Champions Across Classes Recognized Along with IMSA Hall of Famers
By Tony DiZinno
BRASELTON, Ga. – The 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is in the books following another entertaining finale at Motul Petit Le Mans. The champions were crowned Saturday night at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and officially recognized Sunday night at this year’s WeatherTech Night of Champions held at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort, just a few miles away.
As in 2025, the season champions across all four WeatherTech Championship classes received specially engraved Rolex timepieces at the end of the night’s proceedings.
This year’s full-season driver champions are Jack Aitken in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), George Kurtz and Alex Quinn in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Philip Ellis and Russell Ward in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).
IMSA also honored the full-season team and manufacturer champions across all four classes, plus the driver, team and manufacturer champions in the five-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. Kurtz secured the Jim Trueman Award (LMP2) and Orey Fidani secured the Bob Akin Bronze Cup Award (GTD).
IMSA officially welcomed the newest members of its fourth Hall of Fame class, including driver inductees Bill Auberlen, Butch Leitzinger, Roger Mandeville, Brian Redman, Lyn St. James, Hans-Joachim Stuck and car inductees the Audi 90 Quattro GTO, Riley Daytona Prototype, Greenwood Corvettes and Mazda RX-3. Those inductees received an IMSA Hall of Fame medallion in addition to special artwork created by longtime motorsports artist Jim Swintal.
In addition, several special awards were handed out to start the night, including the VP Racing Front Runner Award, Motul Pole Award, CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork & Speed Award, BDO Knows Strategy Award, the IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award, Michelin All-Hands for the Win Award, the IMSA Team Marketing Award and IMSA Marketing Achievement Award.
A full rundown of champions honored is below:
WeatherTech Championship Class Champions
GTP: Jack Aitken (Driver), No. 31 Cadillac Whelen (Team), Cadillac (Manufacturer)
LMP2: George Kurtz and Alex Quinn (Driver), No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR (Team)
GTD PRO: Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen (Driver), No. 1 Paul Miller Racing (Team), Chevrolet (Manufacturer)
GTD: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis (Driver), No. 57 Winward Racing (Team), Mercedes-AMG (Manufacturer)
IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Champions
GTP: Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich (Driver), No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport (Team), Porsche (Manufacturer)
LMP2: George Kurtz, Alex Quinn and Toby Sowery (Driver), No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR (Team)
GTD PRO: Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen (Driver), No. 1 Paul Miller Racing (Team), BMW (Manufacturer)
GTD: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis (Driver), No. 57 Winward Racing (Team), Ferrari (Manufacturer)
Jim Trueman Award/Bob Akin Award Champions
Jim Trueman Award: George Kurtz, No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA LMP2 07, LMP2
Bob Akin Bronze Cup Award: Orey Fidani, No. 13 13 Autosport Corvette Z06 GT3.R, GTD
Special Awards
VP Racing Front Runner Award:
GTP: No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
LMP2: No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07
GTD PRO: No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3
GTD: No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
Motul Pole Award:
GTP: Jack Aitken, No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
LMP2: Jeremy Clarke, No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07
GTD PRO: Jack Hawksworth, No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3
GTD: Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello, No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
CrowdStrike Endurance, Teamwork & Speed Award:
Season: No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3
BDO Knows Strategy Award:
Season: No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R
IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award:
Season: No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
Michelin All-Hands for the Win Award:
GTP: No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
LMP2: No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07
GTD PRO: No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R
GTD: No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3
IMSA Team Marketing Award:
Presented to Heart of Racing Team / Aston Martin THOR Team
IMSA Marketing Achievement Award:
Presented to Ford Racing