ACI Motorsports will return to GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS in 2027, confirming a full-season Pro-Am programme with Matt Smith and Yves Baltas in the #74 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
The Chattanooga-based operation last competed in GTWC America during the 2023 season before shifting its focus towards Pirelli GT4 America and North American Porsche single-make competition. Three years later, ACI will add the championship’s top GT3 category back to its growing portfolio through a new partnership with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing.
ACI confirmed the programme at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the 2026 Indianapolis 8 Hour, with the team outlining its plans through its 2027 GTWC America announcement. Its existing programmes will continue alongside the new Mercedes-AMG effort, giving the team another significant step in its expansion across North American sports car racing.
ACI returns to GTWC America after four-year absence
ACI’s move gives the team its first full GTWC America campaign since 2023. The operation stepped away from the series after that season and subsequently concentrated on Pirelli GT4 America, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and other single-make programmes, building the infrastructure that Team Principal Curt Swearingin believes now leaves it better prepared for a GT3 programme.
The return also comes as GTWC America settles into the three-hour race structure introduced for 2026. Rather than the previous two-race format, each regular weekend now features a single endurance-style contest, increasing the importance of driver changes, pit-stop execution and longer-term race management. Those characteristics form an important part of ACI’s motivation for stepping back into the championship.
“We are super excited to step up to GT World Challenge America with Matt Smith and Yves Baltas and start a new partnership with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport,” Swearingin said. “We are familiar with GT World Challenge from running in the series for a season in 2023 but feel now, with our ongoing growth and broader infrastructure, that ACI Motorsports is in a better position to achieve even more success in GT World Challenge Pro-Am.”
ACI will enter a championship that retains seven rounds in 2027, including a return to Watkins Glen International. The provisional 2027 GTWC America calendar also sees Indianapolis Motor Speedway become the regular season finale as the championship’s headline eight-hour endurance event relocates to Circuit of The Americas.
Smith steps up from Carrera Cup success
Smith arrives in GTWC America after building his experience through ACI’s Porsche programmes. He contributed to the team’s historic sweep of all three Porsche Carrera Cup North America classes at Watkins Glen earlier this season, taking victory in the Masters category.
The step into GT3 competition also reunites Smith with machinery he already knows. He previously owned a first-generation Mercedes-AMG GT3 and has driven the car during track days and in entry-level competition, experience that played a role when ACI evaluated manufacturers for its new programme.
“I am at a high level of excitement to take the next step in my motorsports journey,” Smith said. “ACI Motorsports, Yves and Mercedes-AMG were the logical components for our success and the decision to move forward.”
The Bronze-rated driver explained that his previous connection to Mercedes-AMG, combined with the GT3 Evo’s competitive record, made the choice particularly appealing.
“Specifically on Mercedes-AMG, I previously owned a Mercedes-AMG GT3 and have been in love with the car ever since. We also analyzed all of the potential candidates, and based on our goals, historic performance of this car, Balance of Performance (BoP) and the other factors that matter, it was an easy choice.”
ACI will race the current Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo during the closing years of its homologation, while Smith is already looking beyond the immediate campaign as Mercedes-AMG prepares its next-generation GT3 machinery.
“We look forward to racing this Mercedes-AMG GT3 in its final years of homologation and can’t wait to see what the new car will do.”
Baltas takes next step with ACI
Baltas provides the professional component of the #74 Pro-Am pairing after establishing a close relationship with ACI both as a driver and coach. The 24-year-old has spent more than a decade pursuing his racing career, including moving to Europe at just 14 before eventually returning to the United States.
Much of his recent competition has come in Porsche machinery. Baltas delivered ACI’s first Pro victories in Carrera Cup and has also competed in Pirelli GT4 America, where he recently shared the #7 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS with Trenton Estep and claimed victory at Barber Motorsports Park.
The GTWC America move represents a long-targeted progression for Baltas, who now has the opportunity to establish himself against the championship’s leading GT3 professionals.
“This is a step in my career I have been wanting to take for a long time,” Baltas said. “I have finally hit that mark where the team and I feel like we are ready to take that next step forward, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
His history with ACI has developed beyond simply racing for the team. Baltas has worked closely with Swearingin and Team Manager Adam Tanner while helping Smith develop over the past year and a half, giving the incoming GTWC America pairing an existing working relationship before their first GT3 race together.
“When I came back and met Curt, he welcomed me with open arms and gave me a good home at ACI Motorsports and a nice platform to develop with him and Team Manager Adam Tanner,” he said. “It has been a good family growing together, and it’s cool to see us all take the next step as a team.”
Baltas impressed by Smith’s development
Although Smith brings substantially less professional racing experience, Baltas believes his co-driver’s rate of improvement has prepared him well for the demands of Pro-Am competition.
“I have been working with Matt for a little over a year and a half now, and he just takes huge steps forward,” Baltas explained. “It’s super impressive to see, especially with how little time he has had in the car, how quick and how fast he can learn at new tracks, particularly this year.”
Swearingin shares that confidence. Smith will compete directly against other Bronze drivers during portions of GTWC America’s three-hour races, while Baltas will take on the professionals who typically feature prominently during the closing hour.
“Matt has made incredible progress in recent seasons as a top level Am and Masters class competitor and will be strong right away in GT World Challenge with his bronze-level peers,” Swearingin said. “Yves is more than ready to join the fight with the top GT3 drivers that we have seen go at it in the final 60 minutes of this year’s new three-hour race format.”
The longer races also give ACI an opportunity to develop skills that have become increasingly important as the organisation expands beyond sprint and single-make competition.
“Being able to perfect and work on some endurance racing skills and pit stops is another benefit of the new GT World Challenge America format, and we can’t wait to get started.”
New challenge with Mercedes-AMG
While Smith has previous experience with Mercedes-AMG GT3 machinery, the 2027 campaign will mark Baltas’ first time racing one. His experience has primarily come in rear-engined Porsche machinery, making the front-engined Mercedes-AMG another adjustment as he prepares for his GT3 step.
“I have been in and out of a front engine car a few times before, but the Mercedes-AMG GT3 will be the first time I am racing one,” Baltas said. “I am very excited, everyone really speaks highly of this car, and I am really excited to see what we can accomplish next season.”
ACI joins a manufacturer that has remained a major force in GT World Challenge competition. Mercedes-AMG has enjoyed extensive success across the global championship and enters the closing stages of 2026 fighting at the front of both GTWC America and the wider manufacturers’ competition.
Head of Customer Racing Stefan Wendl welcomed ACI into the manufacturer’s customer racing structure after previously competing against the team in both GTWC America and Pirelli GT4 America.
“We are happy to welcome ACI Motorsports to the World’s Fastest Family,” Wendl said. “We have raced against many competitive ACI entries both this season in Pirelli GT4 America and back in GT World Challenge America a few years ago and have seen a great deal of first-class preparation and talented drivers.”
“Their excitement not only for next season but for the years to come is great to see. At Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, we share their passion and ambition for success and look forward to building a strong and successful partnership with ACI Motorsports.”
Testing programme to begin before 2027
ACI does not intend to wait until the new year to begin preparations. Preliminary plans call for the team to test its Mercedes-AMG GT3 before the end of 2026, allowing Smith, Baltas and the engineering crew to begin learning the car shortly after ACI completes its current Pirelli GT4 America campaign.
That preparation will be particularly important as ACI simultaneously adapts to a new manufacturer, a full GT3 programme and the endurance-focused format. The team will nevertheless enter 2027 with considerable continuity through Smith and Baltas, both of whom already understand the organisation and have contributed to its recent success.
For ACI, returning to GTWC America represents the next stage of a broader expansion rather than a replacement for its existing racing activities. The team will continue its GT4 and Porsche programmes while adding the #74 Mercedes-AMG at the top of its North American racing structure, giving Smith and Baltas the opportunity to take their own next steps alongside it.
