IMSA releases provisional 61-car entry list for 2026 Rolex 24 At Daytona

IMSA has published the provisional 61-car entry list for the 64th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, as the crown jewel of North American endurance racing features yet another capacity grid.

The field is made up of 11 cars in the top GTP class, 14 LMP2s, 15 cars in GTD PRO, and 21 more in GTD.

Today’s entry list reveals that Team Penske IndyCar drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden will not be added to Porsche Penske Motorsport’s line-ups, despite testing for the factory Porsche team last month in the revised 963s.

Thus, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing will have only three drivers in their cars for Daytona, as Wayne Taylor Racing could not retain the services of Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Brendon Hartley.

A fourth driver slot, currently listed as TBD, appears next to the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R. NASCAR Cup Series driver Connor Zilisch tested the car at Daytona in November, and also tested at Circuit of the Americas last week, to be evaluated for a potential Daytona 24 Hours ride.

The entry list also confirms Porsche privateer JDC-Miller MotorSports’ Daytona line-up, featuring Tijmen van der Helm, Bryce Aron, and newcomer Nico Pino, as the drivers of the No. 85 “Banana Boat”.

With a torrent of announcements from teams ahead of Tuesday’s publication, the entry list still reveals some other noteworthy additions to the grid, and a few drivers that will be announced over the coming weeks.

In LMP2, that includes confirmation by Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen that Harry Tincknell will be appointed as Misha Goikhberg’s full-season co-driver in the No. 52 car, while former Vasser Sullivan Racing driver Parker Thompson will be the “designated Silver” for the Michelin Endurance Cup.

“I’m excited to be joining Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports for the 2026 season,” said Aston Martin Valkyrie WEC driver Tincknell. “I’ve raced with PR1/Mathiasen before at Daytona and had a really good experience, so I know what they’re capable of. I think we have all the ingredients for success — a team with a strong history and a tight-knit culture.

“With Ben, Misha, and Parker, we’ve got an incredible lineup. They’re drivers I’ve known for a long time, and I know what they can do on track. If we work hard, we can have a very strong year. Being back in IMSA is really exciting. It’s one of the best championships in the world with some of the biggest races, so returning feels like a dream come true.”

“I’m excited to finally get the best kept secret of 2026 off my chest, I am heading back to my roots for the full IMSA endurance campaign,” said Thompson. “No ABS, no BOP – just downforce and hot nasty speed in the LMP2 class! I couldn’t think of a better group of guys to do it with than the Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team. Thank you very much to Bryan, Bobby and Robert for their trust with this opportunity. January and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona can’t come soon enough.”

Era Motorsport’s line-up for the No. 18 car has been revealed, with Naveen Rao, Ferdinand Habsburg, James Roe, and former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant set to run at Daytona.

Team Tõnis also appears on the entry list, but as of yet, Tõnis Kasemets’ squad has yet to confirm any other drivers in the No. 61 car.

Onto GTD PRO, Paul Miller Racing will enter Daytona with the same crew of BMW M factory drivers that it tested with in November: Neil Verhagen, Connor De Phillippi, Max Hesse, and Dan Harper will be in the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, all continuing from last year’s program.

Likewise, RLL Team McLaren will have Max Esterson, Juri Vips, and Dean MacDonald as part of the lineup in its No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, with one more driver to be revealed later.

And Risi Competizione, 2024 winner of the Rolex 24, returns to the race as a standalone team, fielding the No. 62 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO for Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, and reigning FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Champion Alessandro Pier Guidi.

There is also a fourth driver slot added to the No. 911 Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R that was previously confirmed for Thomas Preining, Klaus Bachler, and Ricardo Feller.

Then in GTD, there is confirmation that van der Steur Racing will retain Rory van der Steur and Aston Martin factory driver Valentin Hasse-Clot in the No. 19 Vantage GT3 Evo.

Inception Racing has confirmed that David Fumanelli will be brought back for the Rolex 24, while no drivers for DXDT Racing’s No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R have been revealed as of yet.

The entry list is subject to change, with several previously-confirmed drivers listed as “TBD” in the published entry list due to procedural reasons.

ENTRY LIST