IMSA - Indianapolis

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2026 for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. This premier sports car racing event brings prototype and GT competition to one of motorsport's most celebrated venues. The Indianapolis race features all four classes of the WeatherTech Championship on the challenging road course configuration at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Race Format and Competing Classes

The main event at Indianapolis features a 2-hour, 40-minute race for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. All four classes compete together on track: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), and GT Daytona (GTD). This multi-class format creates dynamic racing as faster prototypes navigate through GT traffic.

The weekend also includes support races from the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup, and Porsche Carrera Cup. The Michelin Pilot Challenge runs a 2-hour race known as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course

The Indianapolis road course uses an infield configuration that stretches 2.435 miles with 14 corners. The layout runs clockwise and combines technical sections with high-speed straights. This configuration represents the fastest and most demanding road course setup at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The track earned the nickname "The Brickyard" from its original 1909 brick surface. A one-yard strip of the original bricks remains exposed at the start/finish line, a tradition that gives the Battle on the Bricks its name. Race organizers built the road course in 2000, and it has undergone several design changes to optimize racing.

Location and Facility

Indianapolis Motor Speedway sits in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis. The facility earned National Historic Landmark status in 1987, the only such designation associated with automotive racing history. The speedway's scale is massive - the Vatican City, Roman Colosseum, Wimbledon Campus, Rose Bowl, Kentucky Derby, and Yankee Stadium could all fit inside the oval simultaneously.

Expected Participants for 2026

The 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship features 45 full-season entries confirmed across all classes. This number can increase to 54 for Michelin Endurance Cup races.

Grand Touring Prototype (GTP)

The GTP class expects 11 full-season cars at Indianapolis. Manufacturers include Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Lamborghini, and Porsche. BMW M Team WRT fields two BMW M Hybrid V8s. Porsche Penske Motorsport and Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing each run two entries. Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian also operates two cars. Single entries come from Cadillac Whelen, Aston Martin THOR Team with the Valkyrie, and JDC-Miller MotorSports.

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)

The LMP2 class features 12 full-season cars from 11 teams. Entries include United Autosports USA, CrowdStrike Racing by APR, Tower Motorsports, TDS Racing, Era Motorsport, Intersport Racing, Inter Europol Competition, Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen, Team Tonis, Pratt Miller Motorsports, and AO Racing.

GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO)

Eight full-season GTD PRO entries are confirmed, with four additional cars joining for Michelin Endurance Cup rounds. Manufacturers competing include Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche. Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and Ford Multimatic Motorsports each field two cars. Single entries come from Paul Miller Racing, Pfaff Motorsports, Vasser Sullivan Racing, and AO Racing.

GT Daytona (GTD)

The GTD class brings cars from Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche. This class typically features Pro-Am driver lineups that combine professional racers with amateur talent.

Technical Specifications

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship divides its field into four distinct classes, each with specific technical regulations.

Grand Touring Prototype (GTP)

GTP cars represent the pinnacle of IMSA technology. These machines use LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) and LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) specifications. All GTP cars feature a common hybrid powertrain system that recovers kinetic energy during braking. Manufacturers design their own internal combustion engines and bodywork within the regulations. These cars can also compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship's Hypercar class.

Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)

LMP2 cars are closed-cockpit prototypes built by four approved constructors. These cars follow global technical standards and compete at events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

GT Daytona Pro and GT Daytona

Both GTD PRO and GTD classes use FIA GT3 technical regulations. GTD PRO allows factory-backed teams and professional driver lineups. GTD typically features Pro-Am driver pairings. The technical specifications remain the same between the two classes, with the primary difference being team backing and driver categorization.

Leader Light System

IMSA uses a Leader Light System on all cars. LED panels display each car's position within its class and a color corresponding to the class. This system helps fans follow the multi-class race action more easily.

Sports Car Racing History at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened on August 14, 1909. The first auto race took place on August 19, 1909. Workers paved the venue with bricks in December 1909, creating the Brickyard legacy. The inaugural Indianapolis 500 ran on May 30, 1911, establishing a race that would become a cornerstone of global motorsport.

Sports car racing debuted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2012 with the Brickyard Grand Prix under the Rolex GRAND-AM Sports Car Series. The Battle on the Bricks in 2026 continues this tradition of sports car competition at the venue.

Notable Facts About Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis 500 forms one leg of the unofficial Triple Crown of Motorsport, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix. Roger Penske's Penske Entertainment Corporation acquired Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series in 2020.

The facility's size allows all 14 Big Ten Conference football stadiums to fit within the oval. This scale makes Indianapolis Motor Speedway one of the largest sporting venues in the world.

What to Expect from IMSA at Indianapolis in 2026

The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks offers a unique blend of prototype and GT racing on a historic circuit. The Indianapolis road course configuration challenges teams with a mix of technical corners and high-speed sections. Multi-class racing creates constant action as GTP prototypes work through GT traffic while managing their hybrid systems.

The 2026 regulations include new Short FCY protocols and additional test days for LMP2 and GT classes. These updates aim to improve competition and safety. Bronze-rated drivers in GTP and GTD PRO face revised requirements that affect team strategy.

The combination of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway venue, diverse manufacturer participation, and the WeatherTech Championship's technical regulations promises compelling racing action. Fans can watch prototype technology from manufacturers like BMW, Porsche, Cadillac, and Acura compete against each other, while GT classes showcase production-based race cars from a wide range of manufacturers.