ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (July 29, 2026) – Championships aren’t built by chasing perfect weekends. They’re built by making the most of every opportunity.
Heading into the seventh round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, that philosophy has carried Paul Miller Racing to the top of both the GTD PRO championship and Michelin Endurance Cup standings.
Rather than being defined by one standout result, the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO has consistently converted strong weekends into valuable championship points, giving Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen a 108-point advantage heading into Road America.
That approach was established from the very beginning. Victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona provided the perfect foundation, but the races that followed have been just as important.
Pole positions, podium finishes and consistent top-five results have allowed the No. 1 BMW to remain in contention every weekend, turning steady execution into championship momentum.
“When you set out to fight for a championship, you always hope to start the season with a good result,” said De Phillippi. “Fortunately for us, we won the Rolex 24 at Daytona and that really set the tone for our season.”
“Each time we come to the track, we roll off the truck with a car that maximizes our package, allowing us to focus on executing the little details. Championships come down to smart decisions, execution and always thinking about the bigger picture.
“So far we’ve done a great job of that, and we only need to focus on continuing it for the remaining rounds. If what we’re doing is working, there’s no reason to change it.”
Strong results naturally bring higher expectations
Leading the championship naturally brings more attention, but inside the Paul Miller Racing garage, the expectations come from within. Every strong result raises the standard for the next race, challenging the team to deliver the same level of preparation and execution each time the transporter arrives at the circuit.
“Leading the championship heading into Road America is always a nice bonus, but the goal remains the same: maximize every weekend we arrive at,” said Verhagen.
“There is definitely a little more pressure, not just for me but for the whole team, because we’ve shown how competitive we can be this year. Everyone expects a very high level from each other.”
“I hope we can continue the run of results we’ve had so far, but I have complete confidence that everyone at Paul Miller Racing will give us the best package possible. I can’t wait to keep fighting through the rest of the season.”
Road America marks a return to endurance racing and the fourth Michelin Endurance Cup round of the season. Unlike a 100-minute sprint, six-hour races reward teams that can execute over the long haul.
Strategy evolves with every caution period, traffic constantly reshapes the field, and success often comes down to hundreds of small decisions rather than a single defining moment.
Those are conditions Paul Miller Racing has embraced throughout the season.
The team returns to Wisconsin as the defending GTD PRO race winner after capturing victory at Road America one year ago, a milestone that delivered Verhagen his first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory.
While last year’s result provides confidence, it doesn’t change the objective for this weekend. The focus remains exactly where it has been all season: maximizing every opportunity and continuing to build on a championship campaign defined by consistency.
The Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday, August 2, at 11:40 a.m. ET. Live flag-to-flag coverage will be available on Peacock in the United States, with IMSA.tv and the IMSA Official YouTube channel carrying the race internationally.
Motul Sportscar Endurance Grand Prix – Weekend Schedule
Friday, July 31, 2026
Practice 1: 12:25 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. ET
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Practice 2: 10:50 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 4:25 p.m. – 5:40 p.m. ET
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Race: 11:40 p.m. – 5:40 p.m. ET
Track Facts
Circuit Length: 4.048 miles (14 turns)
Track Record GTD Pro: 2:02.198
Classes: GTP, LMP2, GTD Pro, GTD
Entries: 54 total
