The 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) America powered by AWS season enters its decisive phase at Barber Motorsports Park from 25–27 September, with the UAB Medicine GT World Alabama benefiting Teal Wings of Hope hosting the championship’s penultimate round and final regular three-hour race before the Desder Indianapolis 8 Hour.
Twenty cars are provisionally entered across Pro, Pro-Am and Am, with the championship arriving in Alabama following an eventful Road America round that tightened both principal title fights. Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier retain a four-point advantage over Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley in Pro, while Dave Musial Jr. and Ryan Yardley now lead Kyle Washington and Tom Sargent by only three in Pro-Am.
Barber also presents a very different challenge from Road America. Its compact, flowing layout rises and falls continuously through landscaped grounds outside Birmingham, placing greater emphasis on rhythm, positioning and consistency than the long straights that characterised the previous round.
Barber presents a different challenge
Barber Motorsports Park has become one of the most distinctive venues on the North American racing calendar. The circuit winds through rolling hills, wooded areas and meticulously maintained landscaping, earning its familiar “Augusta National of Motorsports” nickname.
The 2.38-mile layout contains 17 turns and constant elevation changes, repeatedly altering drivers’ sightlines and putting additional emphasis on commitment through linked corners. The comparatively short lap also means the GT3 field will encounter traffic regularly during Sunday’s three-hour race.
Passing opportunities are less straightforward than at Road America, making track position particularly valuable. Qualifying, pit timing and managing traffic could therefore play a significant role in deciding the penultimate round.
Barber’s surroundings stand out
The wider Barber Motorsports Park complex is almost as distinctive as the circuit itself.
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum sits at the centre of the property and houses more than 1,800 motorcycles from 220 manufacturers across 22 countries. The collection also includes a significant number of Lotus racing cars.
Sculptures are positioned throughout the 740-acre venue, while grass-covered banks create natural spectator areas around the circuit. The unusual combination of motorsport, landscaping and art has become central to Barber’s identity.
Twenty cars provisionally entered
The provisional Barber entry list contains 20 cars across three classes.
Four cars make up the Pro category, while Pro-Am accounts for 15 entries. AF Corse USA supplies the sole Am-class car.
Eight manufacturers are represented, with Porsche providing the largest contingent.
Pro entry list
- #8 McCann Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Michael McCann Jr. / Zachary Vanier
- #12 AF Corse USA — Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Matías Pérez Companc / Frederik Schandorff
- #29 Turner Motorsport — BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Justin Rothberg / Robby Foley
- #34 JMF Motorsports — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Michai Stephens / Mikael Grenier
Pro-Am entry list
- #04 HP-TECH Motorsport — Ferrari 296 GT3: Tony Davis / Scott Andrews
- #9 TR3 Racing — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Brayton Williams / Daniel Morad
- #13 Kellymoss — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Todd Parriott / Riley Dickinson
- #14 Riley Technologies — BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Slade Stewart / Andy Lee
- #017 Kellymoss — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Michael Clark / Colin Braun
- #27 JMF Motorsports — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Jason Daskalos / Philip Ellis
- #28 RS1 — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Danny Dyszelski / Jan Heylen
- #31 Wright Motorsports — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Dave Musial Jr. / Ryan Yardley
- #32 GMG Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Kyle Washington / Tom Sargent
- #50 Chouest Povoledo Racing — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Ross Chouest / Aaron Povoledo
- #69 Archangel Motorsports — McLaren 720S GT3 Evo: Todd Coleman / Aaron Telitz
- #71 Rebel Rock Racing — Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo: Frank Depew / Robin Liddell
- #88 Kellymoss — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: John Gilliland / Loek Hartog
- #99 Random Vandals Racing — BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Derek DeBoer / Hampus Eriksson
- #242 Wright Motorsports — Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo: Therese Lahlouh / Thomas Merrill
Am entry list
- #163 AF Corse USA — Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Jay Schreibman / Oswaldo Negri
Dollahite Racing skips Barber
Dollahite Racing provides the most significant absence from the 20-car field.
Alex Sedgwick and Cameron Lawrence finished third in Pro at Road America and sit on 68 championship points, but the team has elected to skip Barber after a series of setbacks effectively ended its Pro title challenge.
Instead, the Texas-based operation will focus on the Indianapolis 8 Hour, where it will switch into Pro-Am. Scott Dollahite will return to the cockpit alongside Sedgwick and a yet-to-be-announced Ford Racing factory driver.
The change means the Mustang GT3 will be absent from Barber, reducing the Pro field to only four cars.
Sportscar365 also reported that Lawrence is understood to no longer be part of the programme.
JMF carries four-point Pro lead
Stephens and Grenier continue to lead the Pro Drivers’ Championship with 96 points after scoring in every race this season.
JMF Motorsports began the year with consecutive class victories at Sonoma and COTA before continuing to collect strong finishes at Sebring, Road Atlanta and Road America. That consistency has kept the #34 Mercedes-AMG at the top of the standings, but its advantage has narrowed considerably.
Rothberg and Foley arrive only four points behind on 92 following their second victory of the year. Turner Motorsport first broke through at Sebring before returning to the top step at Road America.
JMF limited the damage by finishing second in Wisconsin, but Turner reduced what had been an 11-point deficit entering the round to only four.
AF Corse remains within reach
Pérez Companc sits third in the Pro Drivers’ Championship on 80 points and reunites with Schandorff at Barber.
Schandorff missed Road America because of a clash with his GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup programme, with Miguel Molina taking his place alongside Pérez Companc.
The #12 Ferrari secured pole at Road America before mechanical problems removed it from the victory fight. Pérez Companc now trails Stephens and Grenier by 16 points, keeping AF Corse within mathematical reach entering the final two events.
McCann Jr. and Vanier complete the Pro field on 64 points after another consistent season in the #8 Porsche.
Pro-Am lead changes hands
The Pro-Am championship changed leaders for the first time this season at Road America.
Washington and Sargent arrived in Wisconsin with a 12-point advantage after building their campaign around victories at Sonoma and Sebring, along with another podium at Road Atlanta.
Their race ended early when Washington became caught in a multi-car accident at the high-speed Kink. The retirement produced their first non-score of the season.
Musial and Yardley capitalised by finishing third in Pro-Am for Wright Motorsports, moving to 80 points and taking a three-point championship lead.
GMG seeks immediate response
Barber has traditionally been one of GMG Racing’s stronger venues.
Washington and Sargent came close to victory there in 2025, with Sargent taking pole before the pair finished second in one of the weekend’s races.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo should also suit Barber’s flowing character, giving GMG an immediate opportunity to respond after losing the championship lead at Road America.
With Indianapolis set to introduce a third driver and a much larger international field, the Barber round offers Washington and Sargent one final opportunity to regain control under the regular GTWC America format.
Wright aims to defend its new lead
Musial and Yardley have reached the top of the standings primarily through consistency.
Their season includes a Pro-Am and eventual overall victory at COTA, while regular points finishes have kept the #31 Wright Motorsports Porsche near the front even on weekends when outright victory was not available.
Road America rewarded that consistency. GMG’s retirement turned Wright’s 12-point deficit into a three-point advantage, leaving Musial and Yardley in control of their own position before Barber.
The narrow gap means one difficult pit stop, penalty or incident could reverse the order again before Indianapolis.
RS1 remains in contention
Jan Heylen remains firmly involved in the Pro-Am championship after RS1 returned to the podium at Road America.
Danny Dyszelski joined the #28 Porsche in Wisconsin and immediately helped the team finish second in class. The result moved Heylen to 66 points, 14 behind Musial and Yardley.
Dyszelski remains alongside Heylen at Barber, giving RS1 another opportunity to close the deficit before the finale.
TR3 arrives after first victory
Brayton Williams and Daniel Morad arrive with renewed momentum after finally converting TR3 Racing’s pace into victory at Road America.
Williams kept the #9 Mercedes-AMG within contention during the opening stages before Morad charged through the leading Pro-Am runners late in the race. He passed Yardley and Heylen before taking control of the class.
The victory represented Williams’ first professional racing win and moved both drivers to 40 points.
Although they sit outside the immediate championship battle, TR3 can still influence the title by taking significant points away from Wright, GMG and RS1.
Schandorff returns to AF Corse
Schandorff is one of two notable AF Corse USA returnees at Barber.
The Dane rejoins Pérez Companc in the #12 Ferrari after missing Road America, having accumulated 70 championship points during the opening four rounds.
His return restores the pairing that helped AF Corse win at Road Atlanta and places an established combination back into the Pro title fight.
Negri returns after injury absence
Oswaldo Negri also returns to AF Corse USA after missing the previous two rounds while recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.
He will share the #163 Ferrari with Am championship leader Jay Schreibman, who has amassed 118 points this season.
Negri sits second in the Am Drivers’ Championship on 75 points despite missing Road Atlanta and Road America. Benny Simonsen substituted alongside Schreibman during those two rounds.
With Scuderia Corsa absent following its Road America victory, the AF Corse Ferrari is the only Am entry at Barber.
HP-TECH rejoins Pro-Am field
HP-TECH Motorsport returns with Tony Davis and Scott Andrews in the #04 Ferrari 296 GT3.
Their presence helps increase the Pro-Am field to 15 cars, with seven different manufacturers represented in the class.
The category’s depth could have a major effect on the championship. Unlike Pro, where only four cars are entered, any problem for one of the Pro-Am leaders could allow numerous rivals to finish between the main title contenders.
Porsche dominates entry numbers
Porsche supplies seven of the 20 cars entered at Barber.
McCann Racing represents the manufacturer in Pro, while Kellymoss, RS1, Wright Motorsports and GMG Racing combine for six Pro-Am entries.
Mercedes-AMG brings three cars through JMF Motorsports and TR3 Racing, while Ferrari also has three through AF Corse USA and HP-TECH.
BMW is represented by Turner Motorsport, Riley Technologies and Random Vandals Racing. McLaren, Aston Martin and Chevrolet each have one car, while Ford has none following Dollahite Racing’s withdrawal.
Manufacturers’ battle remains close
Barber also contributes towards both the domestic and global manufacturer contests.
Mercedes-AMG leads the GTWC America Manufacturers’ Championship with 96 points, while BMW sits second on 85. Porsche follows with 79 and Ferrari has 75.
The previous round also helped Mercedes-AMG extend its advantage in the global GT World Challenge manufacturers’ competition, where points are collected across the America, Europe, Asia and Australia championships.
Porsche’s numerical strength at Barber gives it several chances to respond, while JMF’s championship-leading Pro entry provides Mercedes-AMG with another opportunity to maximise its score.
Sargent leads GT Academy
Sargent also enters Barber with a commanding advantage in the SRO GT Academy.
The Australian has 156 points after recording maximum scores during each of the opening four rounds before Road America ended that perfect sequence.
Yardley sits second on 95, while Vanier follows on 86. Sedgwick remains fourth on 57 but will not compete this weekend because of Dollahite Racing’s withdrawal.
Vanier, Pérez Companc, Rothberg, Dickinson, Yardley, Sargent and Eriksson are among the Academy competitors listed for Barber.
Friday schedule
GTWC America track activity begins on Friday with two sessions:
- 08:45–10:15 — Test Session
- 16:45–17:45 — Practice 1
The long gap between sessions gives teams time to evaluate their initial setup direction before returning in different late-afternoon track conditions.
Saturday schedule
Saturday provides another two opportunities to refine the cars before qualifying:
- 10:15–11:15 — Practice 2
- 14:50–15:20 — Practice 3
A Paid Bronze Test also forms part of the wider weekend schedule, providing additional mileage for eligible drivers.
Sunday schedule
The competitive sessions are concentrated on Sunday:
- 08:30–08:45 — Qualifying 1
- 08:50–09:05 — Qualifying 2
- 10:30 — GTWC America autograph session
- 11:15 — Fan Walk
- 12:30–15:30 — GTWC America three-hour race
The race marks the final standard three-hour event of the 2026 campaign before the championship switches to the Indianapolis 8 Hour for its finale.
Five series form GT World Alabama programme
GTWC America headlines a broader SRO America weekend featuring five championships.
Pirelli GT4 America, GT America powered by AWS, TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School and Toyota GR Cup North America all join the GT3 series at Barber.
Washington is among the drivers competing in more than one championship. In addition to sharing the GTWC America Porsche with Sargent, he will contest both GT America sprint races in a sister #32 GMG Racing Porsche.
He arrives third in the SRO3 standings and remains in contention for another top-three championship finish.
Fan activities at Barber
The weekend also includes several off-track attractions.
The Birmingham Car Festival presented by Corsa Crew will bring performance, exotic and collector cars together inside the venue, while the Fan Zone features merchandise, partner displays and racing simulators.
Autograph sessions take place across the weekend, with GTWC America drivers meeting fans on Sunday morning before the Fan Walk and race.
More information for spectators is available through the GT World Alabama event guide.
How to watch
Qualifying and racing will be available live through SRO RaceControl, with multiple live feeds and selected onboard cameras available across the weekend.
The GTWorld YouTube channel will also carry qualifying and races live and free, including commentary and timing information.
SRO Motorsports’ Twitch channel provides another live option, while one-hour highlights from GTWC America and GT4 America will subsequently air on FS1. Full broadcast information is available in the official viewing guide.
Barber sets up Indianapolis finale
The championship reaches Barber with little separating its principal contenders.
Stephens and Grenier hold only four points over Rothberg and Foley in Pro, while Musial and Yardley possess an even smaller three-point advantage over Washington and Sargent in Pro-Am.
RS1 remains capable of entering the final round within striking distance, while AF Corse continues to threaten the leading Pro teams. TR3 also arrives with fresh momentum after its first victory of the season.
Barber therefore represents more than simply another three-hour race. It is the final conventional opportunity for the title contenders to shape their positions before the record Indianapolis field, additional endurance specialists and eight-hour format introduce an entirely different challenge to decide the 2026 GTWC America championships.
