Gill: Road Atlanta “Ticks the Box” for SRO America

Photo: Phil Abbott/IMSA

The long-awaited return of Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to next year’s SRO America calendar “ticks the box” for the organization according to series president and CEO Greg Gill, who has not ruled out a future return to Virginia International Raceway or a potential event in the Northeast.

Announced last week, Road Atlanta will replace VIR on the 2026 schedules for GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS, Pirelli GT4 America, TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School, as well as Toyota GR Cup North America, with the event scheduled for June 12-14.

It will mark the first time that the organization, under SRO Motorsports Group ownership, has raced at the 2.54-mile Georgia circuit, with Pirelli World Challenge having most recently visited the venue in 2011 as a support race for Petit Le Mans.

Since then, Road Atlanta is now under the ownership of IMSA, and became known as Michelin Raceway in 2019.

Speaking with Sportscar365 during last weekend’s event at Road America, Gill stressed that the venue change is not a ‘goodbye’ to VIR.

“We’ve had a decade relationship with VIR,” he said. “They’re fantastic people, fantastic track. It always ranks high on people’s interest levels.

“But we also know with our customers that we like giving them new things.

“[The addition of] Barber [Motorsports Park] turned out to be something very good. Road Atlanta ticks the box. It’s next to a major metro [market]. It’s on a list of tracks that people want to race at.

“We really want to thank IMSA and the NASCAR family for helping us do that and be a part of that; it’s very kind of them to let us participate there. And we’re looking forward to it. The reception has been fantastic.

“But I want to make it very clear that there’s not a knock on VIR at all. They’ve been fantastic partners and we wish them the absolute best. I’m sure this is just [au revoir] and not goodbye.”

Gill also wouldn’t rule out a future return to the Northeast, which has been a high on the list of requests from fans.

SRO America ran at Watkins Glen International as recently as 2022 while having also previously been a mainstay at Lime Rock Park.

“We have started a dialogue with several of the tracks there,” said Gill. “We had a long-standing relationship with Lime Rock that we would love to try and figure out a way to get back there, and the same thing with Watkins Glen.

“Watkins Glen is again a bucket-list track for people. They love to be there. But as we’ve seen more and more spectators and and more activation for our partners, we now have to look at where we can get a crowd.”

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