Robby Foley heads into the 2026 DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour with another GT World Challenge (GTWC) America powered by AWS championship within reach, as he and Justin Rothberg attempt to secure a third consecutive title together in the final running of the event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Turner Motorsport pairing enters Saturday’s eight-hour season finale seven points away from the top of the Pro standings after stepping up from Pro-Am for 2026. Foley and Rothberg won the previous two Pro-Am championships together before taking on the stronger outright class this season, and another title would extend a partnership that has developed rapidly over the past three years.
Indianapolis also carries particular significance for Foley. He has already won the Indianapolis 8 Hour and has four SRO America class victories at the circuit, making the Brickyard one of the most successful venues of his career. With the event moving to Circuit of The Americas for 2027, this weekend gives him one final opportunity to add another Indianapolis result before the championship begins a new endurance chapter.
Indianapolis holds special place for Foley
Foley’s connection with Indianapolis has strengthened through repeated visits that have delivered race victories, championships and significant career moments. For him, the circuit’s history only adds to the importance the eight-hour race has developed within the SRO America calendar.
“First of all, it’s probably the most storied track in the world, and hosts the biggest race in the world,” Foley said. “And for us here in SRO America, it’s been the marquee race for many years.”
His success at the venue has come across different classes and machinery, but Foley believes the same underlying approach has contributed to those results. While outright pace remains important, the demands of an eight-hour contest place additional emphasis on avoiding unnecessary risks and preserving the car until the decisive final stages.
“We’ve always just tried to have an endurance mindset for this race,” he explained. “It’s eight hours long. You need to be quick, but you also need to be smart and keep the car clean to be there at the end.”
That experience could become particularly valuable during a weekend in which Turner is fighting for the championship as well as the race result. With only seven points separating Foley and Rothberg from the lead, reaching the finish with a competitive car could prove as important as outright speed during the opening hours.
Indianapolis demands adaptable set-up
The Indianapolis road course also presents a specific technical challenge for the Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Much of the lap features slower 90-degree corners, forcing teams to find a compromise between helping the car rotate on entry and protecting the rear tyres when applying power on corner exit.
Foley believes Turner’s extensive experience at Indianapolis gives the team a useful reference, although changing conditions can quickly alter the demands placed on the car. Last year’s weather-affected race provided a reminder of how rapidly circumstances can shift during the event.
“It’s a unique kind of track to set the car up for,” Foley said. “We’ve got a lot of experience here, so hopefully we can use that this weekend. But you also have to be adaptable to the conditions. As we saw, the race last year was pretty entertaining with weather, but we didn’t get to run the full duration. This place always keeps you on your toes.”
That adaptability will again form an important part of Turner’s strategy, with Saturday’s race extending from daylight into the evening and potentially exposing the field to changing temperatures and grip levels across eight hours.
Foley and Rothberg chase three consecutive titles
The championship opportunity represents the latest step in a partnership that has already delivered sustained success. Foley and Rothberg won back-to-back Pro-Am titles before making the decision to move into the Pro category for 2026, placing Rothberg against some of the strongest Silver-rated drivers competing in GTWC America.
Rather than setting specific expectations for their first season in the class, Foley said the pair concentrated on maintaining the approach that had already brought them success.
“Honestly, we try not to have expectations,” he said. “We try to just do our best and focus on ourselves.”
That approach has kept them firmly in the championship fight through the final round. Foley believes Rothberg has exceeded many external expectations during the transition, particularly given how recently he began learning some of the fundamental aspects of professional endurance racing.
“I would say we’ve probably exceeded expectations from others and so has Justin this year, making the jump up,” Foley said. “He’s been really competitive with some really strong Silvers in the Pro class.”
Their progress becomes even more notable when Foley considers where Rothberg started when they first began racing together.
“When we started together, he had never done a pit stop, never done a driver change,” Foley recalled. “So we really started from zero basically. He’s improved so much in such a short period of time. He’s a great guy. We’re good friends and have a great time racing, so it’s kind of a dream scenario.”
Third title would complete remarkable progression
A championship at Indianapolis would give Foley and Rothberg three consecutive GTWC America titles while also providing immediate success following their move into Pro. The achievement would underline how quickly Rothberg has developed and how effectively Turner Motorsport has adapted the partnership to a more competitive class.
Foley knows the final hurdle will not be straightforward, particularly with several strong Pro combinations also fighting for the championship during a race that awards considerably more opportunities for positions to change over eight hours.
“It’s going to be tough, but three in a row would be awesome,” Foley said. “If we can repeat our performance, we’ll be in good shape.”
The pair therefore enters Indianapolis with both continuity and experience on its side. Their previous championship runs have already exposed them to title-deciding weekends, while Foley’s record at the circuit gives Turner another useful advantage as the team prepares for its biggest race of the domestic season.
De Phillippi finally joins Foley at Indianapolis
Connor De Phillippi completes the Turner Motorsport line-up for the eight-hour finale, adding another driver with extensive BMW experience and his own strong history at Indianapolis.
Foley and De Phillippi had previously been scheduled to contest the race together several years ago, but illness elsewhere in the line-up changed those plans. The 2026 event finally brings the two BMW drivers together in the same car at the Brickyard.
Their familiarity through BMW’s racing programmes should help the trio establish a consistent approach quickly, particularly in an endurance race where driver feedback and set-up compromise become increasingly important. De Phillippi also gives Turner another experienced reference as Foley and Rothberg balance their championship ambitions against the need to maximise the car’s overall race performance.
Final Indianapolis running brings added significance
The 2026 edition will mark the final Indianapolis 8 Hour before SRO’s North American endurance event moves to Circuit of The Americas and becomes the Texas 8 Hour in 2027.
Foley has watched Indianapolis develop from its early years into a significant international event, with its position on the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar helping attract manufacturers, teams and drivers from outside North America.
“I think this has been a great event, especially for the series,” he said. “You can see it has really grown over the years, with a lot of international interest from it also being an IGTC round, and it’s always been a great end to the season.”
While Foley believes COTA can provide an appropriate home for the next version of the race, he recognises that Indianapolis has given the event an identity difficult to replicate elsewhere.
“Indy just being such a storied, historic place, it’s been pretty fitting to have our biggest race here,” Foley said. “I think everybody in this paddock has really enjoyed that. We’ll try to close the chapter on a high note.”
For Foley, Rothberg and Turner Motorsport, doing so could mean considerably more than another strong Indianapolis result. Seven points separate them from a third consecutive championship, and victory at a circuit where Foley has already built such a successful record would provide a fitting conclusion to both their season and the Indianapolis era of SRO America’s marquee endurance race.
