IMSA Announces 2026 Schedule

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has become, for the second consecutive year, the first major motorsport organization to unveil its complete schedule for the upcoming season. The announcement, made on March 13, 2025, during the events at Sebring, confirms the continuity of the 11 current venues for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 10 dates for the Michelin Pilot Challenge, though with significant modifications to some race formats.

Continuity in Venues and Reorganization of Formats

The competitive landscape for the upcoming season retains the 11 current locations, albeit with important changes to their formats. While Road America extends its duration to six hours under the sponsorship of Motul, the Indianapolis round undergoes the opposite change, reducing its length to 2 hours and 40 minutes.

"Announcing our schedule so far in advance for the second consecutive year demonstrates the strong collaboration between IMSA and our promoter partners," said John Doonan, President of IMSA. "This early planning benefits both teams and fans, allowing them to organize their 2026 season while much of the 2025 championship is still underway."

Distribution of Categories

The 2026 season features a calculated distribution of the different categories throughout the calendar:

• The four divisions (GTP, LMP2, GTD PRO, and GTD) will coincide at six events: the five endurance races plus Indianapolis.
• The GTP prototypes will compete in nine of the 11 rounds, absent only at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and VIR.
• LMP2 will maintain seven participations, though it remains uncertain whether Daytona will count towards the championship.
• The GTD Pro and GTD categories will each attend ten events, alternating at street circuits.

This distribution responds to logistical needs, such as avoiding overlaps with the World Endurance Championship, and maintaining the appeal of each event with specific category combinations.

Full 2026 Season Schedule

The calendar maintains its traditional structure across various North American regions:

• The season kicks off at Daytona with preliminary events (January 16-18) and the iconic 24-hour race (January 21-25).
• Sebring hosts the second event (March 18-21), completing the start in Florida.
• The races move to the West Coast with Long Beach (April 17-18) and Laguna Seca (May 1-3).
• Detroit (May 29-30) serves as a transition to the summer circuits.
• The summer program includes Watkins Glen (June 25-28), a visit to Canada (July 10-12), and Road America (July 30 - August 2).
• The final phase comprises VIR (August 21-23), Indianapolis (September 18-20), and the traditional closing at Road Atlanta (September 30 - October 3).

2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Calendar

2026 Michelin Pilot Challenge

The secondary calendar announces ten dates, maintaining the circuits from the previous season. Notable are the two four-hour endurance races: Daytona as the opener and Mid-Ohio as the only standalone event in June.

The schedules for the remaining support series and single-make championships will be revealed soon, completing IMSA's sporting plans for the 2026 season.

The early announcement positions IMSA as the first major motorsport organization to confirm its 2026 calendar, facilitating coordination among teams, sponsors, and drivers competing in multiple international championships.