54 Cars Set for Six-Hour IMSA Road Race Showcase at Road America
By Tony DiZinno
Entry List (Click Here)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship heads to “America’s National Park of Speed” for what has the potential to be another banner weekend, as Road America plays host to the six-hour Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix.
Road America’s endurance race tradition dates back 70 years to a six-hour race in 1956, followed by a long run of 500-mile races. But in the modern IMSA era dating to 2014, the race has been a standard-length sprint event. That changes as this year’s six-hour race marks the fourth and penultimate IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup round of 2026.
A 54-car grid is set with 11 Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), 12 Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), 12 Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and 19 Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) entries.
LMP2 welcomes back Era Motorsport, Intersport Racing and JDC-Miller MotorSports while GTD PRO adds its usual three Michelin Endurance Cup extras from Risi Competizione, Triarsi Competizione and Manthey.
Car Blanche shifts back to GTD after running in GTD PRO at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, while usual Michelin Endurance Cup entries from Triarsi, Manthey 1st Phorm, Lone Star Racing, RS1 and Af Corse USA resume.
Here’s what else you need to know:
Fast Facts
Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix
Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
July 30-August 2, 2026
Race Day/Time: Sunday, Aug. 2, 11:40 a.m. ET (10:40 a.m. CT and local time)
Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.tv and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel)
Live Qualifying Stream: Saturday, Aug. 1 – 4:20 p.m. ET on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.tv and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel (internationally)
IMSA Radio: Select sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins Sunday, Aug. 2 at 11:40 a.m. ET (XM 206, Web/App 996)
Circuit Type: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), GT Daytona (GTD)
Race Length: 6 hours
Track Social Media:
- X: @roadamerica
- Instagram: @roadamerica
- Facebook: @roadamerica
Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #RoadAmerica
WeatherTech Championship Track Records
- GTP: Pipo Derani, Cadillac V-Series.R, 1:47.730 / 135.271 mph, August 2023
- LMP2: Ben Hanley, ORECA LMP2 07, 1:51.846 / 130.293 mph, August 2023
- GTD PRO: Nicky Catsburg, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, 2:02.198 / 119.255 mph, August 2024
- GTD: Madison Snow, BMW M4 GT3, 2:03.291 / 118.198 mph, August 2023
2025 Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix Winners
- GTP: Philipp Eng/Dries Vanthoor, No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8
- LMP2: PJ Hyett/Dane Cameron, No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07
- GTD PRO: Neil Verhagen/Madison Snow, No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO
- GTD: Onofrio Triarsi/Kenton Koch, No. 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3
2025 Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix Motul Pole Award Winners
- GTP: Nick Yelloly, No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06
- LMP2: PJ Hyett, No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07
- GTD PRO: Giacomo Altoè, No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3
- GTD: Russell Ward, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
Storylines
- Six-Hour Showcase: The event that’s been known as IMSA’s “Road Race Showcase” in the past expands to a six-hour race for 2026 thanks to both Motul and the Road America track itself and takes on greater importance as part of both the full WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup campaigns.
- GTP’s Return: With just three races remaining, Road America marks a pivotal round for the GTP class if anyone is to catch the championship-leading No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R.
- Paul Miller Racing’s GTD PRO Lead: Last year’s Road America winners in GTD PRO have a healthy 108-point lead to second place. But the next five cars are covered by just 60 points, meaning any slip-up for the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO could create a six-car title bout.
- Four Close in LMP2: Just 113 points cover the top four in LMP2, with the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR, No. 43 Inter Europol Competition, No. 99 AO Racing and No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07s all in contention.
- Barrichello Playing Defense in GTD: A tough CTMP result (sixth place) for Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello has brought the GTD field closer to the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.
- CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork and Speed Award: The No. 68 Car Blanche Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo (WeatherTech Championship) and No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing Cupra Leon VZ TCR (Michelin Pilot Challenge) won the CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork and Speed Award at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Both will be recognized for wins during pre-race ceremonies.
Who’s Good Here?
- Dane Cameron: Cameron’s record at Road America now includes a popular LMP2 win last year in AO Racing’s home race along with three other wins.
- BMW: The brand swept both GTP and GTD PRO last year and also won in GTD in 2024. It ranks third among manufacturers in Road America wins, trailing only Porsche and Chevrolet.
Who’s Hot?
- No. 31 Cadillac Whelen: Six podiums in six 2026 races plus two more last year sees the GTP leaders with eight straight and counting.
- No. 04 CrowdStrike by APR and No. 99 AO Racing ORECAs: Both LMP2 cars have delivered back-to-back podiums at Watkins Glen and CTMP.
- Both Vasser Sullivan Lexus in GTD PRO and GTD: Back-to-back wins for the No. 14 Lexus in GTD PRO have given Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat a chance at the GTD PRO title. A run of first, sixth, fourth and second in the last four races have also moved Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen to second in GTD in their No. 12 Lexus.