MAD Joker Racing’s Marc Austin, Ben Keating and Peter Dempsey have reflected on their Am class victory at the 2026 DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour, following a closely contested season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The trio secured class honours in the #11 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO after an eight-hour battle against AF Corse USA and Scuderia Corsa. Despite facing significant pressure throughout the race, MAD Joker Racing emerged ahead of its rivals during the final stages, with Dempsey bringing the car to the chequered flag in first place.
However, the result was not without controversy. The team received a post-race time penalty following an incident involving Wright Motorsports, although the sanction did not overturn its victory.
While MAD Joker Racing celebrated the race win, AF Corse USA’s Jay Schreibman secured his second consecutive GT World Challenge (GTWC) America Am Drivers’ Championship, completing the final title battle of the 2026 campaign.
MAD Joker Racing prepares for competitive Indianapolis finale
MAD Joker Racing entered the Indianapolis 8 Hour with an experienced three-driver combination, bringing together Austin, Keating and Dempsey for the final round of the GTWC America season.
The trio faced a competitive Am field, with the category expanding to three entries for the Indianapolis event. AF Corse USA entered the weekend leading the Championship with Schreibman, while Scuderia Corsa had demonstrated its competitiveness since joining the series at Road America.
The expanded Indianapolis entry list therefore presented a different challenge for the Am competitors, who had spent much of the season racing against smaller fields.
MAD Joker’s driver combination brought considerable endurance racing experience, particularly through Keating and Dempsey. Keating has competed extensively in international sportscar racing, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Dempsey, meanwhile, brought experience from single-seater competition and endurance racing, while Austin completed the line-up as the team prepared for its eight-hour challenge.
With the Am Championship still to be decided, all three teams entered the weekend aiming to conclude the season with a strong result.
Dempsey’s qualifying performance secures Am pole
MAD Joker Racing demonstrated its competitiveness during Friday’s qualifying sessions, emerging ahead of its Am rivals after three closely contested segments.
The class order changed throughout the session, with Scuderia Corsa’s Mitchell Green initially setting the benchmark before AF Corse USA’s Oswaldo Negri moved ahead in the second segment.
However, Dempsey delivered a decisive performance in the final session, producing the fastest Am lap of the afternoon to move MAD Joker to the top of the combined classification.
His effort gave Austin, Keating and Dempsey a three-driver average of 1:24.520, placing the #11 Mercedes-AMG 0.166 seconds ahead of Scuderia Corsa and a further 0.092 seconds clear of AF Corse USA.
The 2026 Indianapolis 8 Hour qualifying classification confirmed MAD Joker in 22nd overall, securing the strongest starting position among the three Am competitors.
Although the result provided an encouraging beginning to the weekend, the narrow gaps suggested that the class battle would remain closely contested throughout Saturday’s race.
Austin establishes early advantage before AF Corse recovery
MAD Joker Racing began the Indianapolis 8 Hour with Austin maintaining a competitive position during the opening stages, allowing the team to establish itself at the front of the Am category.
However, the early hours featured several incidents and Full Course Cautions, complicating the running for competitors across all classes.
AF Corse USA also encountered difficulties when Schreibman spun following contact with a Pro-Am entry. Although the incident cost the Ferrari valuable time, the team recovered and began moving back towards the front.
As the pit-stop cycles developed, the Am lead changed hands between MAD Joker and AF Corse, with the two teams adopting different approaches to managing their driver rotations.
Negri subsequently made progress during his stint in the #163 Ferrari, bringing AF Corse back into contention despite its earlier setback.
Meanwhile, MAD Joker remained competitive as Austin handed over driving responsibilities to his teammates, maintaining the team’s chances of securing a strong result.
The competitive opening stages ensured that neither operation could establish a decisive advantage, with the outcome remaining uncertain as the race approached its halfway point.
AF Corse leads closely contested battle at halfway
The Am class battle continued developing during the middle stages, with AF Corse USA gradually gaining ground on MAD Joker Racing.
Negri helped the Ferrari recover from its early difficulties before handing over to Benny Simonsen, who moved into the class lead as the race approached the four-hour mark.
However, MAD Joker remained close behind, with Dempsey maintaining pressure aboard the #11 Mercedes-AMG.
The four-hour Indianapolis race report placed Simonsen ahead of Dempsey, while Scuderia Corsa’s Jamie Morrow occupied third in the category.
Although AF Corse held the advantage, MAD Joker remained within striking distance, setting up another competitive battle during the second half of the event.
The race’s uninterrupted green-flag running after the early caution periods also placed greater emphasis on consistent lap times and strategic execution.
With four hours remaining, the leading Am teams needed to manage their remaining driver changes and pit stops carefully while navigating the faster Pro and Pro-Am entries competing throughout the field.
MAD Joker regains advantage during final stages
The second half of the Indianapolis 8 Hour saw MAD Joker Racing and AF Corse USA continue exchanging the class lead as their strategies developed.
Negri brought the #163 Ferrari back to the front during the later stages, while Dempsey remained close behind in the Mercedes-AMG.
However, MAD Joker gradually established an advantage as the race approached its final hour, moving into position to challenge for the class victory.
Dempsey’s experience proved particularly important as the team attempted to maintain consistent pace while managing traffic and the demands of an extended endurance race.
Nevertheless, the Irish driver faced renewed pressure after running wide during the final hour, allowing Simonsen to reduce the gap between the two leading cars.
Despite the mistake, Dempsey maintained his advantage and continued towards the chequered flag, keeping MAD Joker ahead of its Ferrari rival.
The official GTWC America race recap highlighted the close nature of the final stages, with the two teams battling for the Am victory until the conclusion of the eight-hour contest.
Late penalty fails to deny MAD Joker victory
Although MAD Joker crossed the line ahead of its Am rivals, the team’s victory faced further uncertainty following an incident during the final stages.
With less than 40 minutes remaining, Race Control investigated contact involving the #11 Mercedes-AMG and Wright Motorsports’ #120 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Officials subsequently issued MAD Joker a drive-through penalty, which was converted into a post-race time penalty because the incident occurred late in the contest.
The sanction complicated the final classification, raising the possibility that AF Corse could inherit the victory despite finishing behind on the road.
However, the converted penalty proved insufficient to overturn MAD Joker’s advantage, allowing Austin, Keating and Dempsey to retain first place in the Am category.
AF Corse USA consequently finished second, while Scuderia Corsa completed the class podium in third.
The result rewarded MAD Joker’s competitive performance throughout the race, although the late incident added another challenge to an already demanding contest.
Having secured pole before battling throughout the eight-hour event, the team ultimately converted its strong qualifying performance into victory.
Dempsey reflects on special relationship with Indianapolis
For Dempsey, the Am class victory carried personal significance because of his previous experiences racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Irish driver has a longstanding connection with the circuit, having competed there during his single-seater career and previously secured a memorable victory.
His return to Indianapolis in GT3 machinery provided another opportunity to compete at a venue that holds an important place in his motorsport career.
Dempsey also played a decisive role in MAD Joker’s race, helping the team recover its advantage during the second half before completing the final stages under pressure from AF Corse.
Reflecting on the result, he emphasised the significance of returning to the circuit and the opportunity to share the victory with Keating and Austin.
“This place has always been special and kind to me. I’ve won a race here, a four-way finish back a long time ago. To come back here with Ben and Mark and have this opportunity to do it has been phenomenal. To give them a win is the least I could do. Glad I could get the win for the team.”
The achievement provided Dempsey with another memorable Indianapolis result, adding a GT3 class victory to his previous successes at the circuit.
Keating praises teamwork after Indianapolis triumph
Keating also played an important role in MAD Joker’s success, bringing extensive endurance racing experience to the team’s Am class challenge.
The American has competed across several major international sportscar championships, including the FIA WEC and IMSA. His background in longer races provided valuable experience as the team navigated traffic, pit stops and changing race conditions throughout the eight-hour event.
Although the Am battle remained closely contested, MAD Joker’s consistent execution allowed the team to remain competitive against AF Corse and Scuderia Corsa.
Following the victory, Keating emphasised the importance of teamwork rather than focusing on individual performances.
“It’s just a great team effort. I would say we won as a team. Everybody did their job perfectly well. We all ran as hard as we could and it was a very close race at the end. I’m just grateful to be here.”
His comments reflected the collective nature of endurance racing, where success depends on every driver contributing to the team’s performance.
For MAD Joker, Keating’s experience complemented Dempsey’s pace and Austin’s contribution, helping the outfit secure a competitive result against its established Am rivals.
Austin celebrates significant Indianapolis achievement
Austin completed MAD Joker’s victorious line-up, contributing to the team’s performance during the opening stages before handing driving responsibilities to his teammates.
The American’s participation provided an opportunity to compete alongside two experienced endurance racers at one of North America’s most prestigious motorsport venues.
Although MAD Joker faced pressure from the competing Ferraris, Austin’s contribution helped establish the foundation for the team’s eventual victory.
The eight-hour contest also presented a significant challenge because of the large number of faster GT3 entries sharing the circuit, requiring Am drivers to balance their own class battles with managing traffic.
Following the race, Austin expressed pride in the achievement and the opportunity to share the result with Keating and Dempsey.
“It gives me a lot of pride. Just to get to run with these two guys is an honor for me, and we’ve been waiting a long time for this. To come home and win the Indy 8 Hour is a big deal.”
His reaction highlighted the significance of competing successfully at Indianapolis, particularly after a demanding race that required consistent performances and effective teamwork.
AF Corse secures Am Championship despite missing race victory
Although MAD Joker Racing emerged victorious at Indianapolis, AF Corse USA concluded the weekend with the season-long GTWC America Am Drivers’ Championship.
Schreibman entered the finale leading the standings following a successful campaign and remained in a strong position to secure his second consecutive title.
He shared the #163 Ferrari with Negri and Simonsen, forming an experienced combination that challenged MAD Joker throughout the eight-hour contest.
Despite an early spin, the crew recovered to lead the Am category at several stages, with Negri and Simonsen helping bring the Ferrari back into contention.
However, the team ultimately finished second after Dempsey secured the class lead during the closing stages.
The result was nevertheless sufficient for Schreibman to claim another Championship, rewarding his performances throughout the 2026 season.
The contrast between the race and Championship outcomes demonstrated the different priorities facing the leading Am competitors. While MAD Joker secured the Indianapolis victory, AF Corse concluded the campaign with the season’s principal title.
MAD Joker celebrates successful conclusion to Indianapolis 8 Hour
MAD Joker Racing’s Am class victory provided a memorable conclusion to the 2026 Indianapolis 8 Hour, rewarding the efforts of Austin, Keating and Dempsey following a competitive weekend.
The trio established their pace during qualifying, with Dempsey’s final-session performance delivering the class pole. However, the race presented considerably greater challenges as AF Corse recovered from its early setback and moved into contention.
MAD Joker subsequently regained the advantage during the second half, with Dempsey maintaining his lead despite pressure from Simonsen and a late incident that resulted in a post-race penalty.
The official class-winner reactions reflected the importance of teamwork, experience and effective execution, with all three drivers highlighting the significance of their achievement.
Although AF Corse’s Schreibman secured the season-long Am Championship, MAD Joker concluded the Indianapolis event with the class victory, adding another achievement to the team’s endurance racing record.
For Austin, Keating and Dempsey, the result provided a fitting reward for their efforts across eight hours of competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
