34 cars will start the fourth round of IMSA at Laguna Seca

After the last meeting in Long Beach, theIMSA remains in California for the next race of the season at Laguna Seca. The grid is largely the same as the previous round, with eleven GTPros, nine GTD Pros, and fourteen GTDs. Earl Bamber returns to the wheel of Whelen's No. 31 Cadillac after missing Long Beach, as does Tom Gamble in theAston Martin number 27 of The Heart Of Racing (THOR) in GTD. Two driver changes are to be noted in GTD: Scott Andrews replaces Valentin Hasse-Clot in the number 19 of Van der Steur Racing, while Lorenzo Patrese takes his place in the Classic Ferrari for sale number 34 of Conquest Racing alongside Albert Costa.

Porsche Penske Motorsport, AO Racing, and Winward Racing arrive in Monterey with a common goal: to win the race for the third consecutive year in their respective categories—GTP, GTD Pro, and GTD. A hat trick of hat tricks would be a remarkable statistic. The Penske Porsche, a two-time winner at Laguna Seca, started the 2026 season with fourth, second, and third-place finishes—solid, if not spectacular. AO Racing, fielding Nick Tandy alongside Laurin Heinrich in GTD Pro, can count on one of the most successful drivers on the circuit: Tandy has won there three times, in 2013, 2021, and 2024.

Cadillac Whelen is looking for its first win

In GTP, Whelen's number 31 Cadillac is generating a lot of buzz. The team has secured three podium finishes in the first three races of the season—the only car on the entire grid to achieve this consistency—without yet managing a victory. Earl Bamber, returning to the car after missing Long Beach, will be one of the drivers to watch closely on a track where he has had success in the past.

The GTD Pro category makes its return after an absence since the 12 Hours of Sebring. Paul Miller Racing BMW and Manthey Porsche — the latter entered only in the events ofEndurance of this season — have won the first two rounds of their class. At Laguna Seca, the battle for victory should be wide open on a 2,238-mile (3,602-kilometer) track with eleven turns. The race will start on Sunday, May 3rd at 16:10 PM local time — 10:10 PM in France — with qualifying scheduled for Saturday at 22:10 PM — 18:00 AM.

The Laguna Seca entry list HERE

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