IMSA extends Road America to an endurance round for 2026

It’s fairly safe to say that the world of sportscar racing is in one of its healthiest of eras, easily noted by its growing crowds every race weekend (most noticeable during pre-race grid walks), and the fact that IMSA is able to announce its next season earlier and earlier each year. 

Thursday, IMSA announced its full 2026 season schedule during the 12 Hours of Sebring, complete with a few adjustments to better accommodate teams and tracks, while continuing to push the growth of the series.

The big change you won’t see just by looking at the calendar was made to the Road America round in July. The beautiful, sprawling grounds in Wisconsin have played host to IMSA sprint race weekends in the past, but for 2026, that changes to a 6-hour endurance round, as it is also added to the Michelin Endurance Cup (five races that are part of the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship series’ schedule and a separate cup awarded at the end of the season at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta). The new endurance race also gains Motul as a title partner.

The length change does come at the cost of the September Battle of the Bricks IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which sees a reduction from its 6-hour endurance race to a sprint race. But with Road America’s space to better accommodate the enthusiastic endurance fans (who love to camp), it truly makes for a fitting change that should benefit both races and their respective tracks.

When Motorsport.com asked about these schedule adjustments and how they would benefit the series, especially in the Midwest, John Doonan, president of the series said, “Walk the Grid Walk either at the Pilot Challenge, Alan Jay 120 tomorrow, or at the 12 Hour Grid Walk on Saturday. More families, more parents walking with their kids holding their hands, earmuffs protecting little ears. You’re starting to see the next generation come out.

“I think one of the things through the pandemic that really gave us a boost, besides convergence and all the things, is the idea you can come to an IMSA race and pull your family road car, your camper, right up to the fence and have the action right in front of you.

“The fan attendance that we’ve seen at these venues is I think a big spark to bringing out families.

“Road America, amongst so many other places, has put the infrastructure in place. My hope would be that we burst the seams of space there, like they have been the last several years by putting [on] a six hour. As a little boy, again, not to make it personal, but I went to Road America with my family and we camped. I think that experience reminds me of why we love this so much. I’m super pumped to be able to go there. …it was a 500-mile race at Road America for decades and decades. Hopefully we’ll make 500 miles in six hours. I think we’ll maybe do more than that.”

2026 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship

*Bold/starred are part of the Michelin Endurance Cup

Photos from Sebring 12 Hours – Practice Day