The 2026 IMSA WeatherrTech Sportscar Championship held their one round outside the United States on Sunday. The Chevrolet Grand Prix served as a showcase for LMP2 and GT machines. And the classes put on a fantastic show for the Canadian sportscar fans.
Home Track Blues
After a clean start from the field, it appeared things settled down. That is, until fifteen minutes in. John Farano spun in his No. 8 Oreca at the exit of Turn 3. The Tower Motorsports machine tapped the wall, causing light damage to the front of his car.
Farano brought the car back to the pits. But the car would not return right away. The car would lose multiple laps while repairing damage. The team was aided by the first full course yellow of the race, albeit short.
Action in the Esses
The second and final full course yellow came at the 42-minute mark. Another Candian LMP2 Bronze driver found trouble. This time it was Tobi Lutke in the No. 11 TDS Racing Oreca. After going into the marbles at Turn 8, Lutke ended in the tire barriers. When the safety team recovered the car, there was heavy enough damage that the car was not driveable. Thus, the Shopify Oreca would have to be towed back to the pits.
When the race returned green ten minutes later, the race would stay green all the way to the checkered flag. However, that would not mean Turn 8 would not see any action. With an hour and a half remaining, GTD drama as Corey Lewis went through the grass on the outside of the corner. This was a result of contact that actually started at Moss corner as he and Matt Bell in the 13 Autosport collided with Misha Goikberg, causing damage to his No. 52 Oreca. At the end of the Andretti straight, the two made additional contact. Dudu Barichello was forced to check up behind and Felipe Fraga quietly zipped past everyone in his Riley-Myers Mustang.
Finally, Mikkel Jensen would also end up with his nose in the tires of Turn 8. But, unlike Lutke, Jensen was able to recover his No. 2 United Autosports Oreca and drive back to the pits.
A Not Common Issue
After taking over from Mason Filippi under the second full course yellow, Robert Wickens suffered a technical issue. During the driver change, the Bosch system that handled his hand controls was shut off and lost functionality. When the field went back to green, Wickens was forced to return to the pits to solve the problem. The DXDT crew was able to get the issue resolved on pit road, but lost two laps in the process. Thanks to the race running clean to the end, DXDT would not get an opportunity to showcase their potential up front.
LMP2: CTMP is InterEuropol Territory
InterEuropol and Tom Dillmann are officially the masters of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. After their late wreck denied them back-to-back victories in 2025, Dillmann and Jeremy Clarke were ready to take their rightful place back at the top step of the podium. Clarke controlled his stint after winning pole on Saturday. After an off-strategy Bryan Herta Autosport by PR1/Mathiasen team pitted at halfway, the team was second to Alex Quinn, who was leading after a strategy brain stroke from Crowdstrike by APR.
With an hour and ten minutes remaining, Dillmann took advantage of lap traffic to make a bold pass on Quinn for the lead entering Turn 2. Outside of pit cycles, Dillmann would not reliniquish the lead again. For Dillmann and Clarke, it’s their first win since the 2025 12 Hours of Sebring. And if you are keeping score, the winner at CTMP has gone on to be champions the last two years. Will that become three in October?
Speaking of the championship, Quinn and George Kurtz’s runner-up finish keeps them in the championship lead with Dillmann and Clarke moving up to second with their win. Watkins Glen winners Dane Cameron and PJ Hyett for AO Racing rounded out the podium.
GTD PRO: Back-To-Back
After a solid opening stint from Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat stepped in and picked up the torch. After the final full course yellow, the Brit found the lead. Outside the final pit stop sequence, he did not leave the front of the field. The No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus went on to score their second successive victory after an emotional win at Watkins Glen. This is the first win for Lexus in the car’s final trip to CTMP. Talk about going out in style.
Nick Tandy and Harry King make it a double podium day for AO Racing with “Rexy” scoring second place, nearly four seconds off the win. Championship leaders Neil Verhagen and Connor De Philippi extend their championship lead after converting pole to a third-place finish. The No. 4 Corvette crew of Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner finished and moved back to second in the standing. However, the gap to the Paul Miller duo is now 108 points.
GTD: The Champs are Back
It’s safe to say if Winward did not have back luck over the last four races, they would have no luck at all. Wrecks and mechanical issues have kept the two-time defending GTD champions out of contention. But as the second half of the GTD season started at CTMP, Russell Ward and Philip Ellis seized the opportunity.
Particularly, it was a power move by Ellis just prior to the halfway mark that sealed the team’s fate. The Swiss driver passed defending race winner Trent Hindman in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini down the Andretti straight. From there, Ellis simply drove away. After the final pit stop sequence at the hour-to-go mark, Winward would go unchallenged to the checkered.
The second win of the season is a pivotol one as it could be the catalyst of a second-half charge to a championship for Winward. The Texas-based Mercedes customers are seeking a third-straight GTD title and with this team’s cohesion and prowess, don’t put it past them. Aaron Telitz and Frankie Montecalvo finished second, giving Vasser Sullivan a double podium. Concurrently, they make up points on Dudu Barichello in the championship race. Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher put Turner Motorsport back on the podium with a third place finish.
Speaking of Barichello, he and teammate Roman de Angelis had damage control after a penalty put them back. They were able to rebound and salvage a sixth-place finish. Barichello maintains his point lead, but shrinks again as he leaves CTMP with only a 92-point advantage.
Endurance at The National Park of Speed
The IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship returns south of the border. Next stop, a fan favorite receiving a classic twist. The series returns to Road America, but this year the race is a round of the Michelin Endurance Cup. All four classes will be taking on the famed four-mile Wisconsin circuit for a grueling six-hour race.
This will be a throwback of sorts to the days of the classic 500-mile endurance races held at track in the halcyon days of IMSA in the 1970s and 1980s. The Motul Endurance Sportscar Grand Prix weekend at Road America takes place July 30-August 2.
Headline Image: InterEuropol Competition Scores Victory at CTMP Car Pictured from the 24 Hours of Le Mans
