Robinson Shifting Focus to Off-Road Racing in 2026

Photo: Brian Cleary/IMSA

Gar Robinson will scale back his sports car racing program next year in order to pursue “new adventures” in off-road racing with his family’s Robinson Racing team, it has been revealed.

The 30-year-old Texan, a two-time IMSA LMP3 champion who has been a full-time WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver since 2020 with Riley, announced on Thursday that he will not take part in a full season of IMSA competition.

It comes after an accomplished campaign with the Bill Riley-run organization that’s included LMP3 class victories in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Motul Petit Le Mans, in addition to season-long titles in 2021 and 2023.

Robinson and Riley made the step up to LMP2 competition in 2024 and along with longtime co-driver Felipe Fraga, finished runner-up in the championship.

The driving duo currently sit third in this year’s points standings with two races to go.

“My time in IMSA and sports car racing with Bill and even with the old Robinson Racing guys have been some of the best times of my life and memories I’m going to cherish forever,” Robinson told Sportscar365.

“I don’t want anyone to think that I’m leaving IMSA because I’m upset at anything.

“We came into IMSA with my dad’s legacy in mind and got a lot of it done, sometimes several times over.

“We won everything and I’m proud of every memory that we have together but I think it’s time for me to go start my own thing.

“This is my first career change that’s not really identical to my dad’s, which is a new frontier for me and Robinson Racing.

“We’re happy where we came from and we’re happy where we’re going.”

The son of sports car racing stalwart George Robinson, Gar insisted that his time in sports car racing is not over and indicated he may still contest selected IMSA races next year with Riley.

The history with Robinson Racing and the Riley’s dates back to the team’s formation in 1990.

“We’ll probably come back one of these days but I want to go on some new adventures,” said Gar. “We’re putting a lot more focus on the off-road, side-by-side racing, desert racing and rally.

“We’re definitely going to use Bill [Riley] for some of the research and development stuff.

“To me, it’s almost a cooler way to have a relationship with Bill because it’s like how my dad started with Bill and Bob. They were building and developing cars together.

“Doing it in that way is in an sense almost a cooler way of doing it than we are at the moment.”

Robinson said he plans to also keep racing with Fraga, but in South American rally competition, while also taking part in desert rally-style racing in the U.S., including events such as the King of the Hammers, with the eventual goal of competing in the Baja 1000.

“It’s something new and exciting,” he said. “With the time that I have right now, my being young and 30, I think it’s time for me to try on new adventures.”

Riley Working on IMSA GTD Program for 2026; Exploring Other Options

Bill Riley told Sportscar365 that he’s working with a prospective customer for a GTD program likely targeted around the Michelin Endurance Cup races next year, although has the capacity to entertain additional opportunities as well.

It was announced on Monday that Lamborghini will halt operation of its SC63 program next year, which Riley had been contracted as the service provider for the 2025 campaign.

“We’re getting ready to put together a program next year with a GTD car,” Riley said. “We’re getting fairly close and are looking at other avenues of what’s out there and who would want to run with us in IMSA and go from there.

“Our doors are open to looking at other options now.”

Riley, who finished second in IMSA’s inaugural Celebrity Bartender Challenge at Road America, said he’s also excited about lending a hand with Robinson in off-road racing next year.

“On the off-road side, my first help with the Robinsons, which I proved [last] Thursday night will be my bartending skills, is to be the bartender and then transfer to making car parts,” he joked.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John