Round 3 Racing Plotting Four-Car Effort for 2027

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Round 3 Racing is targeting an expansion into a four-car Mustang Challenge North America operation next year, on the heels of winning the Entrant’s Championship in its rookie season.

The Florida-based team, owned by Brad McCall, the son of former IMSA, Trans-Am and NASCAR team owner/driver Buz, burst onto the scene in Ford Racing’s premier single-make series this year, which saw Cole Loftsgard claim the Dark Horse drivers’ championship.

In all, Round 3 claimed 12 class wins, a 50 percent win record combined between the Dark Horse and Dark Horse Legends classes in the IMSA-sanctioned single-make series.

“It’s almost un-describable,” said McCall. “I grew up in the IMSA paddock. My dad raced in IMSA in the 1980s, he had a GTO team, and I was a little kid running around the IMSA paddock.

“All the teams knew me. I was Buz’s son.

“To come in here, in our first season, and win a championship is beyond my wildest dreams.

“It’s a huge testament to Cole for bringing me over and having the faith in our team to do this. It’s been a dream season.

“To be honest, I didn’t imagine it was going to be this incredible coming into it. I’m really, really happy with the way things ended up.”

McCall revealed they’re aiming to double their efforts in 2027, with the goal of winning both class titles.

“I love this series; I love Mustang Challenge,” he said. “I’ve fallen in love with it. The support that Ford gives to us and these teams. I’m back 100 percent.

“I’m going to grow our team. I have the idea of running four cars next year. I’m dedicated to this series and really loving it. I’m bleeding ‘Ford Blue’ right now.

“I really want to put a strong focus on Mustang Challenge. I want to come back again. My goal next year is to win the Dark Horse and Legends championships.

“I want to focus on this series and being in the IMSA paddock. I think that really helps our program.”

McCall said that he’d “100 percent” love to also take part in next year’s Mustang Challenge Spa Invitational and is “very hopeful” of being able to put together a program for the race that will support the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa next June.

“I’m talking to some guys for next year and they want to do it as well.” he said.

While Loftsgard has set his sights on a dual GT4 program with the Mustang GT4, McCall said his team will remain focused in Mustang Challenge, as well as other development series.

“My goal this year was to get Cole to the next level,” he said. “That’s why we did this whole thing this year. I like bringing young drivers up; I like taking them to the next level.

“I love being a ladder program.

“Cole needs to move onto bigger and better teams that are set up and ready to go in GT4. If I go step into GT4 next year and drag Cole along, it would be doing a disservice to him.”

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