WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has announced that registration is now open for the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, taking place Aug. 12-15, 2026. Registration is also open for the Monterey Pre-Reunion and the Corkscrew Hillclimb, scheduled for Aug. 8-9, marking what promises to be one of the most celebratory years in the event’s storied history, event officials stated in a press release.

Owners of historic, authentic, period-correct cars are being invited to apply for participant consideration at the 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Application Request. The application period closes March 13, 2026.

A Celebration of Japanese Motorsports & Landmark Anniversaries

This year’s celebration honors the legacy of Japanese motorsports with the featured theme, “Salute to Japanese Motorsports: A Tradition of Precision & Heritage,” highlighting the innovation, craftsmanship and racing spirit that Japanese automakers and motorsport icons have brought to the world stage, while also honoring broader motorsport heritage and legendary race cars and motorcycles from around the globe, noted the release.

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will also spotlight several landmark anniversaries and legendary racing categories. Leading the way is the 60th anniversary of Can-Am, celebrated through the Bruce McLaren Trophy, which brings together the iconic 1963-74 Can-Am and USRRC V8 machines. For 2026, there will be a dedicated run group exclusively showcasing these high-performance legends, honoring one of the most influential eras in North American motorsport.

The 2026 Reunion will also commemorate the 45th anniversary of the iconic IMSA Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class with a special run group: The Hurley Haywood GTP/Group C. This group will highlight the groundbreaking prototypes that defined endurance racing for more than a decade, officials said.

The Historic Trans Am category will also once again take its place among the weekend’s marquee attractions. Celebrating its own 60th anniversary in 2026, Trans Am brings its unmistakable sound, fierce racing and timeless American spirit to the celebration.

“The 2026 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is shaping up to be one of our most historic celebrations yet,” said April Henderson, director of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. “From honoring Japanese motorsports to celebrating milestone anniversaries like Can-Am’s 60th and GTP’s 45th, we’re bringing together the cars, the stories and the people who shaped racing history. It’s a tribute to global motorsport heritage, and we can’t wait to share it with fans and participants alike.”

The 2026 Groups

• Ken Miles Trophy 1955-67 SCCA Large Displacement Production Cars
• John Morton Trophy 1955-70 SCCA Small Displacement Production Cars
• Parnelli Jones Trans-Am Trophy 1966-72 Historic Trans Am
• Peter Gregg Trophy 1973-81 IMSA GT, GTX, AAGT, GTU, FIA
• Hurley Haywood Trophy 1981-91 IMSA GTP, FIA Group C
• Tommy Kendall Trophy 1981-91 GTO, GTU, SCCA Trans Am
• Scott Pruett Legends of Endurance Cup 1991-2011 IMSA, ALMS, Grand Am, FIA
• Bruce McLaren Trophy 1963-74 Can-Am and USRRC V8
• Unser Family Cup 1973-2006 IROC Series
• Bob Sharp Cup 1966-79 Historic B & C Sedan
• Del Monte Trophy 1950-56 Pebble Beach Road Race Cars
• Peter Revson Trophy 1958-63 Formula Junior
• Pedro Rodriguez Trophy 1961-75 FIA Manufacturers Championship.

BMW M Motorsport’s longest-serving privateer team, Turner Motorsport, has announced its drivers for the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

The duo of Patrick Gallagher and BMW factory driver Robby Foley will be back to run the full season in the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, while fellow BMW works driver Jens Klingmann will be back with the team for the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. Foley and Gallagher finished fifth in the GTD standings last year with top-10 finishes in every race, despite never reaching the podium.

New to Turner’s IMSA WeatherTech program this year is Francis Selldorff, the 24-year-old whose father Frank was a teammate of team founder Will Turner in the Speed(vision) World Challenge Touring Car series. The younger Selldorff won the 2023 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge GSX (GT4) title for Turner and has spent the last two seasons in Michelin Pilot Challenge’s GS class. Most recently, Selldorff won the upstart Apex One Endurance series’ inaugural 10-hour race at Sebring in a Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3.

“I’m very excited and honored to be back with Turner Motorsport full-time in GTD,” said Foley, who is also coming off back to back GT World Challenge America Pro-Am Championships with Turner Motorsport.

“We had an up-and-down season last year (in IMSA) but built some great momentum towards the end, which I think will bode well to start our 2026 campaign off strong. The team has really become like a family to me and I’m excited to get going with Patrick, Francis and Jens at Daytona.”

“Stepping into the GTD endurance role is a massive dream come true for me,” said Selldorff. “This is a full circle moment for me, having watched Turner Motorsport compete since I was a little kid. Having known the team for a few years now in GS and VP, I’m so excited to be a part of the great program in GTD. I also can’t express how excited I am to drive with Robby and Patrick. They have both helped me so much with my racing development and have been extraordinary mentors and friends to me. I can’t wait to support them and try to help get the whole Turner team the results they deserve.”

Recently, Turner Motorsport was honored at the BMW M Night of Trophies at Munich, as SRO America driver Justin Rothberg won the BMW M Sports Trophy as the marque’s top private driver, while Turner itself finished as BMW’s third-best private team in 2026, on the strength of its combined IMSA and SRO America efforts.

“It was a great season for Turner Motorsport and it’s always an honor to take home a BMW M Sports Trophy at the end of the year,” said Will Turner. “I am so proud of my team, my drivers, and thankful for BMW Motorsport for making this all possible. I’m not sure we can top starting 83 races this year, but that’s what I said last year, so I’m excited to see what we can do in 2026.”

“And another season begins. I’m really excited for this one bringing back Patrick and Robby for their fourth season together. We’re also promoting Francis into the endurance seat after he showed us he has what it takes. We’re bolstering that with Jens at Daytona, and I think together the four of them will make a great team to fight for that elusive watch at the end of January.”

NHRA team owner and driver Antron Brown has appointed veteran partnership specialist Kevin Contardo to lead sponsor relations for his AB Motorsports (ABM) team for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

As director of business operations, Contardo will oversee ABM’s existing partnership programs while pursuing new relationships with both endemic and non-endemic brands. He will also collaborate closely with ABM’s hospitality, merchandising and machine-shop departments as he builds upon the strong foundation Brown has successfully established through his first four years of NHRA team ownership.

Contardo brings more than a decade of sponsorship development experience to AB Motorsports. His previous roles include serving as director of strategic partnerships for John Force Racing and JCM Racing.

He also held the position of director of global partnerships at Oak View Group, a global sports and live entertainment venue management company, and served as director of strategic partnerships for the Nashville Zoo. His in-depth partnership management experience, paired with his extensive motorsports background, makes him uniquely positioned him to support ABM’s continued growth.

For more information, visit antronbrown.com.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko has decided to leave the team, bringing to an end over two decades of influence as part of the multiple championship-winning set-up.

Marko helped develop young talents through his own team and then in partnership with Red Bull in the early 2000s, prior to Red Bull entering F1 in 2005. From that point onwards he was an advisor across both Red Bull and its sister team – now called Racing Bulls – often identifying and signing young drivers to become future options for the Red Bull F1 program.

The 82-year-old Austrian was a close friend of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in 2022, and Marko’s position was under threat during 2024 after a power struggle with then-team principal Christian Horner. Despite ultimately outlasting Horner this year, Marko as now confirmed he will leave his position at the end of the year.

“I have been involved in motorsport for six decades now, and the past 20-plus years at Red Bull have been an extraordinary and extremely successful journey,” Marko said. “It has been a wonderful time that I have been able to help shape and share with so many talented people. Everything we have built and achieved together fills me with pride.

“Narrowly missing out on the world championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear to me that now is the right moment for me personally to end this very long, intense, and successful chapter. I wish the entire team continued success and am convinced that they will be fighting for both world championship titles again next year.”

Having been seen as a key ally to Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Marko will depart as the team is now led by Laurent Mekies, who took over from Horner as team principal in July.

Known for both his impressive ability to uncover talents that can reach F1 and his often ruthless approach to underperforming drivers, Marko has never been far from controversy. He had to apologize for comments made relating to Sergio Perez’s ethnicity in 2023, and drew criticism in some quarters for branding Isack Hadjar’s tearful reaction to his pre-race crash on his F1 debut in Australia as “embarrassing”.

Red Bull also had to put out a statement saying it sincerely regretted the online abuse aimed at Kimi Antonelli following the Qatar Grand Prix just over a week ago, when Marko repeatedly said the Mercedes rookie had intentionally let Lando Norris through late in the race. The team stated that the claims from Marko were “clearly incorrect”.

Marko has also seen his influence on the young driver program impacted by changes to the structure in recent seasons – with Guillaume Rocquelin taking on a prominent role three years ago – but Red Bull’s CEO of corporate projects and investments Oliver Mintzlaff says the departure was one he didn’t want to accept.

“Helmut approached me with the wish to end his role as motorsport advisor at the end of the year,” Mintzlaff said. “I deeply regret his decision, as he has been an influential figure for more than two decades, and his departure marks the end of an extraordinary era.

“Over more than 20 years, Helmut has earned incomparable merits for our team and the entire Red Bull motorsport family. He played a decisive role in all key strategic decisions that made Red Bull Racing what it is today: a multiple world champion, an engine of innovation, and a cornerstone of international motorsport.

“His instinct for exceptional talent not only shaped our junior program but also left a lasting impact on Formula 1 as a whole. Names like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen stand for the many drivers who were discovered, supported, and guided to the very top under his leadership. His passion, his courage to make clear decisions, and his ability to spot potential will remain unforgettable.

“After a long and intensive conversation, I knew I had to respect his wishes, as I gained the impression that the timing felt right for him to take this step. Even though his departure will leave a significant gap, our respect for his decision and our gratitude for everything he has done for Red Bull Racing outweigh it.

“Helmut Marko will be deeply missed, both personally and professionally. We wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he will remain closely and warmly connected to the team.”

Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing’s trial against NASCAR is officially underway. Last week, the biggest trial in the sport’s history began, with both sides entering court for 10 days of action. However, what will happen if Front Row Motorsports comes out on the losing side? Well, the organization’s future could become really bleak.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Front Row Motorsports would “likely” shut down within a year of the trial, pending any appeals. It would mean that Zane Smith, Todd Gilliland, and Noah Gragson would become free agents, leaving the three drivers without a ride in the NASCAR Cup Series.

If Front Row Motorsports loses the trial, it could mark the end of what was a long tenure in the Cup Series, but everything is still on the table. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports want to come out of this trial against NASCAR as winners, hoping that it leads to meaningful changes for the sport.