Gill: SRO America Format Changes Seeing ‘Double Interest’

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

The change in race and weekend format for GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, as well as a refocused effort on GT America powered by AWS for 2026 is providing “double interest” from competitors according to SRO America President and CEO Greg Gill.

Announced during SRO Motorsports Group’s annual press conference at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in June, GTWC America will move from dual 90-minute races to a single three-hour feature race next year, alongside a reduced three-day weekend format for all of its series.

While SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel admittedly wasn’t an initial fan of the shift to three-hour races in America, he has since come to embrace Gill’s concept that has been a number of years in the making.

“I have to say when I talked to our marketing people, they said in America, sports car racing is about long distance and the clarity of having one main race per weekend,” Ratel told Sportscar365.

“For the public that don’t really know everything and what they should come and watch and the clarity…

“So I thought, ‘OK.’ If the association of sports car racing is really long distance and the clarity for the public and the media is to have one race, and to also make a shorter event…

“That was really [a goal]. I’m not even talking for the costs of the teams because I think, ‘In America, they have money and if you look at the success of IMSA, budgets don’t seem to be a problem.’

“For these wealthy individuals who spend four days away from work or family or pleasure, it’s a problem. So I think reducing the weekend format was probably the most important thing. Let’s see if it works.”

Gill said he’s received significant levels of interest from teams currently in and out of the SRO America paddock to join the flagship series with its new three-hour race format.

An effort is also underway to revitalize GT America with the addition of a Cup class for eligible single-make cars from Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari.

“It’s been very good,” Gill told Sportscar365 on 2026 interest levels. “It did start at Spa at the announcement. We started getting some traction there.

“But then when the schedule dropped, it gave everybody [full confirmation].

“It’s been a double interest.

“GT World Challenge, because of the three-hour and the three-day [format], and GT America with the Cup cars because we’re in a transition year with some of the manufacturers.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘I’m not going to get a new car or I can’t get an allocation. I want to join GTA and be a part of it.’

“That’s been really well received.

“Because it was easier for our GT4 teams, they’ve already seen in the IMSA paddock what a three-day schedule looks like and finish on Saturday. It was really an easy transition.

“This is the first time, though, that I’ve been having people grab me in the paddock and say, ‘Hold my spot.’

“We’re going to make sure that we don’t overextend and keep people in and keep the grids the right way and the right cars on the grid.”

Gill said 2026 entry registration will open on Monday, some 45 days earlier than normal because of increased demand.

When asked if the addition of the Cup class is a short-term solution to GT America, which saw a six-car race entry at Road America, Gill indicated there will be an influx of GT4 machinery back in the series next year.

“What has been a pleasant surprise is to see the number of GT4 teams,” he said. “At [Road America] we were without a single GT4 entry, we have right now, as of today, a half-dozen GT4 GTA entries for next year.

“I believe that, with a good base in SRO3, already has sustainability, and we just hope that there’s a few GT2s that want to run as well.

“We’ll see how that group does and how they come forward. But there will be room for them.

“But like for GT4 and we saw the strength of doing a set guideline entry level at 30 cars, we’ll do that for GT World Challenge and we’ll do that for GTA as well, even as crazy as that sounds right now.

“Based on the interest, we want people to have a good racing experience.

“I spoke with our GT drivers earlier today, and [Road America] is a great weekend to have beautiful weather and good racing. But it is also a track that a bad move can really result in disaster for everyone.

“We don’t want that. That’s why we want to control the grids a little bit to make sure that we have the right racers running and have a great experience.”

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