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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.

 

Late Pass Nets TireRack.com ‘Battle On The Bricks’ Win for BMW M

Team WRT

Era Motorsport’s One-Off Pairing Captures LMP2 Win


 

September 20, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

Unofficial Results


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Sheldon van der Linde was relentless in his pursuit of Earl Bamber in the closing stages of the TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 


 

Van der Linde’s tenacity paid off when he guided the No. 24 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 past the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R with less than six minutes remaining in the two-hour, 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race in front of the largest crowd for an IMSA race at the Speedway since the WeatherTech Championship returned to racing at the venue in 2023.


 

The 27-year-old South African held on to cross the Speedway’s famous “Yard of Bricks” finish line 2.926 seconds ahead of Bamber to earn BMW’s first overall and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win in association with longtime European partner Team WRT in IMSA competition. BMW previously won the Indianapolis round of the WeatherTech Championship when it was a six-hour race in 2024 with drivers Jesse Krohn and Philipp Eng and in partnership with locally based Team RLL. 


 

Dries Vanthoor – who claimed his second career victory in IMSA competition – qualified the No. 24 BMW third fastest and held that position through his stint before handing the car to van der Linde just prior to halfway point. When action resumed with 48 minutes remaining after another round of pit stops under caution, van der Linde ran second to the No. 31 Cadillac – the GTP championship leader for manufacturers and Bamber’s co-driver Jack Aitken.


 

Van der Linde closed to within 0.3 of a second of Bamber as they worked through traffic with half an hour to go. A few minutes later, the cars made light side-to-side contact, with Bamber staying ahead. But van der Linde charged back as they came up to put a lap on the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class winning No. 64 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3. 


 

They split the Mustang, driven by Dennis Olsen, between Turns 10 and 11 where the IMS road course rejoins the South short chute of the oval. But van der Linde held the inside line into the right-hand Turn 12, and he emerged decisively in front. 


 

“I was pretty frustrated after the restart not to get past him earlier,” said van der Linde after his second career win in IMSA competition, and first since 2017 at Motul Petit Le Mans in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD). “My engineer said to me on the radio, ‘You’ve got one more pack of GT cars (traffic)’ with 10 minutes to go. And I knew that was my last chance to get him. Because on pace, they were just too fast for us today.


 

“He got stuck behind a GT car going into turn 10,” he continued. “I got a very good run and kind of went all the way to the inside, so he wasn’t able to see me in his mirrors. And yeah, I was willing to risk everything for the win today. I know how important it is for these guys (WRT) to get it.”


 

Van der Linde correctly suspected with Aitken comfortably leading the championship, Bamber wouldn’t force the issue.


 

“I knew obviously that they wouldn’t take too much risk being in the championship fight,” he said. “I had that in the back of my mind going into the race already. And that was our advantage - we could play elbows out and they couldn’t. I knew I had to use that advantage.”


 

The second-place finish for the No. 31 Cadillac, combined with a third-place finish for Kevin Estre and Laurin Heinrich in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, means Aitken will head to the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway with an unofficial 147-point advantage over Heinrich. Nick Yelloly and Renger van der Zande, who finished seventh at Indianapolis in the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06, are third and 271 points back.


 

Estre emerged from a first-corner incident that delayed both the sister No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry and also three Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class entries. Heinrich rallied from sixth to third in the final stint, but was unable to make a pass attempt on Bamber.


 

Aitken admitted that watching the closing laps with Bamber behind the wheel were nerve-racking. The No. 31 Cadillac has finished on the podium in seven of eight races this year.


 

“I don’t envy Earl for trying to hold them off for as long as he did at the end,” Aitken said. “But it’s a fantastic result. Takes us to Petit in a very strong position, and another podium in what’s been a really good year so far.”


 

LMP2: Late Call-Up Results in Indy Win for Era Motorsport

When Era Motorsport decided to shake up its driver lineup for the No. 18 ORECA LMP2 07 competing in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class at the IMS road course, the team knew who to call.


 

The calls were the right ones, because Nick Boulle and Christian Rasmussen guided the Era entry to the LMP2 class victory in Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event. Using an aggressive fuel strategy, Rasmussen bested Harry Tincknell in the No. 52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 by 15.004 seconds. Tincknell shared his No. 52 car with Misha Goikhberg while United Autosports USA claimed the final podium spot with Daniel Goldburg and Paul Di Resta in the No. 22 ORECA.


 

It was the third IMSA race win for Boulle and the second for IndyCar Series regular Rasmussen, who also scored a pair of USF Pro 2000 race victories at IMS in 2021. Boulle also owns two Motul Pole Awards at Indianapolis back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. This race win for the 2024 IMSA LMP2 champion and Jim Trueman Award winner came with less than two weeks of preparation.


 

Boulle chided himself for only qualifying seventh fastest, but that allowed him to avoid a first-corner accident that swept up three LMP2 competitors – the No. 99 from AO Racing, CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s No. 04, and No. 2 from United Autosports.


 

“All I can say is I’m happy I chose the outside,” Boulle said. “Actually, I got shuffled back through it, and after that, I just put my head down, tried to stay clean, and focused on the fuel, because I knew that was the big thing for this race.” 


 

Boulle drove an extended first stint before handing over to Rasmussen for the final 55 minutes – an extraordinarily long energy run for an LMP2 contestant. And while the competition made splash-and-go stops in the final 15 minutes, Rasmussen feather-footed it to the finish line and the win.


 

“That is definitely the most I’ve ever fuel-saved in a race car, period,” smiled Rasmussen. “The team called the perfect strategy. I mean, fuel-save races aren’t necessarily the most fun, but when you end up at the top of the podium, that makes up for it, you know?”


 

The first-lap chaos had an impact on the LMP2 championship standings with one race remaining. Tom Dillmann and Jeremy Clarke, who started from pole position, finished sixth in the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07 to maintain a slender four-point advantage over the No. 04 CrowdStrike by APR duo of George Kurtz and Alex Quinn. They ended ninth.


 

The final round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the 29th annual Motul Petit Le Mans, September 30 – October 3 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Ford Outlasts Chevy in Epic GTD PRO Battle on the Bricks

at Indianapolis

No. 64 Mustang Holds off No. 4 Corvette; No. 96 Turner BMW Gets Emotional

GTD Win


 

September 20, 2026

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Unofficial Results


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Once one of Britain’s finest automotive brands peeled into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway pit lane, the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class victory in the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks came down to a classic American battle between Ford and Chevrolet on the final tour of IMS’ 2.439-mile, 14-turn circuit. 

 

Neither iconic brand yielded an inch, down to the final nail-biting lap of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the end, Dennis Olsen in the No. 64 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3 fended – or maybe more accurately, fendered – off Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R.


 

Nikita Johnson, the recently crowned Indy NXT champion, had attempted to go long on a fuel and energy run aboard RLL Team McLaren’s No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. But once he pitted, it left the door open for door banging between the leading Olsen and trailing Catsburg. 


 

Olsen was already in the thick of the action, having previously been sandwiched by the two Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) leaders inside the final six minutes. Then on the last lap, Catsburg attempted an outside pass on Olsen for the lead heading into Turn 7. Simultaneously, another GTP car was charging inside both GTD PRO runners, forcing Olsen a little wide. His Mustang made contact with Catsburg’s Corvette, pushing it into the grass. 


 

Both cars continued, with Olsen bringing home the first win of 2026 for himself and co-driver Ben Barker by 0.993 of a second over Catsburg and Tommy Milner in the Corvette. Sandy Mitchell and Andrea Caldarelli completed the podium in the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3, ending their two-race win streak.


 

The triumph is Olsen’s third in IMSA competition, the first for Barker and the second straight at Indy for the Ford Racing GTD PRO program.


 

“Luckily, we had a strong Ford Mustang GT3 that held up together,” Olsen said. “I had a lot of big battles in that last stint. Nicky is a good attacker and I knew what he was trying to do, but at the same time, I had a GTP coming up the inside and that made it really tight at the apex of that corner. We had some contact and we came out on the good side of it, which was great. 


 

“It feels amazing that we can pull off this win,” Olsen added. “We've been chasing it for a long time with Ben this season and for the team and Ford Racing. Yeah, super proud.”


 

Catsburg had no issue with Olsen’s tactics, knowing the Norwegian couldn’t hold the normal inside line in Turn 7 with the GTP car to his left.


 

“Last lap, the team told me to be smart about this,” Catsburg said. “And I was like I'm only going to go for it when there's a clear opportunity. I think there was, and we had a good, fair battle. That was pretty cool, we let each other live. He pushed me wide in (Turn) 7, but he had to because there was a car on his inside.”


 

Barker also credited the team’s timely strategy to pit just before a full-course caution with 65 minutes remaining in the two-hour, 40-minute race. 


 

“It was pretty much everything,” the Brit said. “It's part of the game of when you box (pit) and you're always taking a bit of a punt. From myself boxing early, that kind of set the trend for the rest of the race and then, yeah, (the final stop) was obviously good timing. It shuffled us to the front. I don't think we had the quickest car today, but we maximized what we had and came away with the win in the end.”


 

Catsburg, Milner and the No. 4 Corvette took the unofficial GTD PRO championship lead with the runner-up result. They hold a 47-point advantage over Neil Verhagen, Connor De Phillippi and the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which finished sixth at Indy. Caldarelli, Mitchell and the No. 9 Lamborghini trail the PMR BMW for second by just six points heading to the October 3 season finale, the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.


 

GTD: Turner Motorsport Credits ‘Angel’ Guiding No. 96 BMW to Win

Patrick Gallagher and Robby Foley believed they had an extra hand from above assisting their drive to the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class win. The Turner Motorsport duo drove the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO to victory and dedicated it to Matt Dalton, a longtime IMSA competitor and supporter of Gallagher who passed away recently.


 

“No doubt, absolutely amazing to win at this place,” said Gallagher, who opened the race in the No. 96 before turning it over to Foley for the finish. “This was Matt Dalton's home track. He supported me through my career, made a lot of things happen for me and it's just probably the best guy I've ever met. Pretty emotional win. Given the everything that's happened in the last three or four weeks, just kind of a great way to cap that off.”


 

Slated to start second in GTD, the No. 96 actually led the class to the green flag after the pole-sitting and championship-leading No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was moved to the rear of the field for not gridding the car by the scheduled time.


 

Gallagher was running second when he pitted some 30 laps in, with Foley taking the wheel. The key moment came when, like the No. 64 Ford in GTD PRO, Foley brought the Turner BMW in for its final pit stop just before the yellow waved with just over an hour to go. He re-entered in second but took the lead when the No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO was penalized for taking more than emergency service during the caution.


 

Foley thought he was clear to sail home to the win at that point until he saw Philip Ellis closing in behind in the No. 57 Winward Mercedes-AMG.


 

“With about 10 minutes to go, I look in my mirror and I'm like, ‘Of course, if there's any car coming it’s the (No.) 57,” Foley said with a laugh. “I had some more pace, our car was great today, so I just tried to manage the situation as best I could for us.”


 

Foley held off Ellis, who shared with co-driver Russell Ward, by 0.501 of a second at the finish. It marked Foley’s ninth and Gallagher’s second IMSA wins, the first for the Turner team since Road America 2024. 


 

“A great day, kind of a storybook day,” Foley said. “I didn't know Matt as well as Patrick, but he was a great friend to me in the short time I knew him. We miss him a lot and this is for sure for him.”


 

Salvaging the second-place finish allowed Ellis, Ward and the No. 57 to retain the GTD championship lead, by a mere six points over Foley, Gallagher and the No. 96 BMW.


 

“A bit of a setback at the start,” Ward said of the pre-race penalty, “but I knew that we had the car and the package to move through the field, and we did that. Good overtaking from Philip and my side part, we had some good strategy, a little bit of luck with the yellows, and that put us right back into the mix. Great result by the team.”


 

In third, 13 Autosport’s No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Matt Bell and Orey Fidani completed the podium. That result also unofficially moves Fidani to the lead of the Bob Akin Award standings in GTD over Brendan Iribe (No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO).


 

All four classes of the WeatherTech Championship will battle in the 2026 finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 3.

 

 

Unofficial Results, Points & Post-Race Nuggets | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com.


 

Unofficial points are available at pitnotes.org/points.

GTP

No. 24 BMW M Team WRT

  • First IMSA class win
  • Previous best finish was second (1 time) last at May 2026 at Detroit Street in GTP with car No. 25
  • First team start at Indianapolis
  • Last win for the BMW M Hybrid V8 in IMSA was Road America in August 2025
  • Third win for BMW M Team WRT with the M Hybrid V8 in 2026 (won at WEC Spa and Sao Paulo)
  • Second win for the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Indianapolis (2024)


 

Sheldon van der Linde

  • 27y 4m 7d from Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Second IMSA class win in 27th start
  • Last win was at 2017 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in GTD, 25 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in second start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was sixth in 2025 in GTP
  • First win in 2026 season in eighth start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was third (1 time) last at Daytona in GTP
  • Sheldon van der Linde is a two-time winner of the Indy 8 Hours overall (2023, 2024)


 

Dries Vanthoor

  • 28y 5m 0d from Zolder, Belgium
  • Second IMSA class win in 20th start
  • Last win was at 2025 Road America in GTP, 9 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in second start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was fourth in 2025 in GTP
  • First win in 2026 season in eighth start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was third (1 time) last at Daytona in GTP


 

LMP2

No. 18 Era Motorsport

  • Sixth IMSA class win
  • All 6 wins have been in LMP2
  • Last win was in March 2024 at Sebring in LMP2 with car No. 18
  • First IMSA class win at Indianapolis
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was third (1 times) last in 2024 in LMP2 with car No. 18
  • First IMSA class win in 2026
  • Win comes with a completely different, one-off driver line-up compared to the rest of the season
  • Era Motorsports is based about 2 miles from IMS


 

Nick Boulle

  • 37y 5m 23d from Dallas, TX
  • Third IMSA class win in 28th start
  • Last win was at 2024 CTMP in LMP2, 9 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in third start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was second in 2024 in LMP2
  • First win in 2026 season in first start


 

Christian Rasmussen

  • 26y 2m 22d from Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Second IMSA class win in ninth start
  • Last win was at 2024 Daytona in LMP2, 2 starts between, was also with Era Motorsport
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start
  • First win in 2026 season in second start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was fifth (1 times) last at Daytona in LMP2


 

GTD PRO

No. 64 Ford Racing (Multimatic)

  • 13th IMSA class win
  • Last win was in May 2026 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in GTD PRO with car No. 65
  • Fifth IMSA class win in GTD PRO
  • Second IMSA class win at Indianapolis
  • Last win at Indianapolis was in 2025 in GTD PRO with car No. 64
  • Second IMSA class win in 2026 (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca)


 

Ben Barker

  • 35y 4m 28d from Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
  • First IMSA class win in 19th start
  • Previous best finish was second (1 times) last at 2026 VIR in GTD PRO
  • First win at Indianapolis in second start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was 17th in 2024 in GTD
  • First win in 2026 season in ninth start


 

Dennis Olsen

  • 30y 5m 6d from Våler, Norway
  • Third IMSA class win in 20th start
  • Last win was at 2025 Daytona in GTD PRO, 10 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in first start
  • First win in 2026 season in ninth start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was second (1 times) last at VIR in GTD PRO


 

GTD

No. 96 Turner Motorsport

  • 26th IMSA class win
  • Last win was in August 2024 at Road America in GTD with car No. 96
  • 18th IMSA class win in GTD
  • First IMSA class win at Indianapolis
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was second (1 times) last in 2024 in GTD with car No. 96
  • First IMSA class win in 2026


 

Patrick Gallagher

  • 33y 11m 14d from Thornville, OH
  • Second IMSA class win in 43rd start
  • Last win was at 2024 Road America in GTD, 21 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in fourth start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was second in 2024 in GTD
  • First win in 2026 season in ninth start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was second (2 times) last at VIR in GTD


 

Robby Foley

  • 30y 2m 0d from Randolph, NJ
  • Ninth IMSA class win in 93rd start
  • Last win was at 2024 Road America in GTD, 21 starts between
  • First win at Indianapolis in fourth start
  • Previous best finish at Indianapolis was second in 2024 in GTD
  • First win in 2026 season in ninth start
  • Previous best finish in 2026 was second (2 times) last at VIR in GTD

 

BMW M Team WRT Wins IMSA’s TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Late Pass from van der Linde Delivers WRT’s First IMSA Victory


 

September 20, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Unofficial Race Results


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was less than half the length of its previous six-hour distance, but the final minutes of the new two-hour, 40-minute race distance delivered in spades. There was drama across all four classes.


 

Sheldon van der Linde made the winning pass in the No. 24 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 on Earl Bamber into Turn 12 with just five and a half minutes to go. The South African darted his No. 24 Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) car to the inside of both Bamber’s No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R and the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3, with Bamber opting to stay outside and maintain track position to aid Jack Aitken’s championship charge.


 

Van der Linde shared the winning No. 24 BMW with Dries Vanthoor. The BMW M Hybrid V8 won at Indianapolis two years ago with the then-BMW M Team RLL and drivers Philipp Eng and Jesse Krohn at the six-hour length. But this marks the first IMSA win for the new WRT operation, which took over the BMW IMSA GTP program for 2026.


 

The No. 31 Cadillac of Bamber and Aitken was second, 2.926 seconds behind, with the revised lineup of Laurin Heinrich and Kevin Estre third in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 returning that team to the podium for the first time since Long Beach in April. Aitken unofficially holds a 147-point lead over Heinrich.


 

Era Motorsport debuted a new-look lineup with 2024 IMSA Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) champion Nick Boulle and one of its past Rolex 24 At Daytona class winning drivers, INDYCAR Series race winner Christian Rasmussen, and won in LMP2 with its No. 18 ORECA LMP2 07. A heavy fuel save strategy netted the No. 18 car the top spot while three championship contending entries from Inter Europol Competition, CrowdStrike Racing by APR and AO Racing all had challenging days. Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen's No. 52 car and United Autosports USA's No. 22 car completed the podium. Unofficially, Inter Europol’s pair leads CrowdStrike by APR’s pair by a fraction of points. 


 

The Ford and Chevrolet battle waged late in GTD PRO, with Dennis Olsen emerging ahead of Nicky Catsburg to return the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 to victory lane for the first time since this race last year. Then called Ford Multimatic Motorsports, Mike Rockenfeller and Seb Priaulx shared the winning entry last year while today Olsen and Ben Barker scored the win ahead of Catsburg and Tommy Milner in their No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R. As Olsen and Catsburg fought for the lead on the final lap, there was a review of their battle but no action taken following incidental contact. Pfaff Motorsports’ No. 9 Lamborghini Temerario GT3 finished third. Catsburg and Milner unofficially now lead the GTD PRO standings. 


 

In Grand Touring Daytona (GTD), Turner Motorsport held on for its first win in more than two years with Patrick Gallagher and Robby Foley sharing the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. They were meant to start second behind Winward Racing’s No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of points leaders Philip Ellis and Russell Ward, but a penalty assessed for a pre-race infraction dropped them to the rear of the field. They nearly completed a last-to-first charge but ended second, just 0.501 of a second in arrears. The 13 Autosport No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Matt Bell, Orey Fidani) completed the podium in third.


 

After Indianapolis, the WeatherTech Championship season concludes with the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Saturday, October 3.

 

 

 

Taurino Returns to the Top in Indy to Cap Lamborghini Super Trofeo Weekend

Foster, Henry, Staab and Bolduc Claim Other Class Victories in Anticipated Final North American Race for Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2


 

September 20, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Race 2 Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The last anticipated ride of the fabled Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2 on North American soil from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway could be called, “Grand Taurino.”


 

Giano Taurino, a past Pro champion in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, returned to the top step of the podium for the first time in two years. Coincidentally, his last win was also at IMS, then driving with Ernie Francis Jr. for TR3 Racing.


 

But in Sunday’s 10th race of the 2026 season, Taurino took the revitalized No. 88 Taurino Racing, Lamborghini Newport Beach, Huracán to his and the team’s first win following an authoritative drive from pole.


 

Taurino’s win came against the backdrop of a wild ride of the Pro class championship battle, as two title contenders fell out of contention with early race issues.


 

An apparent mechanical issue derailed Saturday winners Elias De La Torre and Dennis Lind’s No. 29 TR3 Racing Huracán slowed on the pace lap, and then shortly after the race started, a right rear puncture took Hampus Ericsson and Nick Persing’s No. 1 Wayne Taylor Racing Huracán out of contention as well. The No. 29 car finished 10th and No. 1 car eighth.


 

Taurino won easily, only losing the overall lead through the pit cycle and taking the flag by 2.939 seconds. It was a special win for Taurino in this iteration of the program, as the Johannesburg, South Africa driver noted post-race.


 

“The process we’ve gone through with the team has been so hard for us, but this win today is a huge part of our journey,” Taurino said. “The team never failed to give up and never stopped encouraging me. It’s hard to explain in words. This is a new continuation of the team after my dad decided to step down and I decided to step in. He guided me, and we’re here today now. It’s a steppingstone.”


 

The battle for second raged as Tyler Gonzalez defended from Will Bamber, denying Bamber two critical points he needed to close the gap back on De La Torre for the Pro title. Gonzalez and Kiko Porto scored their fourth podium of 2026 in their No. 2 RAFA Racing Team Huracán with Bamber and Darius Trinka third in the No. 33 XONINE Racing Huracán.


 

It still marked a crucial recovery for Bamber and Trinka, who fought gearbox issues in Race 1 that dropped them to sixth. Unofficially, De La Torre leads Bamber by 16 points before the last two races of the North American season at Monza in Italy, prior to the Lamborghini World Final.


 

“It was an incredible regroup,” Bamber explained. “We celebrated for Tony (Bullock, Race 1 Am winner). But today was a weird one with certain cars having issues. It’s a team, car and driver battle. We’re one race behind with the car balance, but Darius did a great job to stay clean. We wanted to try to make the podium, and this time the undercut worked.

ProAm had a new winner for only the second time in 10 races this year, with Wyatt Foster and Seth Henry breaking through for their first Lamborghini Super Trofeo triumph. The pair shared the No. 44 Kaizen Autosport, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán and won by 11.316 seconds.


 

“It’s only our second year in IMSA, so to be here against decades of experience and be able to win at the Brickyard is absolutely amazing,” Henry said. “My job was to bring it home.”


 

Foster added, “This was a fantastic car, and Seth killed it at the end. Back in college I was an intern for an Indy 500 team, and I dreamed of being able to win here one year. I’m beyond lost for words!”


 

The battle for second raged as Keawn Tandon nearly held off newly crowned ProAm champion Danny Formal, before Formal snuck a late-race pass into Turn 1 past Tandon for the runner-up finish. Formal and Graham Doyle, the eight-time winners in 2026, scored their ninth podium of the year in their No. 10 WTR Huracán while Tandon and Lindsay Brewer captured their sixth podium of the season in their No. 77 Forty7 Motorsports Huracán.


 

Precision Performance Motorsports had a dream result in Am, with a 1-2-3 podium sweep led by David Staab in his No. 48 PPM, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán ahead of teammates Cooper Broll in his No. 47 car and Gabriel Holguin in his No. 45 car. The result is unofficially enough to cinch the Am title for Staab two races early, with an unofficial 33-point lead to Dean Neuls (No. 70 TR3 Racing Huracán). Staab held off a hard-charging Broll by just 1.083 seconds.


 

Staab said Saturday after Race 1 his goal was to secure the title if possible in Indianapolis and was able to do so.


 

“I’ve just focused on maximizing each race on its own, one race at a time,” Staab said Saturday. “I think we’ll be in a good spot.”


 

In LB Cup, Rocky T. Bolduc in his No. 99 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Greenwich, Huracán, completed a weekend sweep that moved him from 12 points behind the lead entering the weekend to unofficially five points ahead of Philippe Touchette, who finished second in the No. 11 TB Autosports Huracán. Clay Wilson banked his second podium in as many days in his No. 37 TR3 Racing Huracán.


 

“What a weekend sweep!” Bolduc exclaimed. “Two wins, two poles, five-point lead today, makes me feel that much better about going to Finals in Monza. The family is here. Winning at Indy… I didn’t start racing young. It’s possible and fun.”


 

With the North American continental portion of 2026 complete, the final two races of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America season will take place at Monza on Oct. 22-23. Teams from North America will join their European and Asian counterparts as part of the Lamborghini World Final weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25. 

 
 

De La Torre Pairs with Lind to Win Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 1 at Indy

Formal, Doyle Wrap ProAm; Bullock, Bolduc Claim Am and LB Cup Wins


 

September 19, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Race 1 Results

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The championship contenders emerged atop three of the four Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America classes as the sun set Saturday evening over the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

Elias De La Torre helped his push for the Pro class title in the No. 29 TR3 Racing, Lamborghini Miami, Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2 as he shared the overall victory with Dennis Lind.

 

In ProAm, Danny Formal and Graham Doyle have unofficially wrapped the season-long championship with three races to go in their No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán with their eighth win from nine races this season.

 

The returning Anthony Bullock returned to the top of Am, in his No. 12 XONINE Racing, Lamborghini Chicago, Huracán, while David Staab consolidated his points lead in his No. 48 Precision Performance Motorsports, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Huracán with another podium finish.

 

Meanwhile Rocky T. Bolduc went from 12 points down entering LB Cup to unofficially leading the championship by one in his No. 99 Topp Racing, Lamborghini Greenwich, Huracán.

 

Lind started the No. 29 TR3 entry from Pro in pole, leading the bulk of his stint before pitting with De La Torre’s two closest championship contenders halfway through the 50-minute race. Once the race reset following the conclusion of the mandatory pit stop window, De La Torre controlled the remainder of the race to the checkered flag.

 

He won by 5.450 seconds over one of WTR’s Pro cars, the No. 1 entry of Hampus Ericsson and Nick Persing. Giano Taurino scored a season-best finish of third in his No. 88 Taurino Racing car.

 

“TR3 did an amazing job for us; I had to push quite hard for us, but I kept the tires under me for Elias,” Lind said.

 

De La Torre added, “The car was great all stint. Dennis gave me great tires and he’s been awesome since he’s been back in the car. And we extend the championship lead.”

The ProAm race appeared similarly straightforward, with Formal leading from pole in his stint in the No. 10 car, handing off to Doyle and then Doyle bringing it home by 8.975 seconds. Though as Doyle explained, there were a number of potential pitfalls that could have spoiled the party.

 

“It’s unbelievable; coolest track to do it too, here in Indianapolis, for the V10’s (Huracán) last roar here in the States,” Doyle said. “Danny (Formal) and the team have been crushing it all season. Awesome to get eight wins out of nine. I can’t thank Travis (Houge) enough.

 

“It was crazy… we didn’t have ABS for the last five laps, no screen. I’ll credit my ability to keep the car on track to the fact I did a (NASCAR Craftsman) Truck race and kept that car on track, and I just drove it like my NASCAR! I can’t be happier.”

 

Formal added, “It takes a lot of pressure away. It’ll be fun now. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves. But eight wins of nine races is incredible for this whole team. They just gave us a rocket ship. Five championships in six seasons is phenomenal.”

 

Lindsay Brewer and Keawn Tandon returned to the podium in the No. 77 Forty7 Motorsports entry while RAFA Racing’s Ian Porter and Chloe Chambers continued their recent run of form aboard the No. 81 Huracán.

 

Bullock’s weekend pace kept him at the front of a busy Am class field, where Staab in second and Dean Neuls in third in his No. 70 TR3 Racing Huracán were all three battled over podium positions. In the end, Bullock secured his third win of 2026 by just 0.779 of a second. Staab scored his ninth podium in as many races and Neuls captured his fourth podium of the campaign.

 

“It’s so incredible to be here at Indianapolis, driving a Lamborghini, I didn’t know what would happen, but I’d enjoy every moment,” Bullock said. “So thankful for Lamborghini, IMSA and this moment.”

 

The LB Cup race and championship battle turned on its head with championship leader Philippe Touchette in his No. 11 TB Autosports Huracán suffering contact from another car and finishing only eighth.


 

That opened the door for Bolduc, from pole, to make massive inroads in his No. 99 car. He enjoyed a comfortable win by 36.480 seconds over Ray Shahi, delivering Taurino Racing its second podium of the day in his No. 65 Huracán, with Clay Wilson third for TR3 Racing in his No. 37 Huracán and on the podium for a third time this year.

 

“I didn’t know this was possible!” Bolduc said. “I was doing the math, 12 points behind, then left both Watkins Glen and Road America behind. It’s a great feeling.”

 

Sunday’s second race of the weekend is at 12:20 p.m. ET, streaming live on Peacock, IMSA’s Official YouTube channel and Lamborghini’s YouTube channel. 

Blomqvist, Acura Seek One More Hurrah in 2026

No. 60 Takes GTP Pole at Indianapolis; Clarke, Inter Europol Lead LMP2 Qualifying; GTD PRO, GTD Grids Set by Team Points


 

September 19, 2026

By John Oreovicz and David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

Starting Grid


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian is determined to close the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a race win.


 

Tom Blomqvist took the first step in that direction Saturday evening at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by securing the Motul Pole Award for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks – the penultimate round of the WeatherTech Championship season.


 

Driving the No. 60 Acura ARX-06 he shares with Colin Braun, Blomqvist lapped the 14-corner, 2.439-mile IMS road course in 1 minute, 14.674 seconds for an average speed of 117.582 mph. Blomqvist and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class points leader Jack Aitken were the only drivers to break the 1:15 barrier, with Aitken’s 1:14.975 (117.110 mph) effort good enough to secure the outside of the front row for Sunday’s 2-hour, 40-minute sprint race.


 

It was the seventh career WeatherTech Championship pole for Blomqvist and the 25th for Meyer Shank Racing, which will make its 399th and 400th IMSA starts Sunday with its No. 60 and 93 entries.


 

The No. 93 with drivers Nick Yelloly and Renger van der Zande won earlier this year and arrived at Indianapolis ranked third in the GTP driver standings,185 points behind Aitken and separated by Laurin Heinrich, who will line up eighth at Indianapolis in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 qualified by Kevin Estre.


 

After qualifying, Aitken leads Heinrich by 127 points and the No. 93 Acura duo (who qualified fifth) by 191. Braun and Blomqvist are winless thus far in 2026, 10th in the standings and out of championship contention.


 

Dodging a few damp spots on the track thanks to an earlier shower, Blomqvist clocked the pole-winning lap with a little less than three minutes remaining in the 15-minute GTP qualifying session. Meanwhile, Aitken improved from fifth to third to second on his qualifying laps as he took the checkered flag, bumping the No. 24 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 of Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde to third.


 

“Obviously, the team have done a fantastic job leading up to this event,” Blomqvist remarked. “We had some new concepts to try out in practice, and they seemed to be working. The weather was a bit of an unknown and could have thrown a curveball there, but thankfully we didn't need to gamble too much.


 

“This track is notoriously hard to warm up the right-side tires,” he added. “I felt like I only really had one good shot at it there and the car just performed. I guess I did a good job myself. I managed to get most out of it on that lap when the tires were at their best – that was the key today. It’s a shorter race, so being in the pole position, we’re in a great spot to get a victory. That’s going to be the goal tomorrow.”


 

Aitken, Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti won from pole position at Indianapolis last year when the race was a six-hour round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. Aitken was pleased with his qualifying performance.


 

“The run was good,” he said. “We had to work pretty hard through practice to find a rhythm with the car. I was really happy with the changes we’ve made, and I think we can be really proud of the front-row start next to the No. 60. It’s a good spot for tomorrow, obviously, and hopefully we can keep ourselves toward the pointy end and out of trouble. That’s the aim, always, in these sprint races.”


 

Clarke Extends Run of LMP2 Motul Pole Awards

Jeremy Clarke will start the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks in a familiar spot, namely pole position in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) category. For the fifth time in the past seven races, the Californian posted the fastest qualifying time of the session in the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07 to head a tightly bunched LMP2 field that saw no fewer than seven drivers within a second of Clarke’s best.

 

Quick as he was, Clarke’s best lap of 1:17.555 was upward of a second off the LMP2 track record, reflecting a track still coated with a measure of rubber following the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race despite a brief rain shower – accompanied by some lighting – that delayed the WeatherTech Championship qualifying session.

 

“Leading up to qualifying we weren’t sure what was going to happen with the rain,” Clarke explained. “We got a little bit lucky with the lightning and kind of pushed off the start, so we were able to get kind of a dry track. But even going out, I was just a little bit hesitant.

 

“I was personally expecting the track to go a little faster with the cooler temperatures, but the grip just wasn’t quite what we expected. I had to take it step by step, put corner by corner together and just focus. I knew where I was strong and where I was weak, so I just tried to consistently do what I needed to do in the strong parts.”

 

Daniel Goldburg fell just short of dislodging Clarke from pole, as he was credited with a best lap of 1:17.713. All the more impressive is it was only Goldberg’s second-best lap of the qualifying session, an earlier lap of 1:17.600 forfeited after the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA caused a red flag in the morning practice session. PJ Hyett was third in the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA at 1:17.770 with Misha Goikhberg (No. 52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen) and Tobi Lutke (No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA) also in the 1:17s ahead of the LMP2 championship points-leading No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA of George Kurtz, who posted a best lap of 1:18.046.

 

With Clarke and co-driver Tom Dillmann coming off back-to-back wins at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America, along with collecting 35 points for Saturday’s pole position, the Inter Europol drivers and team have unofficially moved within 26 points of the LMP2 lead.

 

While Clarke and Dillmann will be looking for their third consecutive win, they’ll also have an eye on their championship rivals throughout the two-hour, 40-minute race. 

 

“In these short sprint races, qualifying is super important,” Clarke said. “So, grabbing pole is super important here. At the end of the day, if we finish in front of CrowdStrike in this race and the next race at Petit Le Mans, we’ll have a better chance of winning the championship. I think the primary goal is to make sure we’re in the position to stay in front of them.” 


 

GT Grids Set by Team Points Due to Weather Delay

Lightning in the area just prior to the scheduled start of WeatherTech Championship qualifying brought a brief halt to the proceedings and forced both the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) and GTD PRO qualifying sessions to be abandoned. Those grids for Sunday’s race will be set based on team championship points, with the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo shared by Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen starting from the GTD PRO pole position and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 co-driven by Russell Ward and Philip Ellis leading the GTD field to green.


 

The 44-car field will take the green flag for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at 3:10 ET Sunday. Complete live coverage airs on NBC or may be streamed on Peacock in the U.S., with international streams available through IMSA.TV or the official IMSA YouTube channel.

 

 

Last-Lap Theatrics Determine Both Winners in Indy Michelin Pilot Challenge Race

No. 44 McLaren Takes GS Victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120; No. 99 Cupra Wins in TCR


 

September 19, 2026

By Mark Robinson

IMSA Wire Service

Unofficial Results


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Results of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 race repeated 2025 in many ways, but that doesn’t mean the 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge edition lacked drama or late excitement.


 

A one-lap dash to the finish following a late full-course caution saw the lead change hands in both series classes. Michael Cooper drove his No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 into first place and on to victory for himself and co-driver Moisey Uretsky in the Grand Sport (GS) class to triumph on the IMS road course for the second straight year. In the Touring Car (TCR) class, Tyler Gonzalez lost the lead on the same restart but recaptured it in the same spot as Cooper in GS, taking the win for a second straight year in the No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing Cupra Leon VZ TCR he shared with Steven Clemons (a different co-driver from 2025).


 

Cooper and the No. 44 McLaren were among the larger group of GS cars opting for a two-stop strategy in the two-hour race. A small GS contingent gambled on a single stop that became increasingly unlikely as the closing hour ran caution-free until the race-leading No. 43 Andretti Performance Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS ran out of fuel and stopped on track with seven minutes remaining, bringing out the yellow.


 

When racing resumed for the last lap, Cooper trailed Mike Skeen in the No. 60 KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4, with a pair of lapped cars between them. Cooper quickly dispatched the interlopers before diving inside Skeen into Turn 7. The cars made hard contact but both kept going. Cooper won by 2.377 seconds over Skeen and co-driver Evan Slater. Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal brought the No. 39 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing BMW M4 GT4 home in third.


 

Cooper was confident he’d have the opportunity to make a bid for the lead against Skeen. He just wasn’t sure when or where.


 

“I expected an opportunity, but what I didn't expect was all the weaving he did before that,” Cooper said. “He didn't really pick a lane too well, and then at the last second he decided to go to the right and I went to the left and got through. Just awesome to win here again. I'm stoked for the whole Ibiza Farm Motorsport team.”


 

Uretsky, who was watching Cooper’s charge from the pit wall, was able to provide a play-by-play of the proceedings.


 

“We were good on fuel and strategy and we did not need that last yellow,” Uretsky said. “That made it a bit exciting. But again, it’s all about the team. We’ve been executing really well; everyone does their part. We just ran a good fuel-save strategy, in clean air and competitive times. That kept us right there at the front. Cooper took care of the rest, as always.”


 

Skeen was confident the No. 60 Mustang had the fuel to win had the race stayed green to the finish.


 

“We were fuel saving the whole stint, backing it up and just trying to manage the pace based on the cars that were pitting and the gaps and everything,” Skeen said. “We knew once the (Andretti Porsche) ran out of fuel we kind of had it because we had enough fuel. We had a 30-second gap or so back to P2 at that point, so if we hadn’t had the yellow, I think we were kind of golden.”


 

Of Cooper’s aggressive pass for the lead, Skeen added, “I think it was still pretty much a Hail Mary from that McLaren. Doored us real hard, bent the front suspension and pushed us out of the track. Knocked the wheel out of my hand, honestly. Not super happy with that, but I guess it stands. We'll take the second place and be proud of the KohR Motorsports guys.”


 

Another crucial last-lap event came when the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW stopped on track before crawling to the finish. Turner drivers Dillon Machavern and Luca Mars dropped from 10th place to 17th and saw their GS championship lead evaporate.


 

They now trail the No. 27 AutoTechnic Racing BMW duo of Austin Krainz and Stevan McAleer (who finished fifth) unofficially by 40 points heading to the season finale Oct. 2 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Robert Noaker and Finn Wiebelhaus finished eighth in their No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4, which leaves Noaker third and 50 back.


 

Gonzalez Goes from First to Second to First in Wild TCR Last Lap

Gonzalez led 30 straight laps in the No. 99 VGR Cupra before almost seeing it slip away during the last-lap melee. Karl Wittmer in the No. 93 MMG Honda Civic FL5 TCR got the jump coming out of Turn 14 on the restart and overtook Gonzalez by the time they reached the start-finish line to begin the final lap around the 2.439-mile circuit. Gonzalez stayed on Wittmer’s bumper until they also approached a slick Turn 7 where light rain began falling moments earlier. Wittmer slid wide and was passed by both Gonzalez and Denis Dupont in the No. 76 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR.


 

The margin between the top three was just 1.110 seconds at the finish, and all three had different perspectives of the last lap.


 

“Karl got a really good run on me coming to the green on my restart and got around me, but I was able to get back around him in (Turn) 7,” Gonzalez reported. “We both went deep, we both went way too deep, and Denis almost got us both. But I was able to get it stopped just in time, turn and hit the power down. Super happy to win this one, man. Two races in a row with VGR, two years in a row at Indy, so it means a lot to win here.”


 

Dupont, who made it to second, noted: “I took a good restart. I don’t know what happened to the Cupra. There was a slow car on the left; I was surprised. But I started to see the first two guys fighting and I was like, let’s try to be smart and pick up the pieces. In Turn 7 I saw a gap and I was like, let me grab my line and I was alongside. We’re playing the championship, so let me just get the 93. We have a chance at P2, not P1.”


 

While disappointed with the result, Wittmer was proud of the podium effort for him and co-driver LP Montour.


 

“I was the first man in (Turn 7), didn't realize it was raining, and it hit the rain in the brake zone and I just overshot it,” Wittmer admitted. “Two guys went by and that was all she wrote. Hell of a battle, though.”


 

By finishing second, Dupont and co-driver Preston Brown kept the TCR championship unsettled heading to Michelin Raceway. They unofficially trail teammates Bryson Morris and Mason Filippi (No. 33 BHA Hyundai) by 200 points.

 

 

Qualiyfing Results | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Saturday, September 19, 2026

Qualifying Results


 

Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results


 

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com.

 

 

Practice Results | WeatherTech Championship

TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Saturday, September 19, 2026

Practice 2 Results

Practice 1 Results


 

Additional results are available at results.imsa.com

 

 

Greenemeier Captures Heart of Racing Aston Martin’s Fourth GS Pole of 2026 at Indy

Honda Now Has Six-Pack of Poles with Pasquarella Leading TCR Field for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Penultimate Race


 

September 19, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Provisional Starting Grid


 

INDIANAPOLIS - The Heart of Racing Team’s Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO continued its run of form in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying, ahead of Saturday’s two-hour Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120.

 

Hannah Greenemeier scored her second (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park), and the team’s fourth, pole in Grand Sport (GS) this season aboard the No. 26 Aston Martin she shares with Hannah Grisham. It’s also the team’s fourth pole in the last five races, interrupted only at VIRginia International Raceway.  

 

Greenemeier set her best lap of 1 minute, 29.351 seconds (98.268 mph) on her fifth of eight tours around IMS’ 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course as she and Grisham prepare to improve upon a best finish of sixth this season.

 

“It was a good lap,” Greenemeier said. “It was one of those, everyone went for a push lap, then a cooldown, so had to conserve tire pressures and temps. I got the peak of the tire. Super thankful for the team, Heart of Racing and Aston Martin, and want to convert it into a win. It’s our fourth pole this year… so (we hope) fourth time’s the charm!

 

“The team has been working great. Everyone’s fired on all cylinders. But we’ve had no luck in the races. Maybe today the racing gods look down on us! The results will come.”

 

Finn Wiebelhaus, in his second start in the championship-contending No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 he shares with Robert Noaker, qualified second and 0.240 of a second in arrears. KOHR Motorsports’ No. 60 Ford, which made the podium at IMS last year in third, will start from third with Evan Slater qualifying and Mike Skeen due to finish.

 

The championship-leading No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 EVO will roll from 17th, with Dillon Machavern qualifying and Luca Mars due to finish.


 

TCR: New Lap Record, Pole for Pasquarella 

In Touring Car (TCR), Honda banked its sixth pole of the year courtesy of Rocco Pasquarella in the No. 5 KMW Motorsports w/TMR Engineering Honda Civic FL5 TCR. Pasquarella’s third pole in his first season matches the number achieved by LP Montour in the No. 93 MMG Honda, who won three straight at Watkins Glen International, CTMP and Road America.

 

Pasquarella’s pole time of 1 minute, 30.950 seconds (96.540 mph) is a new lap record and one of two TCR drivers beating the previous mark set in 2023 of 1:31.076. Pasquarella beat Montour by just 0.009 of a second in one of the tighter Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying sessions in recent memory.

 

“Overall happy to get pole; there was definitely more in that lap, but I backed off a little bit to get a better gap,” Pasquarella said. “It’s Honda 1-2, so pretty good finish for them. It’d be pretty cool to kiss the bricks. Can’t be mad about getting pole! The driver wanted more, but still a pretty good lap.

 

“Track position in Pilot Challenge is the name of the game here,” he added. “All the races we’ve won or podiumed has been from last - so unsure if that’s a correlation! But you can control the pace from the front. You are also the first car to get to the GS field as well. I like a clear track in front of me.” 

 

The No. 77 Stallion Motorsports with GOU Cupra Leon VZ TCR of Celso Neto qualified third with new co-driver Jenson Brickley, one spot ahead of the championship leading No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris.

 

Saturday’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 goes green at 2:30 p.m. ET, with live streaming on Peacock and ad-free, courtesy of Michelin, on IMSA’s Official YouTube channel.

 

 

 

 

 

Practice Results


 

INDIANAPOLIS – Porsche Penske Motorsport is pulling out all the stops in its efforts to win the driver and manufacturer titles in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. On Friday, the German manufacturer enjoyed a strong start to the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

Kevin Estre drove the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 to the fastest time of the day in a 90-minute practice session, lapping the 2.439-mile IMS road course in 1 minute, 15.764 seconds for an average speed of 115.891 miles per hour.

 

The No. 60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 of Tom Blomqvist clocked in second, 0.089 of a second in arrears, ahead of the No. 24 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 of Sheldon van der Linde. Porsche Penske’s No. 7 entry was fourth fastest at 1:16.147 (115.308 mph) in the hands of Felipe Nasr.

 

PPM has shuffled its GTP driver lineups for the Battle on the Bricks to increase the championship chances for Laurin Heinrich, who is the highest ranked Porsche driver in the point standings with two races remaining in the 2026 campaign. Heinrich arrives at Indy with a 118-point deficit to Jack Aitken in his No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R.

 

Heinrich started the year scheduled to compete in a three-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program in the No. 7 Porsche with Nasr and Julien Andlauer. After that trio won the first two races of the season (the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring), several additional races were added to Heinrich’s slate in the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, and he and Tijmen van der Helm won at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, briefly elevating Heinrich into the GTP points lead.

 

Porsche has teamed Heinrich with Estre in the No. 6 factory 963 this weekend before he completes the season as planned in the No. 7 at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in two weeks.

 

Estre and Aitken collided in the closing stages of the most recent GTP round, the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America. Following a comprehensive post-race review of the incident between Cars 6 and 31, IMSA imposed a two-race probation on Estre. But the Frenchman said Friday it won’t affect his approach or performance at Indianapolis or over the close of the season.

 

“I will do what I always do, which is trying to drive as fast as I can,” Estre said. “And if I can overtake, I will overtake. I think my mindset is quite clear. The mindset of the other (drivers) is something which I’m questioning. Obviously, they know that I’m on probation. But in the end, we are in a professional environment. Hopefully we can have a fair fight and try to enjoy the last two races.

 

“For sure, it’s important to get points for Porsche as a manufacturer, and of course for Laurin, who is driving with me now, and trying to be in the fight in a good position for Road Atlanta.”

 

Heinrich is less than a year removed from his first race in a Porsche 963 prototype, yet he finds himself Porsche’s best hope in this year’s GTP driver championship.

 

“It’s quite a unique situation, and certainly, I’ve grown a lot from being thrown into all of these different cars,” Heinrich remarked. “There’s always different engineering crews, different mechanic crews, who I have to get to know and to work with. I’ve been on the simulator with the Car 6 engineers, the Car 6 crew, and Kevin has done the same setup changes that I did on the sim to just see how our feedback correlates.

 

“I think Team Penske, they are used to getting new drivers acquainted, and I think we are well prepared.”

 

Earl Bamber was sixth fastest Friday in the No. 31 Cadillac he shares with points leader Aitken. The pair won at Indy last year with Frederik Vesti. Their best lap of 1:16.216 (115.287) was 0.452 of a second off the No. 6 Porsche’s benchmark.

 

“Of course, Laurin is second in the championship, so we will look at what he’s doing,” Aitken said. “But there are three Porsches out there and they’ve all been running well this year at various times. I’m sure he’ll do a good job and will be competitive, but it doesn’t change a huge amount for us.”

 

In the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class, Tom Dillmann was fastest in the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07 he shares with Jeremy Clarke, with a lap timed at 1:16.545 (114.708 mph) that was just 0.781 second off Estre’s overall pace-setting GTP time. Paul Di Resta was next up at 1:16.830 (114.283 mph) in the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07 co-driven by Daniel Goldburg.

 

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports ran 1-2 in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class, with Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R just ahead of Alexander Sims in the No. 3 by 0.078 of a second. Catsburg’s best lap was clocked at 1:23.567 (105.069 mph).

 

GTD PRO features the closest title fight among the WeatherTech Championship’s four classes, with the top five competitors separated by just 67 points. Catsburg and Tommy Milner arrive in Indianapolis second in the GTD PRO standings, just 23 markers behind leaders Neil Verhagen and Connor De Phillippi, who were seventh in class Friday in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

 

“This is a positive start; it’s always nice to start the weekend up front,” stated Catsburg. “Every race so far, we’ve been rolling off the truck in a really good window. It seems like the car works well here. I feel like everyone else might be focusing on other stuff, but to be honest, I feel like we’re quick. Let’s see if we can do the same thing tomorrow.”

 

Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) saw Trent Hindman (who co-drives with Danny Formal) top the timing screens in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 with a best effort of 1:23.630 (104.990 mph). GTD points leaders Russell Ward and Philip Ellis (No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3) were next up at 1:23.786 (104.795 mph), while Matt Bell demonstrated more potential from the Corvette Z06 GT3.R by running third in the No. 13 entry he shares with 13 Autosport owner Orey Fidani.

 

Saturday’s action at IMS includes another 90-minute free practice for the WeatherTech Championship followed by individual qualifying sessions for each class. The latter session, starting at 5:05 p.m. ET, is live on Peacock and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel. 

Car Blanche First to Confirm 2027 IMSA Entry with Full GTD PRO Aston Martin Program

Valentin Hasse Clot, Marco Sorensen to Share Aston Martin in GTD PRO 

INDIANAPOLIS – Car Blanche is the first team to confirm its entry into the 2027 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with a full-season Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) program fielding an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO, with drivers Valentin Hasse Clot and Marco Sorensen. 


 

Its Car Blanche branding and name with its striking white livery has stood out, as have the team’s performances so far. 


 

“A fast car is a nice car, and we still have scored two podiums on Car Blanche’s debut,” Hasse Clot said in a Friday media availability ahead of the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 


 

“If we’d have been on the back of the grid, nobody would have noticed Car Blanche. But the fact we’ve been competitive has made it stand out as well."


 

The confirmation comes on the heels of a toe-in-the-water GTD PRO run most races in the second half of 2026 with Hasse Clot and Sorensen. YRB Racing acquired the former van der Steur Racing outfit prior to the Watkins Glen International weekend.


 

Car Blanche, led by Team Principal Christopher Deely, made an immediate positive impression with a pair of podiums in its first and thus far only two Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) starts. Hasse Clot, Marius Fossard and Trenton Estep shared the No. 068 Aston Martin at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen and Motul Endurance SportsCar Grand Prix at Road America.


 

Hasse Clot has been the one driving constant across both its GTD PRO and GTD starts in 2026, sharing the team’s No. 68 Aston Martin in GTD PRO first with Scott Andrews at CTMP, then with Sorensen starting at VIRginia International Raceway. 


 

“It’s been easy when you have good co-drivers,” Hasse Clot said of he and Sorensen. “I’ve known him for a while. He and I have known each other for seven or eight years. Marius is my teammate in Europe and Trenton is in the team from last year.” 


 

Hasse Clot indicated a desire to step up fully as part of a wide-ranging team media availability at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this year when it made its GTD PRO debut.


 

“I think it has always been a goal for us,” Hasse Clot said. “Especially for Chris and I in the background. For two or three years, our goal was to one day reach GTD PRO. After the switch and the change, we decided to go as soon as possible to learn.


 

“We could have waited for the end of the year, but it’s good testing. As Chris said, at some point you need to go. So why not now? So especially after a very good weekend in Watkins, with the first podium for us, we thought it would be the right moment.”


 

Hasse Clot, despite missing one WeatherTech Championship round this year (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), has thoroughly enjoyed the IMSA experience in his first full season. 

 

“I love it because I always think that the championship is interesting,” he said. “The more races you have, the more interesting it is because it rewards the reliable and consistent drivers. 


 

“I love doing endurance and sprint. Unfortunately, we're not looking at points this year (in 2026) because, A) I missed a race for ELMS and B) we changed the class. But I'm excited to kick off next season and chasing points.”


 

Deely was more succinct in his goals for 2027 during the CTMP media availability. 


 

“We’ll be chasing the GTD PRO championship next,” he said. “We want to have the strongest effort possible, whatever that means.” 

 

Three Takeaways: TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over… Times Three


 

September 21, 2026

By David Phillips

IMSA Wire Service

INDIANAPOLIS – When it comes to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s annual visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it doesn’t seem to matter much whether the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks is a six-hour enduro or a two-hour and 40-minute sprint: the result is the same, at least in terms of the “action per hour” quotient and tight finishes. Yesterday’s sprint race was action-packed from a chaotic first turn to four nail-biting finishes in an event featuring all four WeatherTech Championship classes: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) and GTD Pro.


 

It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over (1)

 

The race could hardly have gotten off to a worse start for Russell Ward and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. On a weekend when the GTD grid was based on championship points after inclement weather abandoned qualifying, the championship-leading car was moved to the rear of the grid following a pre-grid infraction. 


 

Unhappy but undaunted, Ward promptly carved his way through the GTD field to run in the top five before handing over the reins to co-driver Philip Ellis.


 

Robby Foley admitted he wasn’t surprised when he checked the rear-view mirror of his leading No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO and saw Ellis filling it, giving Foley a serious run for the win before falling half a second short.

In a way, Sunday’s race appeared a microcosm of Winward’s 2026 WeatherTech Championship season in pursuit of a third straight title. The roller-coaster ride has featured four wins but several other bad luck moments before bouncing back to lead the points leaving VIRginia International Raceway last month. 


 

Ellis and Ward only lead Foley and Patrick Gallagher by six points leaving Indianapolis, but the Brickyard comeback ensures they’re still in the driver’s seat of the respective GTD championship battles heading to Motul Petit Le Mans and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in a week and a half. 

 

It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over (2) 

 

4.42 seconds: That’s the combined margins of victory for the GTP, GTD PRO and GTD classes. Suffice to say the results in all three categories were very much in doubt until the finish. And while the LMP2-winning No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA finished more than 15 seconds clear of the similar No. 52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen entry, that result was in serious question given that Era’s Christian Rasmussen was running on fumes in the final laps with no guarantees the Era ORECA would have enough fuel to make the finish. 

 

“We knew it was going to be tight but we just committed to the fuel save super early,” Rasmussen said. “(My engineer) kept giving me a fuel target and then the next lap he would say ‘We need more fuel save than that.’ Next lap, ‘We need more fuel save than that.’ But we got it done.” 


 

Fuel giveth and fuel taketh away. While one moonlighting IndyCar driver, Rasmussen, won, one aspiring one in newly crowned Indy NXT champion and IMSA rookie Nikita Johnson came up snake-eyes in his No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO he drives for RLL Team McLaren. 

Johnson’s demise opened the door for a classic Ford vs. Chevrolet battle to the finish, where this time the No. 64 Mustang GT3 prevailed over the No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Dennis Olsen, who beat Nicky Catsburg, hailed the Dutchman’s clean efforts late in the going.

 

“I have a lot of respect for Nicky,” Olsen said. “Honestly, I felt sorry for shoving him wide, but at the same time I had this prototype to my inside so (I) didn’t know what to do. I tried to stay in the middle as good as I could but . . . we got the win.” 


 

As did Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor and BMW M Team WRT, thanks to the former’s late race heroics. After a caution and restart in the final 15 minutes, van der Linde made a number of overtaking moves before finally forcing the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 past the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R of Earl Bamber who, together with Jack Aitken, were working to position Aitken, the Cadillac Whelen team and Cadillac closer to wrapping their crowns… which they can do officially in Braselton, Ga. 

 

“Sheldon did a really good move into Turn 12,” Bamber said, “and I also had to remember we were in the championship. I think if it was another day we might have fought a little bit harder.”  

 

In contrast, van der Linde used the fact that he, his co-driver, team and manufacturer are out of the running for the GTP championships to his advantage.

 

“I was willing to risk everything for the win today,” van der Linde admitted. “I had that in the back of my mind going into the race already. That was our advantage that we could play elbows out and they couldn’t. So I used that to our advantage, and it worked out perfectly with the move into Turn 12.”

 

It’s Not Over ’til It’s Over (3)

 

57 points. That’s the total number of points separating first and second places in the LMP2, GTD PRO and GTD driver championship standings heading to the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.  


 

Specifically, Jeremy Clarke and Tom Dillmann lead George Kurtz and Alex Quinn by 4 points in LMP2, Ward and Ellis lead Foley and Gallagher by 6 points in GTD, while Catsburg and Tommy Milner lead Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen by 47 markers in GTD Pro.


 

Aitken enjoys a 147-point cushion to Laurin Heinrich in GTP, which isn’t insurmountable, but highly improbable to lose. There’s a maximum delta of 165 points between the maximum 385 and minimum 220 points available in Atlanta across qualifying and the race for an anticipated 11-car GTP field, so it’d take a Herculean Heinrich effort to overtake him. 

  

But Aitken is not about to put the champagne on ice just yet. After all, some legendary drivers have crashed on the pace laps at Motul Petit Le Mans (can you say Allan McNish?) while mechanical failures on the pace laps have denied championships to some teams (can you say JDC-Miller? OK, it was the Michelin Pilot Challenge race, but it cost JDC-Miller a likely class championship). 

 

“I think if we out-qualify them by a certain number of places that will be good enough if we just start (the race),” said Aiken. “But if that doesn’t happen, we go into the race with (the championship) still open and anything can happen. Especially at Petit. So, we are definitely not going to count our chickens.” 

 

Not unlike van der Linde on Sunday, Heinrich’s got nothing to lose in a fortnight. After finishing third in Indianapolis in the No. 6 car with Kevin Estre, a race after finishing second in the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 at Road America with Tijmen van der Helm and Kaylen Frederick, could first be in the cards when he returns to the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 with Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer for the first time since finishing first at both Daytona and Sebring earlier this year? 

 

“Let’s see what we have in Petit,” he says. “We’ve been strong in endurance races. That makes me confident. I’ll try to up my game as much as I can in the two weeks that I have to prepare. I’ll arrive with best version of myself and just give it everything, put on a good show for the fans and hopefully bring Porsche out on top.” 

 

 

 

Gameloft and IMSA Bring Endurance Racing to Asphalt Legends with New Endurance Mode

Starting September 15, Players Can Team Up, Master Clean Driving and Race for Distance in a New Arcade Take on Endurance Racing

PARIS, France (Sept. 14, 2026) – Gameloft, a leader in the development and publishing of games, today announced the launch of IMSA Endurance Mode Spotlight, a brand-new game mode coming to Asphalt Legends in partnership with the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), the leading sanctioning body for sports car racing in North America. Starting September 15, players can experience an arcade interpretation of endurance racing, putting teamwork, consistency and distance at the heart of every race.

 

Inspired by the team-based nature and long-distance challenge of real-world endurance racing, the IMSA Endurance Mode Spotlight event introduces a new way to compete in Asphalt Legends. Rather than simply racing to the finish line, players must work together to cover as much distance as possible, keeping their cars on track and racing as cleanly as they can — avoiding collisions with rival cars, barriers, and the environment along the way.

 

Each race features three teams of three racers, with players teamed up with two AI-controlled drivers to recreate the three-driver structure commonly found in endurance racing. The team’s final score is determined by combining the distance covered by all three cars, with the team travelling the furthest taking the win.

Endurance Mode also introduces several new gameplay mechanics designed to capture the spirit of endurance racing:


 

  • Team-Based Racing: Players race as part of a three-car team, alongside two AI teammates, putting cooperation at the center of the experience.
  • Two Car Classes: Players can compete using either a Prototype or GT race car, reflecting the different classes found in IMSA endurance racing.
  • Distance-Based Scoring: Speed alone does not determine the winner. Teams earn points based on the total distance covered by their three cars.
  • Clean Driving: A new mechanic rewards players for maintaining a continuous perfect run without hitting obstacles or crashing. The longer players maintain a clean run, the greater their bonus score.
  • Longer Races: Endurance Mode extends the usual Asphalt Legends race length from around 30–90 seconds to 180 seconds, bringing a greater sense of endurance and consistency to each race.

Adding to the experience, players will also have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the hero car of the new event. The newly added vehicle will be available for all players to try as part of the Endurance Mode experience.


 

And as the cherry on top, there is a special reward for US residents: players who race the first four event stages and register on the official Asphalt Legends IMSA Endurance Mode web form will be eligible to win a VIP trip to the 24 Hours of DAYTONA, an opportunity open to both veteran drivers and new endurance racing fans!

 

Through its collaboration with IMSA, the new IMSA Endurance Mode Spotlight event brings elements of real-world endurance racing into Asphalt Legends while adapting them to the fast-paced and accessible arcade gameplay the series is known for.


 

About Asphalt Legends

Asphalt Legends represents a bold leap forward for the award-winning Asphalt franchise. Anchored around a core cross-play feature that unites players across all platforms, the game offers a fresh identity with co-op capabilities, an upgraded internal graphic engine, a modernized art direction tailored for console players, a reimagined garage that carries over game progress and previously unlocked vehicles, and a redesigned user interface.


 

Asphalt Legends is available on the App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, Steam, Xbox, and for the first time on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5.


 

About Gameloft

Leader in the development and publishing of games, Gameloft® has established itself as a pioneer in the industry, creating innovative gaming experiences for over 20 years. Gameloft creates games for all digital platforms, from mobile to cross-platform titles for PC and consoles. Gameloft operates its own established franchises such as Asphalt®, Dragon Mania Legends, Modern Combat, and Dungeon Hunter, and also partners with major rights holders including LEGO®, Universal, Illumination Entertainment, Hasbro®, Fox Digital Entertainment, Mattel®, Lamborghini®, and Ferrari®. Gameloft distributes its games in over 100 countries and employs 3,400 people worldwide. Every month, 55 million unique users can be reached by advertisers in Gameloft games with Gameloft for brands, a leading B2B offering dedicated to brands and agencies. Gameloft is a Vivendi company.

 

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.

 

 

Entry List Notebook - Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120

44 Cars Set to Tackle Penultimate IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Round of 2026


 

September 14, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)


 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) rollercoaster season continued at VIRginia International Raceway’s flowing, technical 3.27-mile layout. The GS championship lead changed hands for the fourth time in 2026, while the run of poor results for the GS race winner in their next race continued. 

 

Heading into this week’s Round 9 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Turner Motorsport regained the lead for the first time since Watkins Glen courtesy of a third-place finish for Dillon Machavern and Luca Mars in their No. 95 BMW M4 GT4 EVO. The No. 95 car has sat fourth, second or first through all eight races this year. It has led the standings by as much as 200 points (leaving Round 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) and trailed by as many as 140 points (in fourth, leaving Round 6 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). 

 

“It’s really rewarding because we started off so good, but then we had a couple unfortunate results,” explained Mars, who, in his first season with Turner, seeks his second straight GS title. “This is exactly what we needed to turn the season around. The strategy calls and pit stops got us the podium at the end. We’ve kept pushing, and it feels more deserving to get this P3.”  

 

Machavern added, “It’s a little nerve wracking how quickly you can lose it and then take it back. What we lost is very similar to what the (No.) 13 just lost here. We have to minimize risk now to bring it home.”  

 

They’re now at the head of a BMW 1-2, with the ever-consistent Austin Krainz and Stevan McAleer 80 points behind in the No. 27 AutoTechnic Racing BMW with six top-10s in eight races. Previous leader Robert Noaker, who entered VIR 100 points ahead, now sits 100 points back in third in the No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 after being on the receiving end of late-race contact at VIR that dropped him and new co-driver Finn Wiebelhaus to a season-worst 21st-place finish. 

 

While four other cars and drivers – Bryce Ward’s No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT GT4, Caio Chaves’ No. 54 PANAM Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, Michael Cooper and Moisey Uretsky’s No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 and Allen Patten and Trenton Estep’s No. 66 OORE (formerly Car Blanche) Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO – remain within 300 points, they’re all going to need a banner Indianapolis race and issues for the top three cars to cut into the deficit. Cooper and Uretsky led a McLaren 1-2 in Indianapolis a year ago.  

 

The unfortunate “2026 GS winner curse” hit Patten and Estep, who followed up their Road America win with 22nd at VIR. It’s the third straight result of 21st or worse for the GS winner in their next race, after 21st and 28th place finishes for the No. 57 car at CTMP and No. 12 RAFA Racing Toyota at Road America. Stephen Cameron Racing’s No. 19 Ford Mustang GT4 with Greg Liefooghe and Sean Quinlan, now up to 12th in points, will hope to buck that trend in Indianapolis. 

 

Touring Car (TCR), meanwhile, could see Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris wrap the title a race early in their No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR. With a 260-point lead over teammates Denis Dupont and Preston Brown in the No. 76 Herta Hyundai, Filippi and Morris need to gain 90 points to reach the 350-point threshold that could put the title out of reach pending tiebreakers. They’ve delivered seven podiums in eight races, including two wins, and benefited as most of their competition had tough races at VIR. 

 

“Last year we had bad luck at Indy so hopefully we don’t have that happen again, but (Michelin Raceway) Road Atlanta is honestly my favorite track, so looking forward to two good results to end the year,” Morris said. 

 

The 44 (31 GS, 13 TCR) car grid features several changes. In the 31-car GS field, Christine Sloss returns for the first time since Sebring in the rebranded No. 10 RaceWife Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO she’ll share with Glenn McGee. CarBahn with Peregrine Racing’s rebuilt No. 39 BMW M4 GT4 EVO returns to action after Jeff Westphal and Sean McAlister missed VIR. As scheduled, the No. 43 Andretti Performance Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS of Jarett Andretti and Gabby Chaves is back for its second start of the year.  

 

Jenson Brickley’s arrival in the No. 77 Stallion Motorsports with GOU Cupra Leon VZ TCR alongside Celso Neto is one of two driver changes in the 13-car TCR grid, with Bruno Junqueira back once again in the No. 56 Baker Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Bryan Herta Autosport’s No. 18 Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Harry Gottsacker and Lance Bergstein is due to resume after an incident in qualifying sidelined them pre-race at VIR. The No. 55 Gou Racing with Stallion Audi RS3 LMS TCR is also back in action after missing VIR. 

 

Michelin Pilot Challenge competitors have two practice sessions Friday. They qualify Saturday morning before racing at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live flag-to-flag coverage airs on Peacock starting at 2:25 p.m. ET and also streams live, ad-free courtesy of Michelin, on IMSA’s Official YouTube channel. 

Fast Facts

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana  

Sept. 18-19, 2026 


 

Race Day/Time: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET 

Live Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 2:25 p.m., Peacock in the U.S., globally on IMSA’s official YouTube channel ad-free courtesy of Michelin 

Circuit Type: 2.439-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, 1:28.490 / 99.224 mph, September 2023 (qualifying) 
  • TCR: Chris Miller, Audi RS3 LMS TCR, 1:31.076 / 96.407 mph, September 2023 (qualifying) 

 

2025 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners 

  • GS: Michael Cooper/Moisey Uretsky, No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4
  • TCR: Tyler Gonzalez/Eric Powell, No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing Team Cupra Leon VZ TCR 

 

Storylines

  • The GS Rollercoaster: In order, the No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Aston Martin, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG, No. 95 Turner BMW, No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Ford and No. 95 Turner BMW have all taken turns atop the GS championship standings this year. Turner’s back on top now, but will they stay there?  
  • Penultimate Race Push: Teams and drivers on the fringe of title contention in both GS and TCR will look to make their final efforts to get in a realistic points window leaving Indianapolis before Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. 

 

Who’s Hot? 

  • No. 33 Herta Hyundai: Potentially on the precipice of a title, the run of seven podiums in eight races have put Mason Filippi and Bryson Morris well clear in TCR.  
  • No. 60 KOHR Motorsports Ford: A quiet run of three top-five finishes in four races have made Evan Slater and Mike Skeen a top spoiler among the GS championship contenders. KOHR’s No. 60 car got a GS podium here last year with Robert Noaker and Cameron McLeod.  

 

Who’s Good Here? 

  • BMW: The M4 won here in 2024 in GS and is the only active Michelin Pilot Challenge manufacturer with multiple wins at the facility, all others coming in IMSA’s first stint at the Brickyard from 2012-’14.  
  • Mason Filippi: Finishes of first, third and fourth in TCR in the last three years are among the best in the series at the Brickyard. 


 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winners in 2026 Field (10) 

  • Michael Cooper (1): GS - 2025 
  • Mason Filippi (1): TCR – 2024 
  • Tyler Gonzalez (1): TCR – 2025  
  • Sean McAlister (1): GS – 2024 
  • Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023  
  • Mikey Taylor (1): TCR – 2023  
  • Moisey Uretsky (1): GS – 2025  
  • Bryce Ward (1): GS – 2023 
  • Jeff Westphal (1): GS – 2024 
  • Mark Wilkins (1): TCR – 2024 


 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Pole Winners in 2026 Field (2) 

  • Luca Mars (1): GS – 2025  
  • Chris Miller (1): TCR – 2023  

 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Teams in 2026 Field (6) 

  • Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian (1): TCR – 2024 
  • CarBahn by Peregrine Racing (1): GS – 2024 
  • Ibiza Farm Motorsport (1): GS – 2025  
  • Unitronic/JDC Miller MotorSports (1): TCR – 2023  
  • Victor Gonzalez Racing Team (1): TCR - 2025 
  • Winward Racing (1): GS – 2023 

 

Previous Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120 Winning Manufacturers in 2026 Field (7) 

  • BMW – 4 
  • Audi – 1 
  • Cupra – 1  
  • Hyundai – 1 
  • McLaren – 1  
  • Mercedes-AMG – 1 
  • Porsche – 1 

 

 

 

Entry List Notebook – TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks

Final IMSA Sprint Race of 2026 Features All Four Classes in Indianapolis


 

September 9, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

Entry List (Click Here)

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The lone sprint race for all four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes shifts to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2026, with the two-hour, 40-minute event set to amplify the drama in the penultimate round of the campaign.


 

All four gaps between first and second in the championship are within 118 points. The 23-point Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) margin is closest, followed by 36 in both Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD), and 118 in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP).


 

There are 44 cars in all four classes (11 GTP, 10 LMP2, 10 GTD PRO, 13 GTD) entered, with one interesting tweak.


 

In pursuit of the GTP championship, second-placed driver Laurin Heinrich moves back to Porsche Penske Motorsport one race early. He’ll race alongside Kevin Estre in the team’s No. 6 Porsche 963 at Indianapolis. In his stead at JDC-Miller MotorSports, Nico Mueller returns for a second year at Indianapolis alongside Tijmen van der Helm in the No. 5 car. 


 

Additionally, past LMP2 champion, Jim Trueman Award winner and two-time Indianapolis polesitter Nick Boulle is set for his first start of the year with Era Motorsport in LMP2. Car Blanche remains in GTD PRO for a second straight race. 


 

Here’s what else you need to know for the Indianapolis round of the season: 

 

Fast Facts

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana

Sept. 18-20, 2026


 

Race Day/Time: Sunday, Sept. 20, 3:10 p.m. ET

NBC Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag 3-6 p.m. 

Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 3 p.m. (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and IMSA Official YouTube channel)

Live Qualifying Stream: Saturday, Sept. 19 – 5 p.m. on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.tv and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel (globally)

IMSA Radio: Selected sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; XM live race coverage on XM 252, Web/App 996

Circuit Type: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course

Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Grand Touring Daytona (GTD)

Race Length: 2 hours, 40 minutes


 

Track Social Media: 

Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #BattleOnTheBricks


 

WeatherTech Championship Track Records

  • GTP: Matt Campbell, Porsche 963, 1:13.672 / 119.182 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
  • LMP2: Mikkel Jensen, ORECA LMP2 07, 1:16.619 / 114.597, September 2023 (race)
  • GTD PRO: Klaus Bachler, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), 1:23.140 / 105.609 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)
  • GTD: Madison Snow, BMW M4 GT3, 1:23.075 / 105.692 mph, September 2023 (qualifying)


 

2025 TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks Winners

  • GTP: Jack Aitken/Earl Bamber/Frederik Vesti, No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
  • LMP2: Steven Thomas/Mikkel Jensen/Hunter McElrea, No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07
  • GTD PRO: Seb Priaulx/Mike Rockenfeller, No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3
  • GTD: Brendan Iribe/Frederik Schandorff/Ollie Millroy, No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3


 

2025 TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks Motul Pole Award Winners

  • GTP: Jack Aitken, No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
  • LMP2: Nick Boulle, No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07
  • GTD PRO: Dan Harper, No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO
  • GTD: Casper Stevenson, No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo


 

Storylines 

  • Aitken vs. Heinrich in GTP: The dramatic end to Road America condensed the GTP title fight with Jack Aitken in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R to only 118 points ahead of Laurin Heinrich in the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963. Heinrich, now in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 this race, will race in pursuit to try to close the gap. 
  • CrowdStrike and Inter Europol vs. AO and United in LMP2: What is looking like a two-car race in LMP2 between the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR and No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07s may expand if either or both have issues at Indianapolis. These two cars have a combined three wins in five races and seven of the 15 possible podiums. But if they stumble, defending LMP2 champions AO Racing and perennial contenders United Autosports USA are lurking.
  • 67 is the Magic Number in GTD PRO Among Five Cars: Just 67 points cover the top five in GTD PRO. The No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO leads the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R by 23 points. Pfaff Motorsports’ No. 9 Lamborghini Temerario GT3 is third, 56 back, with both the No. 65 Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3 and No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) tied for fourth at 67 back. AO (2024) and Ford (2025) have the last two GTD PRO wins at Indy, and a win for either team this year would help their championship charge.
  • The Winward Triple Threat: Winward Racing’s No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 likes the number three. Russell Ward and Philip Ellis started third at VIR and progressed to win their third straight GTD race, which moves them back to the GTD points lead in pursuit of a third straight title. 
  • Bob Akin Award Battle: Brendan Iribe regained this lead over Orey Fidani by 20 points as Iribe and Frederik Schandorff were third at VIR in the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. Iribe, Schandorff and Ollie Millroy won at Indianapolis last year.
  • Manufacturer Title Battles: With two races to go, it’s also worth taking stock of the manufacturer championship battles. Cadillac leads Porsche by 112 points in GTP, Chevrolet leads BMW by 87 in GTD PRO and Mercedes-AMG leads Ferrari by 20 in GTD. 
  • A Brickyard Sprint: After two years as an endurance race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway round is back to two-hours, 40-minutes – a race length on par with the iconic Indianapolis 500 on the track’s oval. 


 

Who’s Good Here?

  • Mikkel Jensen: Jensen is a perfect 3-for-3 in LMP2 at the Brickyard with TDS Racing, all three with Steven Thomas and the last two with Hunter McElrea. Now with United Autosports USA and Phil Fayer, Jensen goes for his fourth Brickyard win aboard the No. 2 ORECA LMP2 07.
  • Cadillac Whelen: The team added its second Indianapolis win in 2025 to its first in 2014. 
  • Porsche: The manufacturer’s four Indianapolis wins are split one GTP (2023) and three in various GT classes from AO Racing, Wright Motorsports and Magnus Racing. 


 

Who’s Hot?

  • No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: With three straight wins in GTD, Winward Racing has resumed its spot atop the charts. No WeatherTech Championship team has won four straight races in any class since Riley in the former LMP3 class in 2023 (Sebring, Watkins Glen, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America).
  • No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07: Back-to-back LMP2 wins have Jeremy Clarke and Tom Dillmann within striking range of the LMP2 points lead.
  • No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3: Back-to-back GTD PRO wins have lifted Andrea Caldarelli, Sandy Mitchell and Pfaff’s new Temerario into championship contention.
  • No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: In GTP, the No. 5 Porsche 963 is the only car riding back-to-back podium finishes, achieved with the trio of van der Helm, Heinrich and Kaylen Frederick. 


 

Previous IMSA Winners at Indianapolis in 2026 Field (13)

  • Mikkel Jensen (3): LMP2 – 2023, 2024, 2025
  • Adam Adelson (1): GTD – 2024 
  • Jack Aitken (1): GTP – 2025 
  • Earl Bamber (1): GTP – 2025 
  • Chris Cumming (1): PC – 2014
  • Philip Ellis (1): GTD – 2023 
  • Philipp Eng (1): GTP – 2024 
  • Jack Hawksworth (1): PC – 2014
  • Laurin Heinrich (1): GTD PRO - 2024
  • Brendan Iribe (1): GTD – 2025 
  • Frederik Schandorff (1): GTD – 2025 
  • Nick Tandy (1): GTP – 2023 
  • Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2023 


 

Previous IMSA Pole Winners at Indianapolis in 2026 Field (7)

  • Nick Boulle (2): LMP2 – 2024, 2025 
  • Jack Aitken (1): GTP - 2025
  • Colin Braun (1): PC – 2014
  • Dane Cameron (1): GTD – 2014 
  • Nicky Catsburg (1): GTD PRO – 2024 
  • Casper Stevenson (1): GTD – 2025 
  • Jordan Taylor (1): DP – 2013 


 

Previous IMSA Winning Teams at Indianapolis in 2026 Field (9)

  • TDS Racing (3): LMP2 – 2023, 2024, 2025
  • Action Express Racing (2): P – 2014, GTP – 2025 
  • AO Racing (1): GTD PRO – 2024
  • Ford Racing (as Ford Multimatic Motorsports) (1): GTD PRO – 2025 
  • Inception Racing (1): GTD - 2025 
  • Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (1): GTP – 2024 
  • Porsche Penske Motorsport (1): GTP – 2023 
  • Winward Racing (1): GTD – 2023 
  • Wright Motorsports (1): GTD – 2024 


 

Previous IMSA Winning Manufacturers at Indianapolis in 2026 Field (7)

  • Porsche – 4
  • Ferrari – 3
  • BMW – 2
  • Ford – 2
  • Mercedes-AMG – 2 
  • Cadillac – 1 
  • Chevrolet – 1 

 

 

Winward Racing Is Riding Hot Streaks into Indianapolis

Three Straight Wins Have Propelled Two-Time Defending GTD Champs Back to Points Lead


 

September 8, 2026

By John Oreovicz

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – No matter how you look at it, Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 are on a hot streak as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks.


 

This summer, Ellis and Ward have driven to the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class victory in the last three WeatherTech Championship races, moving them into the championship lead with two races remaining in the 2026 season. It’s been three years since anyone achieved four straight wins in IMSA competition, most recently by the Riley team in the Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) category.


 

The Winward duo’s hot streak also translates to the long term, because they are seeking their third consecutive GTD championship. Ironically, the momentum sustained over the last three years started at Indianapolis, where Ward and Ellis earned their only race win of a challenging 2023 season where Ward finished a distant tenth in the GTD standings.


 

The No. 57 Mercedes-AMG came out of the gate strong in 2024, as Ellis and Ward (partnered at IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races with Indy Dontje) won four of the first five races including the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and added two more podiums to run away with the GTD crown.


 

In 2025, the trio repeated at Sebring and Ellis and Ward posted additional wins at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and VIRginia International Raceway to notch a second consecutive championship. 


 

This year again started strongly with another Daytona victory, but they found themselves sixth in the standings and 300 points behind leader Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello (No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo) after the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in June.

But the last three years have shown that it’s never wise to count out the No. 57 Winward Mercedes-AMG. Ward and Ellis have swept to GTD class wins in the last three races – the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America, and the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – putting them back atop the standings by 36 points over Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (No. 96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 GT3 EVO) as they arrive at IMS. Barrichello is third, 56 points back.


 

The Indianapolis race was run as a six-hour round of the Michelin Endurance Cup the last two years, but this year it reverts to a two-hour, 40-minute sprint format. Ellis and Ward won the last Indianapolis sprint race in 2023 before finishing fifth the last two years in the six-hour contests. 


 

Winward’s successful ’23 weekend at the Brickyard also included a win in the four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race in the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT4 with Bryce Ward, Russell’s father and Winward Racing co-owner, and Daniel Morad. Russell Ward also serves as the team principal. A Mercedes-AMG GT3 fielded by WeatherTech Racing also claimed the GTD PRO class win at Indianapolis in 2023.


 

In retrospect, Bryce Ward’s comments after that 2023 Indianapolis whitewash for Mercedes-AMG were very prescient. The Battle on the Bricks represented top-level sports car racing’s return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after nearly a decade’s absence. 


 

“It hasn’t sunk in, how important the track is, how important the events are,” Ward said. “To get two wins, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, is absolutely amazing. We were racing against some of the best cars in the world, guys from the top levels who are just top notch. But we put our mark on IMSA, and I hope to be doing this with Mercedes-AMG for many, many years to come. I’m truly proud of the team, they did a magnificent job, they worked so hard. 


 

“Let’s get everything together, and when Daytona comes around, I promise you we’ll be working for that top step again.”

Of course, the Winward Mercedes-AMG won the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona, kicking off that blazing start to an effort that has resulted in two consecutive GTD championships and counting. It’s no surprise that nobody panicked when the No. 57 duo dropped into a 300-point deficit after Watkins Glen, and no surprise that Winward fought back with three straight wins.


 

Porsche Penske Motorsport started the 2025 season with three consecutive overall and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class wins, while Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports put together two separate three-race win streaks during the 2021 campaign in the now-defunct Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) class. 


 

After Winward completed IMSA’s most recent three-peat in the Michelin GT Challenge, Russell Ward reflected on what it took to turn the No. 57 car’s 2026 season around and the challenge of holding on at the top for a third consecutive GTD title.


 

“I think it’s just a combination of some clean racing and a swing in luck,” Ward said after he and Ellis led Foley and Gallagher and the No. 96 BMW to the checkered flag at VIR. “But there’s still two races to go and everyone is really tight in the points. Everybody is within two or three (race finishing) positions, to be honest. There’s still a lot of fight left, and I don’t want to comment too much on it because you never know what can happen in the next two races.


 

“One thing I can say is over the past couple of years, it’s really been a pleasure to compete against these guys in the Turner car,” he added. “Everyone wants to win, there’s a lot of egos coming through the paddock, but at the end of the day, the teams that tend to be successful are the ones that just really race the racetrack.”


 

While Ellis and Ward have mixed a pair of DNFs with their four wins in 2026, Gallagher and Foley have played the consistency card, finishing all eight races with three podiums and only once coming lower than seventh in class. Their finishes at Indianapolis the last three years are fifth, second, and fourth. Aston Martin’s top GTD class finish at Indianapolis is fourth in 2023 (best of second in GTD PRO in 2023).


 

Gallagher called the No. 96 Turner BMW’s Road America result “the most blue collar second place finish you could get.” 


 

“As Patrick said, it’s a great day for our group,” added Foley. “On those days where you’re not quite quick enough to win, then P2 feels damn good.  Going into Indy, we just have to have the same mentality, and maximize everything because, as we all know, anything could happen at Petit Le Mans. The car count goes up there and everybody in the endurance races is super strong.”


 

All four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar classes are back in action for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, which will be broadcast live on NBC from 3-6 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 20. Streaming is available through IMSA.TV and the official IMSA YouTube channel.

 

Bronze Cup Battles Beckon Down the Stretch

Five Different IMSA Bronze-Specific Championships to be Decided by Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta


 

September 4, 2026

By Tony DiZinno

IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bronze-rated drivers make up a key part of multiple IMSA-sanctioned championships. Ahead of the final two race weekends of the year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, here’s a look at the Bronze-specific battles across the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.

 

WeatherTech Championship Jim Trueman Award


 

Points for the Jim Trueman Award mirror the finishing results for Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) drivers in the WeatherTech Championship and the winner receives an invitation to the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.


 

The top four Bronze-rated drivers in LMP2 have a realistic shot to claim the Jim Trueman Award in 2026, which would also coincide with them and their pro-rated co-driver winning the LMP2 title outright. Two past Jim Trueman Award winners in George Kurtz and PJ Hyett are among the contenders.


 

Kurtz leads with 1,701 points in his No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA LMP2 07, 36 clear of Jeremy Clarke in his No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA. Kurtz has both Rolex 24 At Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans class wins to his name in 2026 and three straight runner-up finishes in IMSA. But Clarke is on a roll with back-to-back wins at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America.


 

Last year’s champion Hyett, in the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA, sits third and 119 points in arrears, with Daniel Goldburg, in the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA in fourth and 184 back.


 

There’s upwards of 150 points that can be gained in a single race weekend among 11 full-season cars, with more possible based on qualifying points. Though Kurtz and Clarke have the best chance, a strong Indianapolis for either or both of Hyett and Goldburg could propel them back into contention.

 

WeatherTech Championship Bob Akin Award


 

For most of 2026, the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) battle for the Bob Akin Award, and one of IMSA’s subsequent invitations to the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans that goes with it, has been a four-car battle. In recent rounds, the last two winners have emerged once again as the primary combatants.


 

Past Bob Akin Award winner Brendan Iribe, in the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO, has just moved ahead of longtime rival Orey Fidani, the two-time defending winner who is seeking a three-peat in his No. 13 13 Autosport Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Through eight races, Iribe holds a 20-point lead on Fidani. There’s an intriguing divide in their scores in the four sprint rounds versus four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup rounds.


 

The 13 Autosport team has excelled in getting key results in the races with more Bronze-entered drivers; Fidani has 1,300 Bronze points in the four longest races so far, while Iribe has 1,100. The results flip the other way in the sprint rounds, where Iribe has 1,400 points as the top finishing Bronze-rated driver in all four, with Fidani scoring 1,180 points.


 

The more points you can bank in a race with more Bronze entries, the better your chances are of securing the full-season honor as you have the ability to expand the in-race gap. With two races remaining, one sprint and one endurance round apiece, the Bronze-rated entries will fluctuate. Three are anticipated at Indianapolis but at least six are anticipated for the season finale at Motul Petit Le Mans. The Inception crew won in GTD at Indianapolis last year but lost the Bob Akin Award at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta after being caught up in a first-lap incident.

 

Michelin Pilot Challenge GS Bronze Cup

There’s an under-the-radar but intense rivalry brewing among the two full-season Bronze Cup entries in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS). Hugh Plumb and Ted Giovanis have won the last two Bronze Cup titles aboard their No. 64 Team TGM entry, then an Aston Martin. They’re now trying to defend it with a Ford Mustang GT4. They won the first three Bronze Cup races of the year, and a key fourth win at VIR has netted them a 40-point lead.


 

Until VIR, series newcomers VRC Motorsports Group, LLC with Dan Ammann and Owen Trinkler in their No. 91 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS, were surging. Ammann and Trinkler won the Bronze Cup in four straight races from Mid-Ohio through Road America to get within 10 points – or one position – of Plumb and Giovanis.


 

Trinkler, who has more than 200 Michelin Pilot Challenge starts as the championship’s active starts leader, is a former Team TGM driver. Now with Ammann, a Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) endurance champion co-driver in his first IMSA season, Trinkler is looking to beat his former squad.


 

VP Racing Challenge LMP3 Bronze Cup

Bronze-rated drivers have been a regular part of IMSA’s Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) competition in 2026, across both VP Racing SportsCar Challenge 45-minute, single-driver sprint races and IMSA Airbnb Endurance Challenge two-hour, two-driver endurance races. After 12 rounds, there is a dead heat between the two top LMP3 drivers in the championship.


 

Multiple-time Bronze Cup champion Brian Thienes is trying to defend his crown aboard Forte Racing’s No. 77 Ligier JS P325. But he’s had strong competition all year from Travis Hill in the TWOth Autosport-prepared No. 2 Shopify Racing Ligier JS P325.


 

They’re deadlocked on 3,750 points with two rounds to go. Thienes has four Bronze Cup wins, although none since the COTA endurance round in May. Hill has five Bronze Cup wins, including a sprint sweep at his home track of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in June.


 

Put simply, whichever driver finishes ahead in the two races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will claim this title.


 

VP Racing Challenge GSX Bronze Cup

The GSX Bronze Cup in VP Racing Challenge turned on its head at VIR. Heading into VIR, Ammann (No. 91 VRC Motorsports Group, LLC Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS), led 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.


 

But Brel had a dynamic VIR weekend with two Bronze wins while both Martinez and Ammann encountered weekend issues. Leaving the weekend, Brel now holds a 110-point lead on Martinez and 380 on Ammann.


 

VP Racing Challenge only has one more weekend at Michelin Raceway with two races, while both Michelin Pilot Challenge and the WeatherTech Championship have two more weekends left to settle these titles. 

 

 

IMSA Resilient Racers Program Returns, Expands for Second Year at Indianapolis

Teams Embrace Opportunities to Highlight Children Whose Names Adorn Their Race Cars

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 3, 2026) – IMSA’s Resilient Racers program returns for a second consecutive year at the next IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Done in collaboration with IMSA's two proud charity partners, the Austin Hatcher Foundation and Camp Boggy Creek, the program looks to build on a successful 2025 debut.

 

September marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the IMSA Resilient Racers program was created to raise awareness and funds so both charities can continue providing vital resources, programs, and care to children and families who are bravely facing pediatric cancer and other serious illnesses.

 

A total of 25 of the 42 Resilient Racers families will attend the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, giving them the chance to be a part of an IMSA race weekend with opportunities to meet the team and drivers they’ve been paired with and see their name on the race car (and also in IMSA’s Fan and Spotters Guides).

 

Fans can support the Resilient Racers program – and their favorite team – by making a donation at this link which will benefit both the Austin Hatcher Foundation and Camp Boggy Creek. Since race teams – and fans – love competition, fans can assign their donation to their favorite WeatherTech Championship team, providing bragging rights to the team that raises the most money for the IMSA Resilient Racers program.

 

There is also an IMSA Resilient Racers t-shirt available to purchase on the Team IMSA website with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the two charities.

The WeatherTech Championship teams have embraced the IMSA Resilient Racers program beyond just putting a child’s name on their car. Several teams are hosting garage tours for the child and family they are paired with, some conducting virtual meet-and-greets with those not in attendance, including the child on hero/autograph cards or even having their Resilient Racer join the drivers during Saturday’s full-field autograph session.

 

The entire WeatherTech Championship paddock rallied around the program last year, earning all of the teams the IMSA Team Marketing Award for their participation in the inaugural Resilient Racers program.

 

Several manufacturers such as BMW and Ford, and teams such as AO Racing, kept in touch with their 2025 Resilient Racers beyond the Indianapolis race weekend itself.

 

“I don’t think any of us could have imagined how much the Resilient Racers program touched our hearts last year,” said Adam McGregor, BMW North America Motorsport & Customer Racing Manager. “For kids that have experienced so much, it is an honor to be able to give them the experience of being part of our Team for a weekend. The connections we built with these families last year were truly special and go beyond that weekend with us still being in contact to this day. In fact, our Racer from last year, Daniel, has attended multiple races in 2026 so he could visit his team and cheer us on. This truly put a smile on all our faces in a way not even race wins can.” 

Another example of the support teams have shown for the program came when a Cadillac Whelen team member drove to their Resilient Racer's home ahead of the race both this year and last, delivering team shirts and flags. This year, Noah C., who’s being recognized on the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) team’s No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R at Indianapolis, shares a natural connection with the team and brand as his grandfather is a longtime Blackwing enthusiast.

 

Ford won last year’s event in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class with Mike Rockenfeller and Seb Priaulx sharing the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3. Rockenfeller specifically called out the Resilient Racers program as he reflected on his 2025 season, where he and Priaulx won both in Indianapolis and in Ford’s home state of Michigan at Detroit.

 

“At Indy, it was special to have the whole family (as part of the new IMSA Resilient Racers program) there enjoying it, taking the pictures, being on the podium,” Rockenfeller said.

 

“Especially as a father of three, you understand what matters in life. You think racing is the most important or when you’re doing it. But there’s a lot more in life, to share emotions and give something back. That’s very special.”

 

Of note, Austin “Hatch” Osborne’s name will be featured on the No. 68 Car Blanche Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. The Austin Hatcher Foundation was founded in December 2006 by Dr. James and Mrs. Amy Jo Osborn months after their son, Austin Hatcher Osborn, passed away from a very rare and aggressive form of brain and spinal tumors. This year marks 20 years since the foundation’s establishment.

 

“The Resilient Racers program is a powerful example of how we merge the world of motorsports with our mission to empower families facing childhood cancer,” said Amy Jo Osborn, CEO and co-founder of the Austin Hatcher Foundation.

 

“At the Austin Hatcher Foundation, we use racing as a platform to teach resilience, teamwork, and perseverance – qualities that our children and families live out every day. Our partnership with IMSA, which has spanned over a decade, allows us to bring this to life on an incredible stage, connecting the racing community with a cause that truly changes lives. Together, we’re not only building champions on the track but also building strength and hope for families across the country.”

 

Camp Boggy Creek will have its co-founder, Paul Newman, featured on the No. 36 DXDT Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The camp is celebrating 30 years of providing children with serious illnesses the opportunity to experience a free, life-changing camp in a safe, medically-sound environment.

 

“Camp Boggy Creek is incredibly grateful for our partnership with IMSA and the opportunity the Resilient Racers program creates for our campers and families,” said Patrick Chapin, CEO of Camp Boggy Creek.

 

“The Battle on the Bricks is a wonderful opportunity to bring the racing community and our Camp community together, and we are excited to see the teams, drivers and camper families connect and share in such a special experience. Partnerships like this help create the moments of belonging, confidence and joy that are at the heart of Camp Boggy Creek.”

 

In the lead up to the Sept. 18-20 race weekend, there is a new Resilient Racers component this year that will incorporate the virtual racing world. The IMSA Resilient Racers 240 esports race on iRacing, run in collaboration with Grid Finder and with support from leading esports community outlet Traxion.gg, will be a virtual two-hour, 40-minute race with more than 40 Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) cars that also will feature the children’s names on the cars.

 

This virtual race will run Saturday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, a week before the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. There’s a charitable component here too as fans can donate to assign virtual penalties for entertainment purposes. More details to come.

 

Look out for more from IMSA and its charity partners highlighting participating teams and children across their social and digital channels in the run-up to the race. The race runs on Sunday, Sept. 20 on network NBC, live and flag-to-flag from 3 p.m. ET.

 

IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge Returns to Barber to Complete 2027 Schedule

New Date for Road America Round Also Confirmed

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 2, 2026) – The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge has confirmed its seventh event venue and updated one race weekend date to complete its 2027 schedule. The championship is all endurance races next season, featuring multiple-driver lineups in multiple classes.


 

The VP Racing Challenge will race as part of the INDYCAR event weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama, April 2-4, with a two-hour race. IMSA has held occasional races for both the VP Racing Challenge’s predecessor, IMSA Prototype Challenge, and other single-make championships at Barber in the past in addition to annual GRAND-AM events from 2003-2013. The most recent P3 races occurred at the track in 2018.


 

Additionally, the Road America two-hour round has been confirmed for the weekend of August 13-15, 2027. The first three events of the 2027 schedule at Sebring International Raceway, Barber Motorsports Park and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are two-hour races. 


 

Watkins Glen International marks the first of two three-hour races, before the Road America round up next at two hours and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round back to three hours. The season concludes with a 90-minute round at Lime Rock Park. 


 

New for 2027, LMP3 Bronze drivers will compete in the Airbnb Bronze Cup to earn an invitation to participate in the 2028 Rolex 24 At Daytona. 


 

The updated schedule is below:
 

 

Mack Trucks and IMSA Partner to Add 10 Mack Pioneer™ Trucks to Sports Car Sanctioning Body's Fleet

GREENSBORO, N.C. (September 1, 2026) – Mack Trucks and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), the premier sanctioning body for professional sports car racing in North America, today announced an official three-year partnership. As part of the partnership, IMSA is adding 10 new Mack Pioneer™ models to its fleet.


 

The Pioneer models, built as 76-inch High-Roof Sleepers, will begin rolling out in the IMSA paddock later this year. Once in service, the trucks will travel across North America as part of the series' season-long operations, serving some of the sport's most iconic venues and marquee events.


 

The trucks will support the range of functions that keep an IMSA race weekend running: race control and technical inspection, engineering and data analysis, marketing and business operations and freight and equipment transport. Together, they form the backbone of what IMSA describes as a mobile motorsports city that is rebuilt at every stop. Mack trucks have carried IMSA's operations from track to track for years.


 

“The IMSA paddock, and the operation behind it, never stops moving,” said David Galbraith, Mack Trucks vice president of global brand and marketing. “We are excited about our partnership and proud that Mack is supporting the hauling needs of the IMSA with the Pioneer. Formalizing this partnership recognizes what Mack trucks have already proven on the road. They can handle the miles, rigorous schedule and nonstop demands of an IMSA season.”


 

“IMSA operates at a relentless pace, moving people, equipment and technology across thousands of miles each season,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “Making Mack Trucks an official partner reflects the vital role its vehicles play in our day-to-day operations and our ability to deliver world-class events across North America. The addition of these new Mack Pioneer trucks further strengthens the foundation that supports our teams, manufacturers, partners and fans throughout the season.”


 

Each Pioneer model is equipped with the Mack® MP®13 515 horsepower engine paired with the Mack mDRIVE™ 12-speed automated manual transmission. The trucks also are equipped with the Mack Protect™ suite of driver assistance systems. The interior offers a FlexSuite bunk, onboard refrigerator, microwave prep kit and a high-level audio and navigation system, giving the driver additional comfort features. Mack's MyMack and Mack Integrated Uptime connected services will give both Mack and IMSA visibility into the fleet's performance throughout the season.


 

For more information about Mack Trucks and the Mack Pioneer, visit your local Mack dealer or www.macktrucks.com.
 

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