2026 IMSA Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
IMSA has unveiled the 2026 class for its Hall of Fame, honoring six eminent drivers and four landmark race cars that have significantly impacted endurance racing in North America over the past five decades.
Inductees: Drivers
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Bill Auberlen
The all-time winningest driver in IMSA history, Auberlen has secured 65 class victories from over 450 starts since 1987. His accolades include multiple wins at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. -
Butch Leitzinger
A four-time IMSA champion, Leitzinger boasts 50 race wins from 1986 to 2013, including three victories at the Rolex 24 and four at Sebring. -
Roger Mandeville
Mandeville, a fixture in IMSA since its inception, notched 22 wins, including three at Sebring. He is renowned for his contributions to the Mazda RX-7 GTU program. -
Brian Redman
Redman achieved 12 class victories and the 1981 IMSA GTX championship, with two wins at Daytona and two additional victories at Sebring. -
Lyn St. James
A trailblazer for women in motorsports, St. James was the first female to win an IMSA race as a solo driver. She holds multiple victories in major IMSA events, including the Rolex 24. -
Hans-Joachim Stuck
A global racing powerhouse, Stuck recorded 22 IMSA class victories alongside achievements at Le Mans and the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Inductees: Race Cars
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Audi 90 Quattro GTO
Despite competing for only one season, the Audi 90 Quattro GTO, driven by Hall of Famers Haywood and Stuck, achieved seven wins and paved the way for advanced engineering in IMSA. -
Riley Daytona Prototype
Spanning from 2004 to 2016, this model secured 98 victories in 1,335 starts within IMSA and GRAND-AM, establishing itself as a dominant force at prestigious events like Daytona. -
Greenwood Corvette
Iconic in IMSA’s early years, the Greenwood Corvettes recorded multiple overall victories in the 1970s, becoming a fan favorite for their standout performance and engineering. -
Mazda RX-3
With a successful run in both GT and RS series, the RX-3 captured multiple manufacturers’ titles and showcased reliability and competitive edge across the 1970s and ’80s.
Key Quotes
IMSA President John Doonan remarked, “This class reaches straight to the heart… their stories are woven into IMSA’s history, and honoring them reminds us why we all fell in love with this sport in the first place.”
The 2026 inductees will officially be enshrined in the IMSA Hall of Fame during the Night of Champions event following the Petit Le Mans in October. This marks the fourth induction class since the Hall’s inception in 2023, highlighting the legendary figures and machines that have shaped IMSA’s storied legacy.
Conclusion
The selections underscore a commitment to honoring the rich history of endurance racing, celebrating not just individual accomplishments, but also the technological advancements that have characterized the evolution of motorsports.
