MONTEREY, California (April 29, 2026) – Paul Miller Racing heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the third round of its 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign, carrying both championship momentum and a striking tribute to BMW’s racing legacy.
The Laguna Seca event marks the first sprint race of the season, with a race duration of two hours and four minutes, and serves as a key transition point following the endurance rounds at Daytona and Sebring.
While it is the fourth race on the IMSA calendar, it will be only the third start of the season for Paul Miller Racing after the Long Beach event featured only GTP and GTD entries.
Arriving in California, the team leads the GTD PRO championship standings with 658 points, building on a strong start to the season highlighted by a victory at Daytona and a consistent points finish at Sebring.
Max Hesse delivered a standout moment in his final stint with a remarkable overtaking maneuver that moved the BMW from P3 to P2, demonstrating the team’s fighting spirit.
Later in the race, a few on-track events saw the team settle back to fifth. While dropping a few positions might feel like a small disappointment at first, it is worth remembering that Paul Miller Racing continues to lead the championship and once again collected excellent points.
Each race offers lessons, and the team is carrying that experience forward into the next event.
Despite the challenges, Paul Miller Racing now tops the IMSA WeatherTech Championship with 658 points, 30 ahead of second place.
The team also leads the Michelin Endurance Cup with 27 points, ahead of the nearest competitor with 21. From qualifying and the race combined, the team added 292 points to its season total.
Mitchell Simmons, Team Principal, reflected on the weekend: “We gave it all we had this weekend. The crew executed flawlessly but when the other cars wanted to push we just couldn’t match their pace. We tried to save fuel and gain a strategy advantage but just didn’t have the tools this weekend to be competitive. Hopefully we will be closer at Laguna.”
Track action begins Friday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 Evo will make its on-track debut in the throwback livery, kicking off an important sprint round in the 2026 championship fight.
GTD PRO once again joins a competitive IMSA field featuring GTP and GTD entries, promising another intense and unpredictable race weekend at one of the most iconic circuits in North America.
With a wide variety of special liveries and heritage stories expected across the paddock, the IMSA Throwback Weekend is set to be one of the most visually and narratively unique events of the season.
Fans are encouraged to follow Paul Miller Racing on Instagram and Facebook for exclusive behind-the-scenes content throughout the weekend.
After a strong endurance campaign so far in 2026, the team now turns its focus to the sprint races, with the goal of carrying that same level of performance into the shorter format as well.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – Weekend Schedule
Friday, May 1, 2026
Practice 1: 6:20 p.m. – 7:50 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Practice 2: 12:55 p.m. – 2:25 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 6:15 p.m. – 7:10 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 3
Race: 4:10 p.m. – 6:50 p.m. ET
Track Facts
Circuit Length: 2.238 miles (11 turns)
Classes: GTP, GTD PRO, GTD
Entries: 34 total
