fans with questions about existing orders are encouraged to contact the Road America ticket office.


 

For ticket details and event information, visit www.roadamerica.com. 

 

 

Three Takeaways: Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

Never Say Never; Heart of Racing’s Elusive Win Pursuit; Tough Outings

for Contenders


 

August 24, 2026

By David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Year in and year out, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway is one of the highlights of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for any number of reasons. 


 

Its expansive 1,300 acres of manicured lawns including the 3.27-mile, 17-turn Full Course could be mistaken for fairways at pristine golf courses in the South. Then there’s the singular opportunity to witness both Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and GTD categories enjoy the special track all to themselves; a tradition unlike any other in the modern era WeatherTech Championship for more than a decade. 


 

Perhaps best of all, its traditional late August date sets the scene as the opening act of a trilogy that caps the WeatherTech Championship schedule to decide the titles. Results here tend to exert an outsized impact on the driver, manufacturer and team championships in both GTD PRO and GTD. Thus, the competition seems just that little bit more intense, the pressure just that much higher, and the margin for error just that much smaller.


 

Never Say Never

Regardless of how their championships resolve, both Sunday winners – Pfaff Motorsports in GTD PRO and Winward Racing in GTD – will have much to be proud of when reflecting on their 2026 seasons.


 

A few months ago, only a riverboat gambler would have bet a dime on their chances of figuring in their respective championship races. 


 

Winward’s No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 opened its account in pursuit of its third straight title with a Rolex 24 At Daytona win but finished ninth or worse in three of the next four races. Meanwhile, Pfaff ran its tried-and-true Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 at Daytona before introducing its brand-new Lamborghini Temerario GT3 in worldwide competition at Sebring. The goal then was finishing; the goal now is winning.


 

Leaving Watkins Glen just three races and not even two full months ago, Winward’s Philip Ellis and Russell Ward were sixth in GTD, 300 points behind Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello. Pfaff’s Andrea Caldarelli and Sandy Mitchell, meanwhile, sat seventh in GTD PRO and 210 points back.


 

But July and August have been kind to these two in their unlikely title pursuits. They’ve got five of six combined GT wins across Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America and VIR. 


 

The Winward hat trick has propelled Ellis and Ward to the GTD lead, now 36 clear of second place. Pfaff’s Caldarelli and Mitchell are now third in GTD PRO and only 56 off the lead. 


 

“I think it's just a swing in luck,” Ward modestly observed. “I mean, there's still two races to go and it's really, really tight in the points. I mean, the difference between first and second is 30 points, the difference between second and third is 20, and then it's (basically) 10 points down from there. Everybody's within two or three positions to be honest. So, you know, it's still a lot of fight left (and) you never know what can happen in the next two races.”


 

Meanwhile Caldarelli, Mitchell and the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini have suddenly emerged with a serious chance to make a title bid few thought possible.

 

“(The championship) was never even a topic within the team,” Caldarelli noted. “We know the mountain that we have to overcome with a new car, but I have to say the spirit of the team has been always hopeful and very positive about every weekend. I’m not saying that we were looking at championships in Sebring, but I think we stayed positive (and) that in hindsight, it's always like if you execute always a good weekend, like you never say never.”


 

Heart of Racing’s Elusive Win Pursuit Continues

It was a tough weekend at the office for Heart of Racing Team’s No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo and drivers Barrichello and Tom Gamble. 


 

A technical infraction in qualifying cost the No. 27 car its two fastest laps and relegated the GTD points leader to an unrepresentative 11th to start Sunday’s race. Unfazed (and aided by a full course yellow that bunched the field), the Brazilian scythed his way through the field to take over the lead in his quest for his first class win in a season that has seen him lead the championship race since earning a trio of podium finishes in the first four races while driving with a revolving cast of co-drivers.


 

For the second time this year though, a potential win went begging late. At Sebring, Antonio Fuoco passed Gamble on the final lap. At VIR, contact with Ellis left Gamble on the receiving end of a drive-through penalty assessed for incident responsibility when battling for the win. Fourth was a salvageable result, but not what was desired as Barrichello slipped to third in the championship.

 

“It was good fun,” Barrichello said of his opening stint. “But then we didn't complete the job, and we haven't completed the job this year.

 

“We've been struggling to get a rhythm. In the beginning of the season, we did a good job in getting a couple podiums, but we're struggling at the minute. We’ve had a lot of penalties coming our way, and it's difficult to say what's wrong. A podium would have been nice. We just have to regroup and try to get a nice race.”


 

Tough Outings for Other Front Runners

Several leading GT entries in both classes experienced a tough VIR weekend. 


 

VIR’s winningest IMSA marque, Chevrolet, had a disappointing weekend in particular. On the first lap, one of its GTD PRO cars went out and the GTD polesitter fell out of contention. 

 

First and foremost, Alexander Sims was fortunate to escape any injury when the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R crashed heavily in the Climbing Esses on the opening lap.

 

“It was tight going through the Esses with the cars going side by side,” said Sims. “I could see the left hander coming up and Harry (King in the AO Racing Porsche) was on my right and it was just tight. At some point I had to decide to go over the curb . . . I just lost control, unfortunately on cold tires on a compromised place on the track. It was a big hit but the tire barriers did a really good job, thankfully. I don’t think it was overly aggressive, honestly. We’re all racing hard but pretty fair.”  

 

Also suffering a rough opening lap was the GTD-pole winning No. 81 DragonSpeed Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which went several laps down after tangling with the No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. The No. 34 was assessed a drive-through for incident responsibility there.


 

What's more (or less), the No. 4 Corvette of Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner came home a disappointing sixth place on a day when they might have made up ground on the GTD PRO championship leading No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO which placed fifth. They’re only 23 points back, but rued the missed opportunity.

 

“Really disappointing because I think with the race being green, we would have had an easy P2 today, potentially even P1 with the pace that we had,” said Catsburg. “On both pit stops, we lost a lot of time. The first pit stop, the door didn't close, which is a returning issue that we need to address. And then on the second stop, I don't think all the energy that we needed to put in went in. That meant that Tommy's stints were heavily compromised. He needed to save like crazy, which he did an awesome job at doing some damage control there. 


 

“We could have gotten off a lot worse there, but initially we should have definitely had a very good race here and also in terms of championship. This got away from us. It is what it is. We need to get all of our heads together and try and see how we can limit those issues from happening again.”


 

Neither Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 had a great day in either class, while AO Racing attempted a different strategy to gain track position with its No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). Cautions did not fall “Rexy’s” way Sunday to make that work despite the team’s best efforts.  


 

These are championship-winning outfits and with two races to go, this batch of teams will be keen to put VIR in the rear-view mirror quickly and look ahead to Indianapolis in a month’s time. 

 

 

Statement from IMSA President John Doonan on Passing

of Cedric Sbirrazzuoli

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 21, 2026) - "All of us in the IMSA family are mourning the loss of Cedric Sbirrazzuoli. Cedric was a talented driver and valued member of the IMSA paddock for the better part of a decade, beginning as a competitor in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and progressing into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. His greatest IMSA achievement came at Motul Petit Le Mans in 2024 when he and his teammates celebrated a well-deserved and hard-earned GTD race victory, one of three podium results he earned in his 19 WeatherTech Championship appearances. We extend heartfelt sympathies to Cedric's family, teammates and his many friends here in the IMSA paddock and throughout the world of sports car endurance racing. He will be sorely missed."

 

What to Watch for: Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

GT’s Spotlight; GTD PRO Title Intensity; Continuity Fueling GTD Surge


 

August 20, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Something notable to watch for this weekend in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway is what not to watch for - the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s prototype classes – Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2).


 

While these exotic categories take a short late-summer break, the Michelin GT Challenge stays true to its name, elevating the production-based Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and GTD classes to event headliner status. The slimmed-down 23-car field gives the GT runners more room to spread out than they are accustomed to in a full-field IMSA event, which often produces clean and entertaining races.


 

For the GTD PRO and GTD drivers, it’s a rare opportunity to focus almost exclusively forward instead of constantly watching rear view mirrors or cameras for faster oncoming prototype traffic. And what a view ahead through the windshield! VIR is a popular favorite, with plenty of elevation change and stunning variety among the 17 turns that make up a 3.27-mile lap of the Long Course. Even the names of VIR’s key corners are intriguing – like Oak Tree, Rollercoaster, Snake, Hog Pen, and NASCAR Bend.


 

Here’s more to watch for as the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR plays out over two hours and 40 minutes on Sunday afternoon (live, flag-to-flag, noon ET on NBC):


 

GT in the Spotlight


 

IMSA’s GT classes have a fervent fan following, including efforts such as Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and AO Racing’s character-themed Porsche. At the Michelin GT Challenge, not only do they get to bask in the spotlight they get one of America’s most challenging and respected racetracks to themselves.


 

“I’ve always said it’s one of my favorite stops on the schedule,” said Nick Tandy, who shares the aforementioned No. 77 ‘Rexy’ Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) fielded by AO Racing with Harry King. “Being GT-only, it may be the highlight race for the GT class of the season, or one of them. And the track is just one of the best. It reminds me of the places that I grew up racing in the U.K., fast and flowing in the trees and the hills.”


 

Tandy is one of nine out of 46 participating drivers who are former winners at VIR; his three wins came 2015, ’19, and ’21 in IMSA’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class that preceded GTD PRO. He’s back at VIR this year for the first time since that ’21 win with Tommy Milner, having raced part-time in IMSA in 2022 and competing in GTP from 2023 to 2025.

Other former VIR winners in the Michelin GT Challenge field include Antonio Garcia (five), Milner (three), Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Alexander Sims (two), and Connor De Phillippi, Robby Foley and Corey Lewis with one each.


 

“I think the greatest racing I ever did in my life was when I was in the peak of GTLM,” Tandy related. “And honestly, GTD PRO is becoming that sort of racing. You’ve got to be on it all the time. Generally, you always have got a chance. Even if you don’t qualify well, you will have a chance to do something in the race, and put yourself in the race, to get something going towards the end. That’s exactly how GTLM used to be.”


 

Corvette leads in constructor wins at VIR with 10, followed by BMW and Porsche with seven apiece. All three have additional wins at VIR as engines in prototype chassis.


 

Stacked GTD PRO Championship


 

Five of the 10 competing teams in GTD PRO still harbor championship hopes after seven of 10 races in 2026, including three clustered within 21 points. 


 

De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen (No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO) lead Milner and Nicky Catsburg (No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R) by 15 points, with King and Tandy another six points back. 


 

Also in contention are Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch (No. 65 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3) at minus 99. The only two-time winners in the class this year, Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth (No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3) are at minus 113.


 

“The points battle is very, very tight right now, and it has been for most of the year,” commented Milner. “It seems like we kind of go up and down the standings with different teams occupying the top three. For us, we have to continue on the path that we’ve been on…keep scoring points as we can take advantage of opportunities when they come our way.”


 

A Paul Miller Racing BMW driven by Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers took GTD honors at VIR in 2023 and followed with another win in GTD PRO a year later. But an incident for the No. 1 car at Road America with its current lineup brought the field back into play this weekend. 


 

Winward, Turner Continuity Helping in GTD Title Fight


 

GTD is even tighter, with the top four blanketed by just 45 points. While they’re not leading, a BMW pairing is right in the thick of the GTD points battle as well. Foley and Patrick Gallagher (No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO) sit third, 26 points behind leader Dudu Barrichello (No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo).


 

Between them are Ward and Ellis, who triumphed at VIR in 2022 and ’25 in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. That duo is coming off consecutive wins at the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America to go from 300 points to just 24 back entering VIR. The final realistic GTD championship aspirants are Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen, who are 45 points back in the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3.

“It’s been a very consistent year, sitting in the top five,” Foley said. “We haven’t broken through for a win yet, but we’ve kind of always been in the mix where some others have had, let’s say, a more up-and-down year.  Hopefully we can turn the wick up a little bit and try to break through for that win. That said, we just have to keep it simple and execute well and collect as many points as possible.” 


 

Foley and Gallagher, like Ward and Ellis, are longtime co-drivers and teammates. Telitz is in his eighth year with Vasser Sullivan but first alongside Pedersen, while rookie Barrichello has had a rotation of co-drivers in his No. 27 car. 


 

“To touch on Winward, I think they've been the benchmark in our category for the past few seasons,” Foley explained. “They always have incredible pace at different tracks. The team executes really well. We fought them for the championship in 2024, albeit it wasn't very close in the end. We finished second to them. So yeah, Philip, Russell and Indy (Dontje) when he joins for the endurance races do a very good job behind the wheel. Their team does a good job in pit lane. So, they're always right there. 


 

“You could say the same for the 27 car, even though with Dudu, they've had a few different teammates with him this year from different scheduling clashes. But I think it's kind of the same core group of drivers. They all know that car very well. The team operates at a high level. 


 

“The top teams are always going to be doing a good job. You just have to be on the right side of the circumstance and make good decisions.”


 

As noted, Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway will air live on NBC Sunday starting at noon ET. Streaming coverage is available in the U.S. on Peacock, with international viewers accessing via the official IMSA YouTube channel or IMSA.TV.

 

 

GSX Doubleheader Set for IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge at VIR

P3 Has Weekend Off; GSX Field To Run Standalone Event


 

August 19, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

Points (Click Here)


 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Grand Sport X (GSX) competitors will have the spotlight to themselves in IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge action this week, with a pair of 45-minute sprint races at VIRginia International Raceway. 


 

GSX championship leader Westin Workman will look to get back on track after his first defeat in 2026 came at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The driver of the No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 swept sprint weekends at Daytona International Speedway, Circuit of The Americas and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and captured a seventh straight win to open the year at CTMP.


 

Workman appeared poised to complete another sweep north of the border as he led the first two laps in Round 8. But mechanical issues stymied him and opened the door for a new winner to deny driver No. 8 win number eight of the season. 


 

Ismaeel Ellahi took the spoils in his new No. 25 CSM Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO, holding off Courtney Crone in her No. 35 CarBahn Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 EVO who pushed for the bulk of the race. Ellahi graduates to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with CSM this weekend.


 

Although Workman lost his shot at a perfect season in GSX, he still holds a comfortable 400-point lead over Crone. It’s unlikely Workman will be able to clinch the title early at VIR, but he has one hand firmly on the season-long championship title. 


 

The other key battle of note is in the GSX Bronze Cup, which sees three drivers covered by just 40 points. Dan Ammann (No. 91 VRC Motorsports Group, LLC Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS) leads Rafa Martinez (No. 68 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2) by 30 points and Jon Brel (No. 81 Kingpin Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2) by 40. 


 

Full-timers Ammann and Brel secured their first Bronze wins of the season at CTMP, bucking an unusual run where part-time GSX entries swept the first six races of the year. 


 

Le Mans Prototype 3 (P3) competitors raced separately at VIRginia International Raceway as part of the IMSA Airbnb Endurance Challenge in June. Ari Balogh and Garett Grist claimed the overall win in their No. 30 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P325.


 

VP Racing Challenge competitors practice twice and qualify Friday. The first race is Saturday at 12:20 p.m. ET with the second on Sunday at 8:40 a.m. Races stream live on Peacock and the IMSA Official YouTube channel.


 

Fast Facts

IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge

VIRginia International Raceway – Alton, Va.

August 21-23, 2026


 

Race Days/Times: Saturday, August 22, 12:20 p.m. ET; Sunday, August 23, 8:40 a.m.

Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 12:15 p.m. Saturday and 8:35 a.m. Sunday (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel)

Circuit Type: 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course

Classes Competing: Grand Sport X (GSX)

Race Lengths: 45 minutes


 

VP Racing SportsCar Challenge Track Records

  • GSX: Luca Mars, Ford Mustang GT4, 1:53.143 / 104.045 mph, August 2024 (Qualifying)


 

2025 VP Racing SportsCar Challenge VIR Race 1, 2 and CTMP Race 2 Makeup Winners: 

  • P3: Valentino Catalano, No. 30 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08 
  • GTDX: Jake Walker, No. 6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
  • GSX: Kiko Porto, No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2

 

 

IMSA Mourns Loss of Legendary Leader, Competitor Charlie Slater 

 

August 19, 2026

By Holly Cain

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Former IMSA owner, chief executive officer (CEO) and competitor Charlie Slater passed away last Saturday in South Florida at the age of 69 following an extended illness.


 

“IMSA, at its core values, has always been a culture of family – the IMSA racing family,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “The loss of Charlie has hit all of us hard. The positive impact he has had on the IMSA community over the years has been discussed and recognized by so many legends of IMSA in recent days.  

 

“It is with heavy hearts that we will go racing this week at VIR…but also with the same ‘IMSA family’ spirit that Charlie represented. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of Charlie’s family and loved ones.”

 

That ‘family’ spirit was evident among a mix of past and present IMSA competitors as word circulated in the industry of Slater’s passing. 


 

Those he worked alongside, shared a cockpit with and competed wheel-to-wheel with spoke of what a quality person Slater was – respected in business, in racing and remembered fondly as a friend.

 

A hugely successful and ground-breaking engineering executive, Slater purchased IMSA in 1993 and guided the sanctioning body through 1996 – including the transition from the GTP prototype headlining class to the open-cockpit World Sports Cars. He is credited with bringing aboard Exxon as a primary series sponsor before ultimately selling the IMSA series in the Fall of 1996.

 

Slater’s deep love of the sport and respect for those in the paddock never wavered through the decades whether he was a part of the starting grid, leading the series’ executive meetings or there to support someone else.

 

The Fort Lauderdale native turned his lifelong love of cars into sports car competition – driving Porsches and sharing cockpits with some of the biggest names in the sport like Bill Auberlen, Tommy Kendall and Kevin Jeannette.

 

He podiumed in two Rolex 24 At Daytona starts – finishing third in the GT3 class in 1998 standing alongside a star-filled podium that included Auberlen, Boris Said and Peter Cunningham. Later, Slater would share a Porsche with Auberlen and develop a close friendship. 

 

The all-time wins leader with 65 in IMSA’s top championship, Auberlen said Monday he was deeply saddened to receive news of Slater’s passing.

 

“Honestly, I had to sit down,” Auberlen conceded. “For those that knew Charlie, they knew he was a kind, giving, gentle guy. When I say he would give you the shirt off his back, that is an understatement.”

 

Auberlen, who competes in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Samantha Tan in the No. 38 ST Racing by Random Vandals BMW M4 GT4 EVO, credits one singular act of Slater’s kindness as essentially changing his own racing trajectory. 


 

While racing in New Orleans, Auberlen crashed his Mazda RX-7 in practice and it couldn’t be repaired in time for green flag – a heart-breaking development as Auberlen was competing for the class championship at the time. 

 

“It seemed all was lost,” Auberlen said. “Along walks up Charlie Slater. I knew of him but didn’t know him personally. He looked at me and we spoke a bit and after 10 minutes of talking, he gave me his personal Alex Job GTU Porsche to race for the New Orleans Grand Prix.

 

“I mean, who does that? The answer was Charlie Slater. Oddly, I got the pole and won the race and honestly – because of Charlie Slater and Alex Job – I was seen by BMW in that race and it was the catalyst for my entire racing career. 

 

“I owe Charlie my entire racing life. I will miss him deeply and the light on this planet is a shade dimmer without him here.”

 

As with Auberlen, Job is a longtime friend of Slater’s. His company, Alex Job Racing, has 10 class wins at Sebring over a 20-year period. Job prepared cars for Slater, his team fielded cars for Slater and through decades of interaction, the two became such close friends that Job frequently visited even when Slater was in declining health. 

 

He speaks proudly of the success Slater enjoyed behind one of his Alex Job Racing Porsches – including a class win at Sebring (1995 in GTS-2 with Auberlen and Joe Cogbill as co-drivers) – and the lengthy friendship he cherished.

 

“Charlie was just always a race enthusiast and sports car enthusiast,” Job said. “Talk about a bright mind. He was an engineering mind, an incredibly bright mind, incredibly good businessman.

 

“I don’t know if that history with our team would have played out the way it did if it wasn’t for Charlie Slater joining Alex Job Racing and becoming a close personal friend, an awesome customer and a supporter of AJR,” Job added. “Charlie was a huge part of it.”

Four times Slater competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sharing the cockpit of the Konrad Porsche with Kendall and Jürgen von Gartzen in 2000 and earning what would be his best ever finish in the race, 14th overall. The two did not really know one another before the race, but Kendall was impressed with not only Slater’s preparation and work behind the wheel, but his demeanor and kindness out of the car.

 

“I learned he’s an incredibly accomplished, very bright guy that had no airs about him,” Kendall recalled. “He didn’t need you to know he was a big sot. He was just a normal guy that loved his racing. He was very unassuming and no need for you to know who he was, so you had to pry accolades out of him.

 

“I really enjoyed the weekend with him and think about it often,” Kendall said, offering his condolences.

 

A longtime familiar face and name in the IMSA paddocks, a gentleman who goes by the name “Stretch” was particularly close to Slater. The two were dear friends, restoring classic cars late into many nights prone to enjoying racing stories and contemplating life in general. 


 

He recalls Slater’s generous heart and insistence on making a real difference in life – something Stretch saw him do discreetly for others on a regular basis through the years. 

 

“Charlie was more than a friend, he was a brother, a confidant, adventurer, companion and one of the most generous individuals I have ever known,” Stretch said Monday.

 

“He always had the sense of curiosity and wonder about him and he took this into every aspect of his daily life.’’

 

“I will miss my dear friend and I will miss our conversations,” Stretch said. “Charlie Slater was a very bright light, a soul that gave and gave. In my opinion, another heaven and another earth will pass before we will see his kind again.”


 

Slater Headshot via IMSA Archives

No. 60 Porsche Photo courtesy of Tommy Kendall

 

 

Entry List Notebook - Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix

GS Points Leaders Seek Bounce Back from Abnormal Road America Results


 

August 18, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)


 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) championship leaders look to rebound from abnormal Road America results for the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway.


 

Robert Noaker will share the No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 with new co-driver Finn Wiebelhaus starting at VIR. The No. 13 car has finished in the top 11 in each of the first seven races and built its championship lead from 30 points to 100 entering VIR. Ford scored a pair of podiums at VIR last year in the hands of KohR Motorsports, finishing second and third behind eventual season champions Luca Mars and Jan Heylen in the RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS.


 

Each of the top five in the championship all finished seventh or worse in the Road America 120. That brought a sixth possible GS title contender into play, in the form of series newcomers Car Blanche and Road America winners Trenton Estep and Allen Patten in their No. 66 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO. 


 

The second consecutive first-time GS winners have ascended to sixth and only 190 points out of the lead. A second successive win would propel this team even closer to the front of the pack only a handful of races after debuting at Watkins Glen International following an acquisition of van der Steur Racing.


 

But winning this season has not necessarily been a good thing for GS winners in their next race. In an odd quirk, the results for GS winners in their next race, starting at Sebring, have been 29th, ninth, second, fourth, 21st and 28th, for an average 15th place finish. The gap from first to 15th place in IMSA’s scoring system is, conveniently, 190 points.


 

Mars and Dillon Machavern rebounded with a seventh place in their No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 EVO to jump back to second in points. They’re tied with fellow BMW runners Stevan McAleer and Austin Krainz in their No. 27 AutoTechnic Racing BMW and 10 points clear of fourth-placed Michael Cooper and Moisey Uretsky in the No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4. Winward Racing’s Bryce Ward completes the top five, 160 back, in his No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT GT4.


 

Touring Car (TCR) has, on paper, been a bit more straightforward. The Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris pair secured their sixth podium from seven 2026 starts aboard the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR. They hold a 150-point lead on teammates Preston Brown and Denis Dupont, who share the No. 76 Hyundai. 


 

Two other pairs are a further 150 points back of Brown and Dupont, in Karl Wittmer and LP Montour (No. 93 MMG Honda Civic FL5 TCR) and last year’s champion Harry Gottsacker along with his co-driver Lance Bergstein (No. 18 Herta Hyundai). Either or both of these two need a big VIR result to make inroads on the Nos. 33 and 76 cars, which appear set to vie for the title in the last three races.


 

Among the 42 cars split 29 GS and 13 TCR, there are several other changes. CarBahn’s No. 39 car is absent this race. CSM now switches to Aston Martin for its two entries, and its second car features Ismaeel Ellahi graduating from IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge alongside Ayrton Houk. Kingpin Racing makes its second start of 2026 with Patrick Wilmot and Tyler Hoffman. Celso Neto and Eddie Gou, who finished second in TCR at Road America in the No. 55 Gou Racing w/Stallion Audi RS3 LMS TCR, switch to the No. 77 Stallion Motorsports w/GOU Cupra Leon VZ TCR this race. 


 

There are two one-hour practice sessions Friday, with qualifying Saturday morning and the Saturday race at 2:15 p.m. ET and local time. It streams on Peacock and ad-free, courtesy of Michelin, on the IMSA YouTube channel. 

Fast Facts

Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix

VIRginia International Raceway – Alton, Virginia 

Aug. 21-22, 2026


 

Race Day/Time: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2:15 p.m. ET

Live Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 2:10 p.m., Peacock in the U.S., globally on IMSA YouTube ad-free courtesy of Michelin

Circuit Type: 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course

Classes Competing: Grand Sport (GS), Touring Car (TCR)

Race Length: Two hours


 

Michelin Pilot Challenge Track Records

  • GS: Nate Cicero, Ford Mustang GT4, 1:52.482 / 104.656 mph, August 2025 (Qualifying)
  • TCR: Bryson Morris, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, 1:54.943 / 102.415 mph, August 2025 (Qualifying) 


 

2025 Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix Winners

  • GS: Luca Mars/Jan Heylen, No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS
  • TCR: Luke Rumberg/Jaden Conwright, No. 31 RVA Graphics by Speed Syndicate Motorsports Audi RS3 LMS TCR


 

Storylines

  • GS Title Battle: There’s 190 points covering the top six cars in class, with all of the top five seeking a bounce back result from the last race at Road America. 
  • Herta Hyundais vs. VIR: The Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCRs frequently find their way to victory lane. But they haven’t done so at VIR since 2022, as Audi and Honda have combined to win the last three here in TCR. The Nos. 33 and 76 Hyundais sit 1-2 in the championship and along with their teammates in the Nos. 98 and 18 cars, seek to end that relative drought.


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 66 Car Blanche and No. 46 Team TGM in GS: Consistently big results are hard to find in GS but these two teams are leading the way the last two races. Car Blanche’s Aston Martin has a fifth, fourth and first in the last three races with the No. 46 Team TGM Ford Mustang GT4 of Matt Plumb and Paul Holton finally hitting its stride with fifth and second place finishes the last two races. 
  • No. 33 Herta in TCR: The TCR championship leaders have six podiums in seven starts this season. 


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Porsche in GS: A Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS has won three of the last five GS races at VIR with three different teams: Wright Motorsports, BGB Motorsports and RS1. 
  • Audi in TCR: Audi has won two of the last three VIR races in TCR. A win by any TCR Audi this year would complete the set of 18 participating OEMs in IMSA winning at least once in 2026 across all of the IMSA-sanctioned series.
  • Hugh Plumb: A four-time VIR winner, the driver of the No. 64 Team TGM Ford Mustang GT4 also leads the GS Bronze Cup with Ted Giovanis by just 10 points over the surging Owen Trinkler and Dan Ammann in their No. 91 VRC Motorsports Group LLC Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Coincidentally, Plumb’s most recent VIR win came co-driving with Trinkler in GS in 2018. 


 

Previous Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix Winners in 2026 Field (14)

  • Hugh Plumb (4): ST – 2006; GS – 2008, 2015, 2018
  • Matt Plumb (3): ST – 2006; GS – 2008, 2015
  • Bill Auberlen (2): GS – 2007, 2020 
  • Chris Miller (2): TCR – 2021, 2023 
  • Mikey Taylor (2): TCR – 2021, 2023
  • Owen Trinkler (2): ST – 2017, GS – 2018 
  • Mason Filippi (1): TCR – 2020
  • Robby Foley (1): GS – 2020
  • Billy Johnson (1): GS - 2011
  • Dillon Machavern (1): GS – 2017 
  • Luca Mars (1): GS – 2025 
  • Luke Rumberg (1): TCR – 2025 
  • James Vance (1): TCR – 2019 
  • Karl Wittmer (1): TCR – 2024 


 

Previous Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix Pole Winners in 2026 Field (10)

  • Bryson Morris (2): TCR – 2024, 2025
  • Owen Trinkler (2): GS – 2005; ST – 2009 
  • Bill Auberlen (1): GS – 2008 
  • Tyler Gonzalez (1): TCR – 2022 
  • Harry Gottsacker (1): TCR – 2021 
  • Paul Holton (1): GS – 2018 
  • Dillon Machavern (1): GS – 2021  
  • Stevan McAleer (1): GS – 2024 
  • Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023 
  • Kenny Murillo (1): GS – 2022 


 

Previous Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix Winning Teams in 2026 Field (8)

  • Turner Motorsport (3): GS – 2007, 2010, 2020 
  • Bryan Herta Autosport (2): TCR – 2020, 2022 
  • JDC-Miller MotorSports (2): TCR – 2021, 2023 
  • RVA Graphics by Speed Syndicate Motorsports (2): TCR – 2019 (as FASTMD Racing), 2025
  • KohR Motorsports (1): GS – 2019  
  • Montreal Motorsports Group (1): TCR – 2024 
  • Murillo Racing (1): ST – 2014 
  • Team TGM (1): GS – 2018 


 

Previous Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix Winning Manufacturers in 2026 Field (9)

  • Porsche – 16
  • Ford – 7
  • Audi – 6
  • BMW – 5 
  • Honda – 5 
  • Chevrolet – 4
  • Hyundai – 2 
  • Aston Martin – 1 
  • Mercedes-AMG – 1

 

 

GT Cars Are the Stars at VIR

IMSA’s Michelin GT Challenge Gives GTD PRO, GTD Classes the Spotlight


 

August 14, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The closest championship battles in the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship are playing out in the production-based Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) classes. And as luck would have it, GTD PRO and GTD take center stage for the next round of the title tilt – the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway – while the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) classes enjoy a late summer break.


 

IMSA fans know that the GT classes often provide the tightest and most entertaining competition in the WeatherTech Championship, and that’s reflected in this year’s points chase after seven of 10 rounds. In GTD PRO, the top five contenders are clustered within 113 points, with the top three separated by just 21 markers. It’s even more tense in GTD, where the top four in the standings are split by only 45 points.


 

The standalone race for GTD and GTD PRO therefore comes at the perfect time for them to be in the spotlight. And VIR is an ideal showcase. It’s known as one of the toughest and most technical tracks in America, which is why Car and Driver magazine uses VIR’s 4.1-mile Grand Course layout for its annual ‘Lightning Lap’ test to determine the year’s best-handling production or tuner-modified sports car.


 

IMSA utilizes a layout known as the Full Course, and it packs in 17 corners and plenty of elevation change into its 3.27 miles. 

“It’s got a little bit of everything and as a driver, you’ve always got a smile on your face going around that place,” said Ben Barnicoat, whose consecutive midsummer wins with Jack Hawksworth at Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park put them and the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 back into championship contention. Hawksworth and Barnicoat won the 2023 GTD PRO championship for Lexus, and enter VIR fifth, 113 points back. 


 

“I have a second- and a third-place finish at VIR, but I haven’t had a win so it would be nice to try to get it done this year,” Barnicoat continued. “Especially in GTD PRO, you’ve got a chance to fight for the overall win. It makes it that extra little bit special. You’re always jealous of the guy who gets to park in Victory Lane and gets the confetti and stuff like that. 


 

“I’ll let you know hopefully pretty soon if it’s nice or not.”


 

Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen lead the GTD PRO standings in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO by 15 points over Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner (No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R). 


 

Both teams have a history of success at VIR; PMR BMWs driven by Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers triumphed in GTD (2023) and GTD PRO (2024), while Corvette Racing’s No. 3 driven by Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims is the defending GTD PRO winner, one of seven wins for Corvette at VIR since 2012.

GTD championship leader Dudu Barrichello (No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO) is a newcomer to IMSA competition, but he drove in a Formula 4 race at VIR in 2018.


 

The 24-year-old son of ex-Formula 1 star Rubens Barrichello is looking forward to the GT classes having the track to themselves for the only time this season.


 

“Look, with all due respect to the LMP2 and the GTP drivers, I cannot wait to do that, because sometimes it’s just another variable,” he said. “You cannot control really what the prototype guys are going to do. Of course they are very good drivers, and you always expect them to do good stuff, but I think it’s going to be great to not have them this time.”


 

Barrichello and his co-drivers haven’t won a race this year yet have stayed at the head of the GTD standings through consistency. However, a post-race time penalty at Road America negated a fifth-place finish on the road (it dropped the No. 27 car to 15th) and opened the door for two-time defending class champions Russell Ward and Philip Ellis in their No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to make significant inroads. 


 

Ward and Ellis, who’ve won the last two rounds at CTMP and Road America, carved 183 points out of Barrichello’s lead at the last race. They’re now second in points, just 24 points back. Just two races ago at Watkins Glen, they were sixth, and 300 points in arrears. That’s how fast things can change in GTD.


 

Mercedes-AMG has been good at VIR, too. Ward and Ellis have won at VIR in both 2022 and ’25, while the manufacturer also won in 2024 with Kenton Koch and Mikael Grenier. 


 

Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO) are third, 26 points off Barrichello, while Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen (No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3) are fourth and 45 back.


 

“I love the standalone race at VIR,” Foley said. “It changes a little bit of the dynamic. We can focus more on our own race, and it's more about pace, kind of a more traditional sprint race style, where in the multi-class races, there definitely tends to be more full-course yellows and a lot more traffic to deal with and negotiate. That ultimately can change the race, where VIR tends to be a little bit more straightforward. You really have to focus on car pace and a good long-run pace there, because you tend to basically run green to checker.”


 

Since the formation of the GTD PRO class in 2022, GTD PRO and GTD have used identical cars homologated to the FIA GT3 standard. GTD PRO runners generally enjoy additional factory support, including manufacturer affiliated drivers. In 2022 and ’23, the GTD race winner finished ahead of the GTD PRO winner five times, including twice by the No. 27 Aston Martin.


 

Beginning in 2025, IMSA split the starting lineups between classes, and also splits and re-orders GTD PRO competitors ahead of GTD runners during full course cautions. 


 

“I think it’s interesting for us in GTD,” said Robert Wickens, who shares the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R with Mason Filippi. “It doesn’t change that much since you’re never really leading the race per se because we’re always at the back of the GTD PRO. But the fact that you don’t really have to watch for prototypes, you can just race your competitors and not kind of have the give and take of multi-class, it does change it quite a bit. 


 

“The likelihood of yellows is reduced and it’s just a different beast.”


 

Practice for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR starts on Friday, Aug. 21, with the 2-hour, 40-minute race set for Noon ET on Sunday, Aug. 23.

 

 

Entry List Notebook – Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

IMSA’s Annual GT Showcase Has Intense GTD PRO, GTD Title Battles


 

August 12, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The championship battles are intense as the two GT classes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship take the spotlight in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway. Just 21 points cover the top three in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) while 45 points cover the top four in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD). Crucially, both champions in 2025 won their class at VIR last year. It’ll be interesting to see if history repeats itself in either or both classes in 2026.


 

The 23-car field features 10 GTD PRO and 13 GTD entries racing at VIR. Car Blanche, which has scored podiums in both its GTD starts, returns to GTD PRO this race with Valentin Hasse Clot and Marco Sorensen sharing the team’s No. 68 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. 


 

Fast Facts

Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

VIRginia International Raceway – Alton, Virginia 

Aug. 21-23, 2026


 

Race Day/Time: Sunday, Aug. 23, 12:10 p.m. ET

NBC Network Coverage: LIVE – 12-3 p.m. ET

Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at noon (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and IMSA Official YouTube channel)

Live Qualifying Stream: Saturday, Aug. 22, 4:45 p.m. (on Peacock in the U.S., internationally on IMSA.tv and IMSA Official YouTube channel)

IMSA Radio: Select sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins at noon Sunday, Aug. 23 (XM 206, Web/App 996)

Circuit Type: 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course

Classes Competing: GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), GT Daytona (GTD)

Race Length: Two hours, 40 minutes

 

Track Social Media: 


 

Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #MichelinVIR


 

WeatherTech Championship Track Records

  • GTD PRO: Madison Snow, BMW M4 GT3, 1:43.206 / 114.062 mph, August 2024
  • GTD: Ross Gunn, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, 1:43.356 / 113.897 mph, October 2021


 

2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR Winners

  • GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia/Alexander Sims, No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R
  • GTD: Russell Ward/Philip Ellis, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3


 

2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR Motul Pole Award Winners

  • GTD PRO: Giacomo Altoè, No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3 
  • GTD: Jack Hawksworth, No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3


 

Storylines

  • GTD PRO Title Battle: Just 21 points cover the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO in first, the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R in second and No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) in third. Four other cars are also within 151 points of the lead. 
  • And the GTD Title Battle: Dudu Barrichello is hanging on to the GTD championship lead by a thread, as the top four in GTD are covered by just 45 points. Beyond Barrichello’s No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO, the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO and No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 are in hot pursuit.
  • Plus the Bob Akin Award Bronze Cup Battle: It’s looking to be another back-and-forth battle for the Bob Akin Award Bronze Cup in GTD, as Orey Fidani (No. 13 13 Autosport Corvette Z06 GT3.R) now leads Brendan Iribe (No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO) by just 10 points. 
  • GT Classes Front and Center: The FIA GT3-homologated spec cars covering the two GT classes take center stage in their first and only WeatherTech Championship race without prototypes this season.
  • CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork and Speed Award: The No. 21 Af Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo (WeatherTech Championship) and No. 26 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO (Michelin Pilot Challenge) won the CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork and Speed Award at Road America. Both will be recognized for wins during pre-race ceremonies at their next event they race (VIR for Heart of Racing Team, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta anticipated for Af Corse USA).


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis have risen like a phoenix with back-to-back wins at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America in pursuit of their third straight GTD title. With Winward’s back-to-back, all four classes have now had at least one car win consecutive races this season.
  • No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Quietly, the Nick Tandy/Harry King No. 77 Porsche has banked four podiums this season including two straight. Might a first win for “Rexy” in 2026 be in the offing at VIR? 


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Antonio Garcia: At IMSA’s GT-showcase events, one of the best GT drivers of this generation leads the way in wins with five. 
  • Nick Tandy: Back at VIR for the first time in several years, Tandy knows how to win here with three past GT wins at the facility. 


 

Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winners in 2026 Field (9)

  • Antonio Garcia (5): GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020; GTD PRO – 2023, 2025
  • Tommy Milner (3): GT – 2005, 2012; GTLM – 2021 
  • Nick Tandy (3): GTLM – 2015, 2019, 2021 
  • Philip Ellis (2): GTD – 2022, 2025
  • Alexander Sims (2): GTLM – 2018; GTD PRO – 2025 
  • Russell Ward (2): GTD – 2022, 2025 
  • Connor De Phillippi (1): GTLM – 2018 
  • Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2020 
  • Corey Lewis (1): GTD – 2017 


 

Previous Michelin GT Challenge Pole Winners in 2026 Field (6)

  • Jack Hawksworth (3): GTD – 2018, 2025; GTD PRO – 2023
  • Tommy Milner (2): GT – 2004; GTLM – 2021 
  • Giacomo Altoè (1): GTD PRO – 2025 
  • Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2021 
  • Nick Tandy (1): GTLM – 2015 
  • Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2022


 

Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Teams in 2026 Field (8)

  • Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (7): GT – 2012; GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021; GTD PRO – 2023, 2025
  • Paul Miller Racing (3): GTD – 2016, 2023; GTD PRO – 2024 
  • Pfaff Motorsports (2): GTD – 2021; GTD PRO – 2022 
  • Turner Motorsport (2): GTD – 2014, 2020 
  • Wayne Taylor Racing (2): DP – 2004, 2007
  • Winward Racing (2): GTD – 2022, 2025
  • Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (1): GTLM – 2018 
  • Riley (1): GTD – 2019 


 

Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Manufacturers in 2026 Field (7)

  • Chevrolet – 14
  • Porsche – 11
  • BMW – 8
  • Ferrari – 5 
  • Mercedes-AMG – 4
  • Lexus – 3
  • Lamborghini – 2 

 

 

IMSA Airbnb Endurance Challenge Portion of P3 Season Concludes at Road America

Tunjo, Catalano Lead Endurance P3 Championship


 

August 11, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)


 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The four event, two-hour endurance race component of the 2026 Le Mans Prototype 3 (P3) season comes to an end at Road America this weekend to cap off the IMSA Airbnb Endurance Challenge campaign. It also will see the first top scorers of the championship confirmed as part of the overall P3 season that spans the four endurance races and the 10 sprint rounds that make up the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.


 

The three previous Airbnb Endurance Challenge races have had three different winners. Oscar Tunjo and Valentino Catalano took the Sebring opener aboard their No. 1 Gebhardt Motorsport USA Inc. Duqueine D08. Titus Sherlock and Wyatt Brichacek tackled Circuit of The Americas in their No. 95 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P325. Ari Balogh and Garett Grist triumphed at VIR in their No. 30 Toney Ligier.


 

With a win and two third-place finishes, Tunjo and Catalano, now in the No. 1 Gebhardt Duqueine D09 chassis, lead Brian Thienes and Patrick Kujala by 30 points (950-920). Thienes and Kujala, sharing the No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier JS P325, have finished second twice and fourth once. Balogh and Grist sit third, 40 back.


 

As there are nine cars entered, the maximum points gain is 130 points (350 maximum for a win, 220 minimum for ninth). Although Brichacek in fourth (set to drive with Lincoln Day) and Danny Soufi and Jake Williamson in their No. 11 PINAXIS-ZONE 4 Racing Duqueine D09 remain mathematically alive at 110 and 120 points back, all of the top three would have to hit trouble for these two entries to leapfrog up the standings.


 

Tunjo leads the overall P3 championship by 460 points over Soufi, so he can’t lose that lead leaving Road America. Tunjo may be well positioned to secure the overall P3 title at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta depending on the Road America outcome.  


 

The Bronze Cup standings are even tighter, as these cover both sprint and endurance races. Thienes holds just a 10-point lead over Travis Hill (3,500 to 3,490). Hill has a new co-driver this race with Daniel Oliver set to share the No. 2 Shopify Racing Ligier JS P325 at Road America. Thienes has maximized his Bronze Cup results in endurance races; he has scored 1,000 points in these three races compared to Hill’s 820. 


 

The remaining Bronzes entered include Balogh, Williamson, Matt Forbush returning in the No. 18 Forbush Performance Duqueine D09 with Jules Caranta, Jon Hirshberg with Patrick Liddy in the No. 86 Forte Racing Ligier JS P325, and Slade Stewart alongside Andy Lee in Riley’s No. 29 Ligier JS P320.


 

Airbnb Endurance Challenge competitors practice Friday afternoon and Saturday morning with qualifying Saturday afternoon. The two-hour race goes green at 10:05 a.m. CT and local time (11:05 a.m. ET) and streams live via the IMSA Official YouTube channel. 

 

 

 

JDC-Miller Has Kept Heinrich in the Championship Frame

First Private Team to Win in New GTP Era Punches Above its Weight


 

August 10, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Arguably the most compelling storyline in the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is Laurin Heinrich’s unlikely challenge for the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) driver’s championship. In his first full season racing top-level prototypes, the 24-year-old German is locked in a battle with Whelen Cadillac’s Jack Aitken, with 118 points separating the pair with two races remaining. 


 

When Heinrich and Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm drove the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 to victory at the StubHub Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in May – the first win for a ‘privateer’ team against the powerful factory efforts since the start of IMSA’s modern GTP era in 2023 – it was widely seen as a sensational, feel-good outcome. 


 

But the comparatively small team based out of Savage, Minnesota and its youth-oriented driver lineup have kept the momentum going. Heinrich and van der Helm, 22, were joined by 24-year-old Kaylen Frederick (an American of German descent) to score a third-place finish in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in June before recently notching another podium by placing second at the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America in early August.


 

Heinrich entered 2026 knowing he would compete only in the three longest rounds of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup as the third driver alongside Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. The talented trio promptly opened the season by claiming the GTP and overall wins at the Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway.

A few days before the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in early April, it was announced that Heinrich would partner van der Helm in the No. 5 JDC-Miller Porsche for five additional WeatherTech Championship races this year – all but Watkins Glen, for which Heinrich had a prior Porsche commitment to race in the Spa 24 Hours. Then when van der Helm and Heinrich won at Laguna Seca, thrusting Heinrich into the GTP drivers points lead – Porsche shifted some worldwide driver lineups to allow Heinrich to compete in the Sahlen’s Six Hours for JDC-Miller and give him a full shot at the championship.


 

The big points swing at Road America – where Aitken and the No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R and Kevin Estre in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 crashed late in the race, boosting the No. 5 JDC-Miller Porsche to second place – brought Heinrich back into championship contention after he fell 203 points behind Aitken following the No. 31 Cadillac’s victory at Watkins Glen. 


 

It was the culmination of a crazy six-hour race that at one point saw the No. 5 Porsche receive a mechanical black flag when its right-side door flew open. 


 

“It felt like a submarine exploded!” Henrich exclaimed.


 

“It looked like it would be a difficult day,” he added. “But sometimes, what I learned in IMSA racing, the race has to come towards you. It’s not always only down to you. You have to realize that if you have the chance to do something by yourself, you have to take it. But if you don’t have the chance to do it by yourself, also you shouldn’t force it. Today was one of these days. We fixed the car in the pit window, had some good restarts, kept our head cool, and obviously taking the podium is good for the championship.”


 

Success at Last

Van der Helm has been part of the JDC-Miller MotorSports GTP effort since it joined the WeatherTech Championship grid in mid-2023. After riding out a tough 2025 season that was topped by a sixth-place finish in the season-opener at Daytona, the young Dutchman is thrilled to see results finally coming the team’s way.


 

“The last four race weekends have been unbelievable,” van der Helm said. “I’ve been with this team for four years and we’ve been working as hard as possible to get a bit more to the podium side, sometimes even the chance of winning. It’s been a positive ride. 


 

“Of course, it took some time,” he added. “We got there, and we’ll keep it positive for the next couple races that are left.”


 

The Road America podium was especially gratifying for JDC-Miller MotorSports founder and team principal John Church, who counts the Wisconsin venue about a five-hour drive from the team shop as his home track.


 

JDC-Miller has now claimed five victories in IMSA competition across multiple prototype classes and continues to solidify its reputation as a “giant-killer.” The Laguna Seca win was as important for the team as it was popular to the outside world.


 

“Did it change my life? Well, after the last couple years we’ve had it probably did change my life!” Church said with his customary humor. “There were a lot of dark days the last year or so, where you wonder, ‘Why am I putting myself through this beating on a regular basis?’ But it was actually validating for everybody. And there’s no question that’s probably the thing I’m most proud of.  


 

“At the same time, I’m relieved, because we continue to invest in this program and every time you do that, it’s a bit of a gut check,” he continued. “But I always kept going because I believed in our program and our process, and the people in our program. Difficult as it was, oftentimes, we knew we had a good program, it’s just that all the pieces needed together at once. Now this year, we’ve kind of gotten to that point and continue to build on it. It makes a huge difference.”


 

Youth Movement


 

Perhaps even more impressive than the success itself, JDC-Miller is beating the factory teams with by far the youngest driver lineup in any form of prototype racing in the world.


 

Whether he wins the 2026 GTP championship or not, Heinrich has already been promoted to the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport team for 2027.


 

“It’s fun, because they’re all young and hungry and want to impress,” Church remarked. “To be able to do that with a young driver lineup means a lot, because you obviously want to continue that relationship down the road and keep it going. We’re having a good year in the championship and trying our best to help Laurin out there. Anything we can do to help him and support the Porsche brand, we’re trying as hard as we can.”


 

There’s a short break in the schedule for IMSA’s prototype classes, meaning Heinrich’s next race is in Japan at the Suzuka 1000km, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) for AO Racing in partnership with Absolute Racing. Heinrich won the 2024 IMSA Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) championship in an AO Porsche. 


 

He’ll be back in the No. 5 JDC-Miller 963 for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sept. 18-20, then hopes to be in contention for the GTP championship when he returns to the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche for the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sept. 30 - Oct. 3.


 

“Let’s see how things shake out,” Heinrich said. “Who would have thought I would fight for the championship? I didn’t even expect to do the full season! So, I am happy in the situation I am in. I’m happy with the races we pulled off together with JDC, which is a team with an upward trajectory. I can feel the momentum is still carrying. I’ve enjoyed the journey. It’s been a cool experience so far and I hope we can carry on like that. 


 

“(The points deficit to Aitken) is quite substantial, two races to go,” he added. “Indy now being a sprint race, we’ve seen there’s a lot which can happen. We all know Petit is Petit. I won’t give up. I will push hard and do the last races with two different teams, which is an interesting dynamic. It’s two good teams, and I’m always happy to race a Porsche.”

 

 

IMSA Statement on Review of Incident at Road America Between Nos. 6 and 31 Cars

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 7, 2026) - IMSA officials have completed a comprehensive review of an incident between the No. 6 and No. 31 GTP cars near the end of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Road America on Sunday, Aug. 2 and the following penalties are being applied:


 

  • The No. 6 receives a post-race time penalty equivalent to a five-minute stop-and-hold penalty for incident responsibility, per Art. 57.3.5 of the 2026 IMSA Sporting Regulations.
  • No. 6 driver Kevin Estre will be placed on probation for two races for unjustifiable risk, per Art. 30.2.4 and Art. 57.3.3. Further penalties while on probation may lead to suspension.


 

Revised provisional results have been posted to results.imsa.com, with official results to follow next week.

 

 

Fervent, Fierce and Fabulous: A First-Timer’s Look at Road America

Connection Between IMSA Fans, Drivers and Paddock Evident in Expanded Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix 


 

August 6, 2026

By Holly Cain

IMSA Wire Service

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – There’s a strong argument to be made that the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has cornered the market on beautiful and historic racing venues – so significant for road course racing in America. 

 

There’s the sport’s obvious connection to Daytona International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Three traditional endurance races are renowned at Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Each of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and VIRginia International Raceway are among drivers’ favorites, while the pair of street course races at Long Beach and Detroit pose unique challenges. It doesn’t matter where; the calendar is filled with many “must-experience” events. 

 

And the weekend’s Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America again proved itself a top-shelf feature on the schedule – boasting a fabulous race at one of the most iconic racing venues in the world. It was a memorable experience for first-time visitors to Road America such as myself, but equally so for the many more long-timers filling the facility over the weekend.

 

Road America feels like the great “connection” between venerable old-schoolers and the burgeoning new fandom. The facility is tradition-filled, bustling with the track’s largest crowd of its 71st season of action. These are knowledgeable, fervent race fans of all ages, lined and set among a stunning backdrop of green pastures and beautiful towering trees. It absolutely provided enough fierce racing for six full hours of door-to-door competition.

 

Without exception, the fans, drivers and team members consider it a sort of racing sanctuary; an idyllic venue, the peaceful track surroundings belying the intensity of the racing on track. There’s a reason it’s long been referred to as “America’s National Park of Speed.” 

 

And undoubtedly Sunday’s endurance edition proved that true with close-quarter bravado from the drop of the green flag to the race’s checkered six hours later.

 

A drive into Elkhart Lake – located about an hour due north of Milwaukee – surrounds you with rolling green pastures dotted with red barns, silver silos and – at this time of year – fields filled with six to seven-foot corn stalks as far as the eye can see. It seems like an actual postcard image from a simpler, fictional time ago. 

 

There are notably few billboards along the interstate highway leading to the track – with occasional quaint exceptions such as a reminder of the “Spoonlickers Café” located near “Pleasant View” Road. Several routes to the race track off the highway make use of picturesque county roads marked simply with letters for names. XX, A, J, M and H are but a few nearby that amble into the track from various directions, with the intersection of Highway 67 and J quite close to track entry at the main gate.  

 

The famed Johnsonville sausage factory and a large Land O’Lakes dairy farm (in Kiel) are only a short 10-minute drive from the Road America gates. 

The long summer nights allow for what has become a new but special tradition here, a “Welcome Party” at Siebkens Resort – the renowned restaurant-bar-lodge combo in Elkhart Lake. It’s about a five-minute drive from the track, and where so much race-week activity revolves and centers. 

 

A classic rock cover band filled the air Thursday with good tunes. Cars lined the streets all around, people sipped on the local favorite Spotted Cow brew and brought their own lawn chairs to take in the scene on the grass between the restaurant and the lodge.

 

A short parade of race cars drove to Siebkens from the track in the early evening and sat proudly on display for the fans – a proper mix of sports car racing devotees, families, kids and even young people who opted for conversation and the sights instead of staring into cell phones. The people came from everywhere – literally – with varying accents all around.

 

IMSA President John Doonan was there. He notes he’s been coming to Road America races since he was six weeks old – insisting with a huge smile that he doesn’t have a “favorite” track, “anymore than ‘I could claim a favorite child.’” However, the Midwestern-raised executive does concede that Road America has been a consistent, well-appreciated staple in his life. His fondness is obvious – and he’s not alone. 

 

The drivers – who were raising money for charity in brief 15-minute shifts as quasi ‘bartenders’ on the lawn – say they absolutely love competing here. Throughout the race weekend, the big screen in the grandstands showed video interviews of foreign drivers being asked to pronounce Wisconsin town names from Waukesha to Oconomowoc to Ashwaubenon. It’s like a “third language,” joked one.

 

And it’s not just the famed track but also the fervent fans and welcoming vibe that they enjoy.

 

“It’s just a really nice part of America to come to,” said New Zealander Earl Bamber, who shares the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R with Jack Aitken and Frederik Vesti. “Everyone’s so friendly and everything’s warm and the racetrack is probably one of the best layouts in terms of racing but also from the fans side. 

 

“It’s so accessible but at the same time you can stroll through the beautiful forest alongside the track. You’ve also got the beach down at Turn 10 with the volleyball net. It just invites family and friends. And the fact we [the teams] all stay right here and you’ve got that amazing community in Elkhart Lake, this is what makes it great. All the fans are there and can interact outside the racetrack too. That’s what makes it so special.”

 

France’s Lilou Wadoux agreed with that sentiment. Other than a test last month, the race marked her first time turning laps at Road America. Clearly a quick study, she claimed the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) pole position for the race in the No. 21 Af Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. 

 

“When you come here we know it's always a nice track,” Wadoux said. “A little bit old school. To be honest, I really like this track and enjoy every moment because it's quite special.”

On a pre-race ride as part of IMSA’s Hot Lap Experience in a specially prepared Mercedes-AMG car with two-time GTD champion, Winward Racing’s Philip Ellis driving, I got to experience the track. And of course, going that fast it felt less than its four-mile length, but each of the 14 corners was exciting and you could see the fans pressed against the track fencing and perched atop the overlooks ready to catch all the action.  

 

As it turned out about seven hours later, Ellis enjoyed the ultimate view of the track, celebrating his second straight race win from the highest podium step.

 

There exists a certain unmistakable irony that a place so laid back also perpetually produces the kind of fierce door-to-door racing that thrills the crowds and tests the drivers and teams.

 

It’s exceedingly rare for a venue to be so well-liked by those racing and those watching them race – but Road America again proved itself that special place where reality absolutely lived up to the billing.

 

 

Schedule, Qualifying Information Set for 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship

Five-Round Season Features Qualifying via iRacing Time Attack Platform

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 5, 2026) – The countdown is on to the fifth season of the 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship, which will premiere in September, the week between the last two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rounds of the season. IMSA will be partnering with iRacing, VCO (Virtual Competition Organisation), AMD and Kinetic for the season. 


 

But before you can race in the IMSA Esports Global Championship, first, you must qualify. 


 

Here’s the qualifying and schedule details for the 2026 season, which starts Sept. 27:


 

Qualifying Information via iRacing Time Attack


 

With the first race set for Sept. 27 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the qualifying takes place a little over a month beforehand, starting Aug. 24.


 

The qualifying is open to all iRacing members via the iRacing Time Attack platform for one week, with registration opening Monday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. ET and closing Friday, Aug. 28, at 7:59 p.m. ET. During that timeframe, you can register here. 


 

Once registration wraps, the iRacing Time Attack will open Friday, Aug. 28 and close on Aug. 31. The qualifiers will occur at virtual WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and be open to both the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) classes.


 

Fastest eligible teams in both GTP and GTD will be invited to participate in the Car Shootout, which will determine each team’s manufacturer affiliation for the series. The Car Shootout is due to take place Sept. 12 and 13, with individual sessions hosted at five different times each day. 


 

Of note, invitations to the 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship can be achieved in three ways:


 

  • Class Champions in 2025 IMSA EGC (pending eligibility)
  • 2026 VCO Grand Slam Broadcast Split GTP or GTD Class Winners
  • iRacing Public Pre-Qualifying


 

The 2025 class champions who have secured an invite are BMW M Team Redline in GTP and Coanda Esports in GTD.


 

Teams can accept up to two invites from winning VCO Grand Slam Broadcast Splits in the GTP and GTD classes. If a team wins more than two invites across the two classes, they may choose which two invites to accept. Teams who have solidified a spot for the 2026 season by winning the top-split of a special event are Grid-and-Go.com eSports and Verstappen Sim Racing.


 

Each race will once again feature a “wild-card” entry. Last year, wild-card entries included Porsche Motorsport, TC Esports, Moradness and CSM.


 

Up to 52 teams will compete in each race.


 

2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship Schedule


 

The 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship schedule follows a similar timeline as in 2025, starting near the end of the actual on-track IMSA season with esports races then coming every other Sunday from Sept. 27 through Nov. 22. 


 

Rounds at virtual Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway and Daytona International Speedway carry over from season four. 


 

New venues Watkins Glen International and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca come in Rounds 3 and 4, replacing a split-race concept from season four where GTP ran at the Streets of Long Beach and GTD at Virginia International Raceway.


 

  • Round 1: Sunday, Sept. 27 – Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
  • Round 2: Sunday, Oct. 11 – Sebring International Raceway
  • Round 3: Sunday, Oct. 25 – Watkins Glen International
  • Round 4: Sunday, Nov. 8 – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
  • Round 5: Sunday, Nov. 22 – Daytona International Speedway


 

Eligible Cars for 2026


 

There are four GTP and eight GTD models available for the 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship. 


 

  • GTP: Acura ARX-06, BMW M Hybrid V8, Cadillac V-Series.R and Porsche 963
  • GTD: Aston Martin Vantage GT3, BMW M4 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO and Porsche 911 GT3 R


 

Complete details for the 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship, including information on how public iRacing drivers and teams may register for the pre-qualifying sessions, are included in the official series rulebook, which can be found here.

 

Three Takeaways: Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix

Expanded Event’s Buzz; WTR’s Welcome GTP Win Return; Tight Championship Battles


 

August 3, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – If there’s one clear takeaway from any race at Road America, it’s that ‘America’s National Park of Speed’ is a seriously popular venue in the eyes of just about everyone. 


 

The word "expansion" was a big part of the weekend proceedings, from the race length, to the car count, to the pit lane, and to the crowd itself.


 

Expanded Event Draws Expanded Buzz


 

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix was more than doubled in length this year to six hours, and it gave the entire Road America weekend an expanded feel. Motorhomes and tent campers began filling the spacious, rolling grounds Wednesday and Thursday, and even when a significant portion of Saturday’s activity was dampened by rain, the constant buzz of people roaming the paddock and exploring the track’s many vantage points for trackside viewing along its undulating 4.048 miles never slowed down.


 

“It’s so cool to do six hours here,” enthused Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsport’s Tommy Milner, who finished third in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class in the No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R on Sunday co-driving with Nicky Catsburg. “It’s the right track for a longer endurance race like this one. The fans here are amazing. I think the number is like 31 percent more fans this year than last year and it is, in my opinion, the best IMSA racing track we go to all year long. 


 

“Some events may be a little better and some tracks are more exciting in some ways,” he elaborated. “But when you think about multi-class racing, Road America is the best. You’ve got big, long brake zones, nice high-speed sections. This is a staple of sports car racing and should be for a long time.”


 

Laurin Heinrich, who’s enjoyed a breakout season in the WeatherTech Championship’s top class to add to his already excellent GT accolades, finished second overall and in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class at Road America and echoed Milner’s thoughts.


 

“I said before, this place deserves an endurance race,” said the 24-year-old German. “It’s so historic and I think we all love driving around here. Now coming here in the prototype (the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963) is one of the best experiences you can have as a racing driver.”


 

A Welcome Wayne Taylor Racing Overall Win Return

The sense of “when is Wayne Taylor Racing going to win overall again?” has grown with each passing race in GTP. But finally, after more than two years, WTR was back in the win column overall and crucially, for the first time since its return to Cadillac to start 2025.


 

The emotion, joy and perhaps relief was palpable for the eponymous team owner, who not only won but also saw both his sons on the podium with Ricky Taylor in the winning No. 10 Cadillac V-Series.R with Filipe Albuquerque and Jordan Taylor in third in the No. 40 Cadillac with Louis Deletraz. The latter overcame multiple issues to hit the podium.


 

“As you know, we’ve been having such a hard time,” Wayne Taylor admitted. “It’s been very much in my stomach. As long as you keep working harder, digging deeper and pushing everybody, it does happen. Today was just tremendous.”


 

He also expressed sincere thanks to General Motors leadership for their support as he noted, “We could have never done this without them.” 


 

Cadillac has now won its third straight GTP race of 2026 and equaled Porsche for most this season. Acura has a sole win in Long Beach with BMW and Aston Martin seeking their first GTP triumphs. 


 

“These guys work so hard,” said Eric Warren, Vice President, Global Motorsports Competition for General Motors. “It takes a lot to put it together. You see the chaos of the race; that’s what makes IMSA and sports cars so exciting. It comes down to the very end, just incredible racing. What a great job Filipe did on some of those restarts. I couldn’t be happier for everybody.” 


 

Championship Battles Intensify


 

We’re into the home stretch of the season for the WeatherTech Championship. The GT classes have three more races while prototypes have a pair. It’s an interesting split, too, with two standard-length rounds at VIRginia International Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the last IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. 


 

Unofficially, the Road America results have drawn all four class championship battles closer. 


 

The GTP gap is unofficially 108 points between Jack Aitken and Heinrich, down from 203 entering the weekend. 


 

In Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Tom Dillmann and Jeremy Clarke of Inter Europol Competition have cut the deficit from 70 down to 36 points behind George Kurtz and Alex Quinn of CrowdStrike Racing by APR. AO Racing’s PJ Hyett and Dane Cameron fell from 81 to 119 back. 

The points shifts were even more dramatic in the GT classes. Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen of Paul Miller Racing now find themselves with a substantially reduced points cushion over three different opponents after arriving at Road America 108 points to the good. 


 

The No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports with Milner and Nicky Catsburg are the closest challengers, now only 15 points back, closely pursued by the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) duo and drivers Harry King and Nick Tandy 31 back. In total, the top seven pairs are within 151 points with the three races remaining.  


 

In GTD, the victorious No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 massively cut its deficit from 203 to 24 points as Russell Ward and Philip Ellis chase their third consecutive class championship. Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello is holding on to that top spot in his Heart of Racing Team entry while the top four pairs are within just 45 points. 


 

There’s also an increasingly tight battle for the Bob Akin Award in GTD, and the 13 Autosport car’s top result there has moved Orey Fidani back ahead of Inception Racing’s Brendan Iribe by just 10 points after Fidani entered the weekend down 20. 


 

The GT battles will continue at VIR with the Michelin GT Challenge on Aug. 23, with all four classes back in action at IMS for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks on Sept. 20. 

What to Watch for: Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix

Michelin Endurance Cup Round 4; Pursuit of Cooperation; GTD Endurance

Extra Stars


 

July 30, 2026

By David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – What more could a bona-fide sports car racing aficionado ask for than an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Road America? Set in the bucolic Wisconsin countryside a stone’s throw from the timeless hamlet of Elkhart Lake, America’s “National Park of Speed” has been hallowed ground for sports car racing since founder Clif Tufte opened its gates for a Sports Car Club of America event in 1955. Road America’s 14 turns and four miles have long been a fixture on the IMSA calendar, and the WeatherTech Championship era has witnessed an epic battle from start to finish of the yearly two-hour and forty-minute sprint races.

 

But again… what more could a bona-fide sports car racing aficionado ask for than a WeatherTech Championship race at Road America? How about a WeatherTech Championship endurance race – all six hours of it – at Road America? That’s right. This weekend sees the renewal of the tradition of endurance sports car racing at Road America that dated back to a six-hour enduro in 1956 as well as the 500 milers that annually drew the sports’ top drivers, teams and marques to the Dairy State over the following decades.

 

2026 Michelin Endurance Cup Take Four

This weekend marks Round 4 of this season’s five-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. With the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in the books, competitors jockeying for position heading to the finale in the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will look to maximize their points haul at Road America. With points awarded based on a car’s position at the three-hour mark as well as the finish, watch for some teams to adopt a key points-scoring approach at these two markers.

 

There’s an interesting wrinkle within these Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) standings. Laurin Heinrich has 40 points across both the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport and No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963s through three races, just one point ahead of the No. 7 full-time pair of Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer. It'll be interesting to see if the trailing No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, on 30 points, will eat into the nine-point deficit to the No. 7 car and 10-point deficit to Heinrich this weekend.

 

Among the other three classes, the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07 leads by just two points over the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA. Paul Miller Racing holds a nine-point lead in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), as the No. 1 Paul Miller BMW M4 GT3 EVO (34) is nine points clear of both the No. 911 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Meanwhile, the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) race features the No. 21 Af Corse Usa Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO on 29 points, four better than the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO but with no fewer than 10 other competitors within 10 points of the lead.

 

When it comes to the 2026 Michelin Endurance Cup, it’s still anybody’s game in all four categories. Road America will set the stage for the season finale in October.   

   

The Pursuit of Cooperation 

 

It was fair to call last year’s Road America race a rough-and-tumble affair with a high volume of paint traded, fenders rubbed and car parts scattered over the course of the 4.048-mile layout. It triggered a response to clean up the driving standards for the remaining rounds of 2025.

“It's not a very forgiving track, so if you do go off, there's a high chance that you'll either hit something or get stuck in the gravel,” says Cadillac Whelen driver Jack Aitken. “That’s a common feature in a lot of the IMSA tracks, so it's not the only reason.


 

“I think the track itself does produce pretty good racing, but it's difficult to make a pass. There are a few big braking zones where you can try. And a lot of places where you can go side-by-side, but it needs cooperation. And we've had plenty of races … where cooperation is not always given. You get body parts, debris, cars off in the gravel, and all of those things can lead to cautions.”


 

Theoretically, a six-hour enduro could produce more cooperation as the prime directive for drivers to arrive on the lead lap and with cars intact for the finish. As a new Michelin Endurance Cup round, there will be some Road America first-timers and others not as familiar with either the track or IMSA’s style of racing on a full-time basis.


 

“Being an endurance round now, you do have a lot of cars, a lot of drivers that are not full-time, full-season entries, with a bit less time in the seat, and that can also contribute to yellows,” Aitken says.


 

GTD second-place man and Birchwood, Wisconsin native Aaron Telitz is optimistic, meanwhile, of a cleaner 2026 race. He’ll share the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 with Benjamin Pedersen and Frankie Montecalvo.


 

“I'm gonna say this year at Road America I think there will be significantly less yellow than we actually saw on the sprint race,” Telitz said. “It’s just because people will want to try to get to the end and try to make it more than in the sprint race format. Some of the restarts on in the sprint race the last couple of years have been absolutely wild. But I think we'll see some more green flag running this time and hopefully that'll make for some really exciting racing.”


 

Endurance Cup Extra Stars in GTD

If you’re looking for an interesting trend to note in Michelin Endurance Cup races, look to GTD.


 

Two of the three GTD endurance races this year have seen a Michelin Endurance Cup-only entry claim the win, with other newer or part-time entries also featuring.


 

Af Corse USA won in Sebring courtesy of Antonio Fuoco’s ferocious, frenetic comeback and final lap charge to pass Tom Gamble’s Aston Martin. Then Manthey 1st Phorm broke through at Watkins Glen.


 

Veteran squad but now part-time entry Magnus Racing nearly won the Rolex 24, while Car Blanche debuted on the GTD podium in its first start at Watkins Glen.


 

Might Triarsi Competizione continue this trend in Road America? Kenton Koch and Onofrio Triarsi won here last year in just their second start together. Together with Robert Megennis, the trio seeks a complete weekend in 2026 as they make their fourth start aboard the No. 023 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. Koch noted it’s the first time in 2026 he’s actually driven the Ferrari in consecutive years at the same track, albeit in evo spec.


 

“You go into any weekend wanting to just do your best,” Koch explained. “Going into a sprint weekend versus an endurance weekend, you approach the endurance weekend like you would approach an endurance weekend regardless of if you're full season or not. Yes, it’s a year of driving a little less GT3 cars, and that’s probably the only thing that I’m bummed about. I would love to be driving some more GT3 cars this year. But I'm very happy and fortunate to be in this situation with a good program.”


 

A Triarsi win would add to a run of streaks potentially on the line at Road America. It’d be a third straight Ferrari win at the track across either GT class, after Conquest Racing won in GTD PRO in 2024. BMW has also been strong at Road America with GTD wins in both 2023 and 2024, and a double win last year across GTP and GTD PRO.


 

Cadillac Whelen, meanwhile, seeks its ninth straight GTP podium. The No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 has won the last two GTD PRO races. Both the Nos. 99 AO and No. 04 CrowdStrike ORECAs have back-to-back podiums in LMP2. 


 

Which streaks will continue and which will end? Could another surprise winner or two emerge? Find out at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday for the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix, streaming live, flag-to-flag on Peacock domestically and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel internationally. 

 

McLaren Trophy America Joins IMSA For 2027 And Beyond



McLaren Trophy America to Move to IMSA Sanctioning on a Long-Term Agreement

Both Brands to Write Exciting New Chapter Based on Rich Motorsport Heritage 

Deal Confirms McLaren Trophy’s Growing Stature as a Global Racing Platform

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2026) — The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and McLaren have confirmed that IMSA will sanction McLaren Trophy America from the start of the 2027 season after the signing of a long-term deal. The move reflects the continued growth of McLaren’s high-performance racing platform, McLaren Trophy.


 

IMSA, founded in 1969 to run open-wheel racing in North America has sanctioned sports car endurance racing in the region since 1971. IMSA has since developed into the premier sports car & GT racing platform in North America, and one of the leading motorsport organizations in the world. It has run top-level endurance racing through the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship since 2014. 


 

Conceived to encourage and nurture the desires of road car customers to race, McLaren Trophy allows McLaren enthusiast amateur racers to compete in bespoke McLaren Automotive racing cars. Free from regulation, the engineers are allowed to enhance the aerodynamics, performance and handling of the successful GT4 platform racers. The most recent iteration of this formula was revealed in 2024, with the McLaren Artura Trophy Evo race car. 


 

Coinciding with the expansion of the McLaren Trophy one-make racing platform into the North American market, the introduction of the Artura Trophy Evo also brought in regulation changes allowing professional driver line-ups to compete – a strategic move to broaden the talent pool for McLaren Motorsport’s burgeoning factory driver program.


 

This summer, selected drivers from both Trophy Europe and America will be invited to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking to take part in a driver assessment program, that could see successful candidates join the 2027 McLaren Motorsport factory driver program. This commitment clearly demonstrates the strategic important of the McLaren Trophy platform as an integral element of the McLaren Motorsport ladder, taking drivers and teams to the top of the endurance racing ladder.


 

GIORGIO SANNA, HEAD OF MOTORSPORT, MCLAREN AUTOMOTIVE: “The prospect of racing on the IMSA package is a very exciting one for McLaren Trophy America. IMSA, like McLaren, has a long and storied racing history. It is for that reason that we feel this is an exciting opportunity to work together, as we continue to develop and strengthen the McLaren Trophy package globally.”


 

JOHN DOONAN, IMSA PRESIDENT: “We are honored that McLaren has chosen to expand the partnership between our companies and selected IMSA as the sanctioning body for McLaren Trophy America beginning in 2027. We pride ourselves on delivering unparalleled value to our automotive partners and operating professional motorsports events at the highest level. By selecting IMSA to sanction McLaren Trophy America, McLaren is reinforcing the value we provide and trusting us with one of its prized possessions. We cannot wait to welcome McLaren Trophy America into the IMSA paddock beginning next year and for many years to come.”


 

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a producer of ultra high-performance, lightweight supercars. Launched in 2010, the company is part of McLaren Group Holdings.


 

Headquartered at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, Surrey, England, McLaren Automotive is driven by the challenge of creating the world’s most exhilarating, engaging and benchmark setting vehicles. Leveraging over 60 years of history in authentic, racing performance, McLaren has delivered some of the most spectacular supercars ever made. 


 

The company’s product portfolio of GTS, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed in over 40 markets around the world. Its cars are assembled by hand at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC), based on the same MTC campus that is also the home of McLaren Racing.


 

About McLaren Group Holdings:

Established in April 2025, McLaren Group Holdings Limited is the holding company for McLaren Automotive. The Group also includes the McLaren Licensing business and a non-controlling stake in McLaren Racing. 

 

With a reputation for innovation and technological excellence, McLaren is one of the UK’s largest independent companies.


 

About the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA):

The International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge and Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR), as well as five one-make series: Ferrari Challenge North America, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, Mustang Challenge North America and Porsche Carrera Cup North America. IMSA – a company within the NASCAR family – is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. This partnership enables selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. For more information, please visit IMSA.com, and follow IMSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

 

Expect The Unexpected in Six-Hour Road America Tilt

Drivers Seek a Cleaner Race While Still Maintaining IMSA’s Legendary Intensity


 

July 29, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Road America is familiar (and popular) territory to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors, and six hours is a common race length in endurance sports car racing. But six hours at Road America is a combination that hasn’t been seen in the modern era.


 

That all changes this weekend as the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix more than doubles from the two-hour, 40-minute format used since 2015 (was two hours, 45 minutes in 2014) to six hours, making it the fourth of five rounds in the 2026 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. The expanded race length was greeted with enthusiasm by fans and participants, and the change will no doubt add a magnitude of unpredictability to what unfolds on the 14-corner, 4.048-mile road course over the span of six hours. 


 

Last year’s sprint race at Road America featured enough door-banging action to rival a NASCAR short track, and IMSA officials responded accordingly with penalty assessment for incident responsibility in subsequent races. 


 

When the law gets laid down, self-policing among the drivers has a way of calming down the aggression level. But there’s a healthy level of debate whether the six-hour format will also contribute to a cleaner Road America race than a year ago – an argument that rages even within the same team.

“I think if Watkins Glen is anything to go by, no. That was a pretty disastrous race, with a lot of guys crashing,” said Jack Hawksworth, who has teamed with Ben Barnicoat to win the last two Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) races at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and Chevrolet Grand Prix in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3. 


 

The Watkins Glen race featured nine full-course cautions, while Canadian Tire Motorsport Park eased off with just two. 


 

“I was really surprised the amount of stuff that went down in Watkins Glen, but I do think Road America was just a one-off last year,” countered Barnicoat. “For a two-hour, 40-minute race, that was a lot of chaos. I just think sometimes it happens where people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time and it just kind of compounded. People just try a bit too hard to make something happen when it’s not really happening on some days. So, I do think it’ll be calmer than last year.”

Aaron Telitz stands second in the GTD class standings in Vasser Sullivan’s No. 12 Lexus with Benjamin Pedersen. He’s also a Wisconsin native who has a wealth of experience at Road America over the last 15 years.


 

“Funny enough, in IMSA, these six-hour races just inevitably end up being sprint races,” Telitz remarked. “Track position matters almost the entire way through the race. But I’m gonna say this year at Road America, I think there will be significantly less yellow than we actually saw in the sprint race - just because people will want to try to get to the end more than in the sprint race format. 


 

“I mean, some of the restarts on in the sprint race the last couple of years have been absolutely wild. But I think we’ll see some more green flag running this time and hopefully that’ll make for some really exciting racing.”


 

Nicky Catsburg was behind the wheel when the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R was involved in contact in two of the most recent three races (Detroit and Watkins Glen). The Dutchman was assessed drive-through penalties for incident responsibility in both cases. 


 

“I feel like [IMSA] made a good decision there last year after the race to kind of tone everyone down,” Catsburg observed. “But the way IMSA races, the way the championship works with the yellows and the restarts, you just get in many situations where it’s easy to have contact. I just feel like that kind of belongs in IMSA.


 

“Of course, we as drivers need to try and not constantly hit each other off,” added Catsburg, who ranks second in the GTD PRO standings with co-driver Tommy Milner. “But that’s part of it, you know. I like to go racing hard, and then you win some, you lose some.”

Kenton Koch, who shares the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO with Onofrio Triarsi and Robert Megennis, is another who believes the longer race format will make a difference in the mindset of competitors. Koch and Triarsi won last year in GTD.


 

“Your strategy on long green flag runs can sometimes change, and when you throw a yellow in there, some people take it, some people don’t,” he explained. “When you just lengthen the race, it kind of changes the strategy and how people execute the race. You’ll get to the end and one guy that's been leading for four hours ends up at the tail end because he’s just on a different cycle. Things just are gonna have a little bit more ebb-and-flow, depending on what stage of the race you’re in, just because it’s a longer format.”


 

Jack Aitken is also coming off two consecutive race wins (at the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen) overall and in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP). With assistance from co-drivers Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti, Aitken leads the GTP standings, and he insists he’s not going to change anything in his approach as he attempts to build on a streak of eight consecutive podium finishes. 


 

Nor does he expect the fundamental character of the Road America race to change despite the extended length.


 

“We’re kind of expecting it to be a very yellow-heavy race, just going on previous years and the way that the endurance races often go,” Aitken commented. “The two-hour, 40-minute races are long enough that you get multiple stops, so it doesn’t affect as much as you might think.


 

“There’s no reason to change the way that we’ve been racing. because it’s been working well,” he added. “We’re certainly not doing the ‘Win it or bin it’ strategy at the moment, and obviously it wouldn’t make sense to switch over. I think we’re just looking to be as quick as we can and then make sensible decisions in the race. That gets you 99 percent of the way there, and it always will.”


 

Flag-to-flag livestream coverage of the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix starts at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 2, available via Peacock in the U.S. and IMSA.TV and the official IMSA IMSA YouTube channel internationally.

 

MSA’s Global Audience Reaches New Heights Across Broadcast and Digital Platforms

Expansive International Options Continue to Enhance, Amplify IMSA Content

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2026) – Fans around the world are consuming IMSA content at record levels, as the sanctioning body continues to expand its reach through a combination of international television distribution, live streaming and digital-first storytelling.


 

Through a longstanding partnership with Greenlight International and the continued momentum of IMSA’s official YouTube channel, the organization is connecting with audiences in more countries, on more platforms and in more ways than ever before.


 

The growth reflects a significant shift in how motorsport fans engage with content. While traditional linear television remains an important component of IMSA’s international strategy, digital platforms have become an increasingly vital gateway for new fans to discover sports car racing.


 

Greenlight International continues to play a major role in that effort. Since partnering with IMSA in 2017, the agency has expanded the championship’s footprint worldwide, helping deliver IMSA content to more than 450 million households across 148 countries outside the United States. Live race coverage now reaches more than 120 international territories, complemented by magazine-style programming that showcases the personalities, manufacturers and stories that define the IMSA paddock. 


 

Programs including Motorsport Mundial and Planet Speed continue to feature IMSA content throughout the year, helping drive awareness of the championship beyond race weekends and introducing new audiences to the sport.


 

“IMSA continues to resonate with broadcasters and viewers across the globe,” said Jon Quayle of Greenlight International. “The combination of elite manufacturer participation, world-class drivers and compelling competition creates a product that consistently performs well for our distribution partners. We have seen continued demand from both established and emerging markets, reflecting the growing international appeal of the championship.”


 

At the same time, IMSA's digital audience has accelerated at a remarkable pace. The official IMSA YouTube channel now exceeds 1.86 million subscribers, making it the most-subscribed motorsports property in North America and one of the largest motorsport channels in the world.


 

The channel has evolved far beyond a race-streaming platform. The bedrock of the channel is live international streaming of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events and global live streaming – including U.S. coverage – of IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge and IMSA-sanctioned single-make races. In addition, it serves as a destination for documentary-style features – such as the popular "Win The Weekend presented by Michelin" docuseries, race replays, onboard camera feeds, archival content, short-form highlights and behind-the-scenes storytelling.


 

Long-form race broadcasts continue to generate substantial viewing hours from audiences around the world, while shorter digital formats are attracting new fans seeking highlights, driver features and easily consumable race content.


 

The success of IMSA’s YouTube strategy underscores the growing appetite for always-available motorsports content. Viewers are increasingly engaging with races and original programming on their own schedules, creating year-round opportunities for fans to connect with the championship.


 

“Accessibility remains one of the foundations of our content strategy,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “Whether fans are watching through one of our global broadcast partners or engaging with us digitally, our goal is to make IMSA content available wherever they choose to consume it.


 

“The growth we've experienced on YouTube has been extraordinary. Reaching 1.86 million subscribers and becoming the most-subscribed motorsports property in North America is a significant milestone, but more importantly it reflects the passion of our fans around the world and the strength of our competition. Combined with the continued support of partners like Greenlight International, we're introducing IMSA to and engaging with new audiences every day.”


 

As fan viewing habits continue to evolve, IMSA's combination of worldwide television distribution, free international streaming and original digital content positions the organization to reach more motorsports enthusiasts than ever before, ensuring that the excitement of sports car racing remains accessible to a truly global audience.

 

 

 

 

Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Heads to Road America

LB Cup Is Closest Championship Battle Among the Four Classes


 

July 28, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America teams head to Road America for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2026 season, where the class battles for championships may intensify. LB Cup is the closest of the four battles with Pro and Am also relatively tight, while ProAm has a clear leader. 

 

Pro


 

A weekend sweep at Watkins Glen International moved Elias De La Torre (No. 29 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami, Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2) to the head of the championship table over his former teammate, Will Bamber (No. 33 XONINE Racing, Lamborghini Chicago, Huracán). De La Torre has Dennis Lind back alongside him this weekend; a win for the young driver would mean he’d have captured a checkered flag alongside three different co-drivers in what could be a championship season.


 

Bamber and Darius Trinka will look to reclaim the top spot, after winning their first race together at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in May and scoring two important podium finishes in Watkins Glen.


 

Wayne Taylor Racing seeks a bounce back weekend after a tough Watkins Glen, and Road America may be the perfect venue for them to do so. Hampus Ericsson and Danny Formal swept the weekend here last year and Ericsson, along with Nick Persing, need a big weekend to stay in the title battle now down 29 points in their No. 1 WTR, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán.


 

RAFA Racing Team impressed at Watkins Glen with a pair of podiums for Tyler Gonzalez and Kiko Porto in their No. 2 Lamborghini Austin Huracán, with the duo set to continue for a second consecutive race weekend. 

 

ProAm


 

Formal and Graham Doyle, in their No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán have enjoyed a dream season to date with six wins from six starts and a 36-point lead heading into Road America. They’ve claimed 92 of a possible 96 points so far in 2026 and with six races remaining, may put themselves in position to wrap up the title early. 


 

Best of the rest so far have been Lindsay Brewer and Keawn Tandon, who have four podiums from six races in their No. 77 Forty7 Motorsports, Lamborghini Houston, Huracán. They’re at the head of a four-car battle for second, covered by just 16 points. Brewer won here last year in Am with Jem Hepworth as part of an all-female lineup. 

 

Am


 

With six podiums from six starts, David Staab is writing the book on consistency in Am. The driver of the No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán only has one win but has consistently featured on the box as his nearest rivals have changed from race-to-race.


 

Dean Neuls, in his No. 70 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami, Huracán, was the first driver to two wins in the class and sits second, just 10 points in arrears. Two-time LB Cup champion Nick Groat won his Am debut in his No. 57 XONINE Racing, Lamborghini Chicago, Huracán at Sebring but hasn’t been back to the top since. Groat did win twice here last year in LB Cup. He’s part of a close battle for third, also featuring teammate Anthony Bullock – a two-time winner in his own No. 12 XONINE entry – and Johan Schwartz, who shares the No. 89 89X Motorsports, Lamborghini Sarasota Huracán with Mike Fitzpatrick.

 

LB Cup


 

The closest championship battle resides in the hotly contested LB Cup division. A post-race penalty in Race 2 at Watkins Glen flipped the race results and the standings; Philippe Touchette (No. 11 TB Autosports, Lamborghini Montreal, Huracán) now leads Rocky T. Bolduc (No. 99 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Greenwich, Huracán) by just one point.


 

Five different drivers have already won races in LB Cup this year, as beyond Touchette and Bolduc, Ray Shahi (No. 65 Taurino Racing) and Forty7 Motorsports teammates Christopher Koebbe (No. 66) and Christopher Tasca (No. 95) all have a win apiece. It’s made for an intense and deep LB Cup field. 


 

Lamborghini Super Trofeo practices on Thursday with qualifying Friday morning and the two 50-minute races Friday at 4:45 p.m. ET (3:45 p.m. CT and local time) and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT). Races stream via Peacock, IMSA’s YouTube channel and Lamborghini’s YouTube channel.


 

2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Road America Race 1 Winners:

  • Pro: Danny Formal/Hampus Ericsson, No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing
  • ProAm: Trent Hindman/Jackson Lee, No. 69 Wayne Taylor Racing
  • Am: David Staab, No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports
  • LB Cup: Nick Groat, No. 57 ONE Motorsports


 

2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Road America Race 2 Winners:

  • Pro: Danny Formal/Hampus Ericsson, No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing
  • ProAm: Conrad Geis/Jason Hart, No. 67 TR3 Racing
  • Am: Jem Hepworth/Lindsay Brewer, No. 2 RAFA Racing
  • LB Cup: Nick Groat, No. 57 ONE Motorsports

Entry List Notebook - IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Road America 120

Six Different Manufacturers Have Won Last Six GS Races in Elkhart Lake


 

July 27, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)


 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Road America has emerged as a bit of a wild card round for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competitors the last several years. A total of 42 cars are entered for the Road America 120, split 28 Grand Sport (GS) and 14 Touring Car (TCR), for Round 7 of the season. 


 

Six different manufacturers have won overall and in GS since 2020: McLaren, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Chevrolet, Porsche and Ford. Of those six, all but Chevrolet are still active. 


 

Aston Martin or Toyota could continue the parity streak if either manufacturer wins their first Road America race, and both are coming off highs at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Aston Martin won its second straight pole, with Heart of Racing Team’s Hannah Greenemeier following Hannah Grisham as the fastest GS qualifier two weeks earlier at Watkins Glen. Then Toyota won the race in Canada with RAFA Racing’s Kiko Porto and Varun Choksey parlaying their pace into a first victory. 


 

The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park round shifted the GS title battle to where only 40 points covers the top three. McCumbee McAleer Racing’s Nate Cicero and Robert Noaker now lead by 30 points over Ibiza Farm Motorsport’s Michael Cooper and Moisey Uretsky, with Auto Technic Racing’s Stevan McAleer and Austin Krainz just 10 points further back in third. Tough recent weekends have dropped Turner Motorsport’s Dillon Machavern and Luca Mars and Winward Racing’s Bryce Ward slightly down the order, but still with enough time to claw back the deficit as they’re both within 190 points.


 

TCR saw a new Road America winner last year with Hyundai back on top at the track for the first time since 2020; Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins delivered the Elantra N TCR’s first win at the venerable 4.048-mile circuit.


 

Morris and Mason Filippi have been the model of consistency in TCR this year, with two wins including last time out at CTMP and five podiums achieved in six races. That sees them 200 points clear of teammates Denis Dupont and Preston Brown. Although that 200-point gap is strong, a tough result for the No. 33 car could bring any of the next five cars into title contention, as they’re only covered by 80 points. 


 

Among the handful of changes throughout the grid, Celso Neto is listed alongside Eddie Gou in the No. 55 Gou Racing with Stallion Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Both Medusa Motorsports and RVA Graphics by Speed Syndicate Motorsports return after at least one-race absences, while LAP Motorsports has entered the No. 6 rather than No. 30 Ford Mustang GT4.


 

Michelin Pilot Challenge teams have one practice Thursday, a second Friday morning before qualifying Friday afternoon, and race Saturday at 12:50 p.m. CT and local time (1:50 p.m. ET). Live race coverage streams flag-to-flag on Peacock and ad-free, courtesy of Michelin, on the IMSA Official YouTube channel. 

Fast Facts

Road America 120

Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

July 30-August 1, 2026


 

Race Day/Time: Saturday, August 1, 1:50 p.m. ET (12:50 p.m. CT and local time)

Live Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 1:45 p.m. ET, Peacock in the U.S., globally on IMSA YouTube ad-free courtesy of Michelin

Circuit Type: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course

Classes Competing: Grand Sport (GS), Touring Car (TCR)

Race Length: Two hours


 

Michelin Pilot Challenge Track Records

  • GS: Jesse Lazare, McLaren Artura GT4, 2:13.840 / 108.881 mph, August 2024 (Qualifying) 
  • TCR: LP Montour, Honda Civic FL5 TCR, 2:16.207 / 106.989 mph, August 2025 (Qualifying) 


 

2025 Road America 120 Winners

  • GS: Nate Cicero/Jenson Altzman, No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4
  • TCR: Mark Wilkins/Bryson Morris, No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR


 

Storylines

  • GS with Three Within 40 Points: Just 40 points cover the top three championship contenders in GS, while 190 points cover the top five. 
  • Hyundai vs. Honda in TCR: Hyundai won its first TCR race at CTMP since Monterey after Honda went back-to-back at Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen. The TCR manufacturer battle sees Hyundai only 50 points clear of Honda. 


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford: With six top-10s in six races, Nate Cicero and Robert Noaker now lead the GS points and return to the site where Cicero and Jenson Altzman won last year. 
  • No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai: Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris have secured five podiums in six races, including two wins, and Morris returns to where he won last year with Mark Wilkins. 


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Stevan McAleer: A two-time Road America winner, McAleer also finished third here last year in his No. 27 Auto Technic Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO he shares with Austin Krainz. 
  • Tim Lewis: Lewis reeled off four straight TCR wins in KMW’s Alfa Romeo from 2021 to 2024 and got his first Honda win with the team at Watkins Glen. 


 

Previous Road America IMPC Winners in 2026 Field (15)

  • Tim Lewis (4): TCR – 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Matt Plumb (3): GS – 2012, 2013, 2015 
  • Stevan McAleer (2): ST – 2017; GS – 2024
  • Bill Auberlen (1): GS – 2021 
  • Nate Cicero (1): GS – 2025 
  • Mason Filippi (1): TCR – 2019
  • Chad Gilsinger (1): ST – 2015 
  • Harry Gottsacker (1): TCR – 2019 
  • Billy Johnson (1): GS – 2016 
  • Greg Liefooghe (1): ST – 2013 
  • Dillon Machavern (1): GS – 2021
  • Bryson Morris (1): TCR – 2025 
  • Hugh Plumb (1): GS – 2015 
  • William Tally (1): TCR – 2024
  • Mark Wilkins (1): TCR – 2025 


 

Previous Road America IMPC Pole Winners in 2026 Field (8)

  • Paul Holton (2): GS – 2017, 2018
  • Nate Cicero (1): GS – 2025 
  • Harry Gottsacker (1): TCR – 2023
  • Tim Lewis (1): TCR – 2022 
  • Dillon Machavern (1): GS – 2021 
  • Luca Mars (1): GS – 2022 
  • Robert Megennis (1): GS – 2023 
  • LP Montour (1): TCR – 2025


 

Previous Road America IMPC Winning Teams in 2026 Field (7)

  • KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering (4): TCR – 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Bryan Herta Autosport (3): TCR – 2019, 2020, 2025
  • HART (2): CDK – 2001; ST – 2015 
  • KohR Motorsports (1): GS – 2017 
  • McCumbee McAleer Racing (1): GS – 2025 
  • Murillo Racing (1): GS – 2022 
  • Turner Motorsport (1): GS – 2021 


 

Previous Road America 120 Winning Manufacturers in 2026 Field (8)

  • Porsche – 6 
  • BMW – 5
  • Ford – 4
  • Hyundai – 3
  • Honda – 2 
  • Audi – 1 
  • McLaren – 1 
  • Mercedes-AMG – 1 
 

International Motor Sports Association    Lamborghini Super Trofeo series  

 

 

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