IMSA has unveiled the highly anticipated entry list for the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach featuring 11 GTP and 17 GTD entries set to compete on the iconic street circuit.
The event, scheduled for April 17-18 in downtown Long Beach, California, draws motorsport enthusiasts from around the world to witness prototype and GT machinery navigating the challenging 1.968-mile layout known for its tight corners and unyielding walls.
The newly announced entry list highlights several notable driver lineup changes, setting the stage for an electrifying first sprint race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
In the GTP category, Porsche works driver Laurin Heinrich makes a standout one-off appearance in the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, stepping in for Nico Pino.
Heinrich, the 2024 IMSA GTD Pro champion, enters his debut year as a top-tier Porsche factory ace with already impressive credentials, including overall victory at the 2026 Rolex 24 At Daytona and recent win at Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for Porsche Penske Motorsport.
Equally compelling is Frederik Vesti’s debut on Long Beach’s streets in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R, substituting for Earl Bamber, who prioritizes his FIA WEC commitment with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA at the 6 Hours of Imola.
Shifting to the GTD class, where GT3 machinery delivers door-to-door duels, the entry list bursts with three high-profile one-offs from GTD Pro regulars, swelling the field to 17 cars and guaranteeing bumper-to-bumper action.
Defending Long Beach GTD winner AO Racing returns with its No. 177 Porsche 911 GT3 R, boasting a revised lineup of Jonny Edgar and Laurens Vanthoor.
Pfaff Motorsports joins the fray with its Lamborghini Temerario GT3 (No. 46), fresh from a worldwide debut at Sebring where it notched a resilient 10th in GTD Pro despite brake woes.
Vasser Sullivan Racing steals headlines by doubling down with both Lexus RC F GT3s: the full-season No. 12 of Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen alongside the one-off No. 89 shared by Jack Hawksworth and Frankie Montecalvo.
Among GTD regulars, DXDT Racing’s No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R marks Robert Wickens’ eagerly awaited IMSA comeback, joining Mason Filippi for the first of five sprints.
Heart of Racing Team navigates dual IMSA-WEC commitments via driver swaps: Spencer Pumpelly fills in for Tom Gamble (bound for Aston Martin Hypercar at Imola) in the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, while Kobe Pauwels subs Eduardo Barrichello in the No. 23.
Further intrigue abounds with Callum Ilott helming Wright Motorsports’ No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R alongside Adam Adelson, freed up by Prema Racing’s IndyCar absence.
Corey Lewis launches his sprint campaign with Jake Walker in Gradient Racing’s No. 66 Ford Mustang GT3 Evo, and Sheena Monk commits to the full season in Myers Riley Motorsports’ No. 16 Ford.
Full 2026 IMSA Long Beach entry list
GTP
| No. | Drivers | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Laurens Vanthoor Kevin Estre | Porsche Penske Motorsport | Porsche 963 |
| 7 | Felipe Nasr Julien Andlauer | Porsche Penske Motorsport | Porsche 963 |
| 10 | Ricky Taylor Filipe Albuquerque | Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing DEX | Cadillac V-Series.R |
| 23 | Ross Gunn Roman De Angelis | Aston Martin THOR Team | Aston Martin Valkyrie |
| 24 | Sheldon van der Linde Dries Vanthoor | BMW M Team WRT | BMW M Hybrid V8 |
| 25 | Philipp Eng Marco Wittmann | BMW M Team WRT | BMW M Hybrid V8 |
| 31 | Jack Aitken Frederik Vesti | Cadillac Whelen | Cadillac V-Series.R |
| 40 | Jordan Taylor Louis Deletraz | Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing DEX | Cadillac V-Series.R |
| 60 | Tom Blomqvist Colin Braun | Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian | Acura ARX-06 |
| 85 | Laurin Heinrich Tijmen van der Helm | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Porsche 963 |
| 93 | Renger van der Zande Nick Yelloly | Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian | Acura ARX-06 |
GTD
| No. | Drivers | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Aaron Telitz Benjamin Pedersen | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Lexus RC F GT3 |
| 13 | Orey Fidani Matthew Bell | 13 Autosport | Corvette Z06 GT3.R |
| 16 | Sheena Monk Felipe Fraga | Myers Riley Motorsports | Ford Mustang GT3 |
| 19 | Rory van der Steur Valentin Hasse Clot | van der Steur Racing | Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
| 27 | Dudu Barichello Spencer Pumpelly | Heart of Racing Team | Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
| 34 | Albert Costa Manny Franco | Conquest Racing | Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo |
| 36 | Mason Filippi Robert Wickens | DXDT Racing | Corvette Z06 GT3.R |
| 45 | Danny Formal Trent Hindman | Wayne Taylor Racing | Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 |
| 46 | Andrea Caldarelli Zachary Vanier | Pfaff Motorsports | Lamborghini Temerario GT3 |
| 57 | Russell Ward Philip Ellis | Winward Racing | Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
| 66 | Jake Walker Corey Lewis | Gradient Racing | Ford Mustang GT3 |
| 70 | Brendan Iribe Frederik Schandorff | Inception Racing | Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo |
| 81 | Henrik Hedman Giacomo Altoè | DragonSpeed | Corvette Z06 GT3.R |
| 89 | Jack Hawksworth Frankie Montecalvo | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Lexus RC F GT3 |
| 96 | Patrick Gallagher Robby Foley | Turner Motorsport | BMW M4 GT3 EVO |
| 120 | Adam Adelson Callum Ilott | Wright Motorsports | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) |
| 177 | Harry King Mikkel Pedersen | AO Racing | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) |
READ MORE: 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach schedule: Times, TV, streaming
