IMSA Esports Global Championship opens 2026 season at Road Atlanta

The IMSA Esports Global Championship returns this Sunday, September 27th, with the opening round of its 2026 season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The inaugural event of an expanded five-race calendar will see 52 teams battle across two class championships: 20 entries in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class and 32 in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class.

The season expands to five venues for 2026, with Road Atlanta joined by Sebring, Watkins Glen, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Daytona. A $25,000 prize pool remains on offer, with top finishers in each class earning $5,000 at season's end. Last year's champions—BMW M Team Redline in GTP and Coanda Esports in GTD—will face fresh competition from the expanded entry list.

The Kinetic 240 will run for two hours and 40 minutes, with points awarded in both qualifying and the race itself. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, a 2.54-mile, 12-turn circuit in Braselton, Georgia, is known for its elevation changes and technical sections. The venue has hosted the prestigious Petit Le Mans and has used its current Grand Prix layout since 1998.

Entry lists reveal a mix of established esports teams and manufacturers. The GTP field includes BMW M Verstappen Sim Racing, Coanda Esports, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team, and multiple entries from Cadillac, Aston Martin, and Acura. The GTD class features teams such as Risi Competizione by GnG, BMW M Team MOUZ, and numerous independent squads fielding Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, and Chevrolet machinery.

Race coverage begins at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the Countdown to Green pre-race show starting at 1:45 p.m. ET. The event will be broadcast live on IMSA's and iRacing's social channels. The series continues two weeks later on October 11th at Sebring International Raceway.