{"id":761850,"date":"2026-06-26T15:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/761850\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T15:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:56:09","slug":"cota-to-replace-indianapolis-on-2027-igtc-calendar-sportscar365","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/761850\/","title":{"rendered":"COTA to Replace Indianapolis on 2027 IGTC Calendar \u2013 Sportscar365"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo: Fabian Lagunas\/SRO<\/p>\n

Circuit of The Americas will replace Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the 2027 Intercontinental GT Challenge schedule, with the U.S. leg of the globe-trotting GT3 series moving to Texas.<\/p>\n

Revealed on Friday during SRO Motorsports Group\u2019s annual press conference, the Texas 8 Hour will serve as the second round of the campaign on May 7-9, following the traditional season-opening Megiuair\u2019s Bathurst 12 Hour in mid February.<\/p>\n

COTA will mark the third different venue that has hosted an American IGTC event following WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (2017-19) and Indianapolis (2020-26), with the change largely due to an upcoming repave of The Brickyard that\u2019s slated to occur in the fall of 2027 or 2028.<\/p>\n

With no definitive timeline for the repave, which would prevent SRO from holding the race on its traditional date, series officials elected to proactively move the IGTC round to Austin, which has been SRO America\u2019s most successful event to date.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited the bring the IGTC series to COTA in 2027,\u201d SRO America President and CEO Greg Gill told Sportscar365. \u201cWe have an excellent relationship with the IMS team and their world class facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut with their intention to repave in either 2027 or 2028 we knew we needed a stable home for the IGTC eight-hour race within our North American championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cCircuit of The Americas provides the perfect facility for this. So, we look forward to the Texas 8 Hour next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel added: \u201cNothing can top Indianapolis in terms of history and we\u2019ve had a wonderful six years with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cCOTA is comfortably GT World Challenge America\u2019s biggest event but also a modern-classic venue loved by drivers and teams, so it makes perfect sense for the 8 Hour to find a new home there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe recent growth of America\u2019s GT3 grid makes this a very exciting addition to the Intercontinental schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

The N\u00fcrburgring 24 will take place three weeks later in late May, followed by the 24 Hours of Spa, before ending the season with the Suzuka 1000km in early September, which will combine with SUPER GT GT300 class machinery, as part of an increased cooperation with GT Association.<\/p>\n

SRO served as a sole promoter of the revival of the Suzuka enduro last year, which attracted 33 GT3 cars, but Ratel said the addition of GT300 cars will bring more fans to the event.<\/p>\n

He indicated that all cars will be on Pirelli tires, except for full-season SUPER GT GT300 class entries, both FIA GT3 and nationally homologated, that will be under a new, yet-to-be-announced single tire brand in the domestic Japanese series next year.<\/p>\n

The performance of both tires will be assessed simultaneously during dedicated test sessions in Europe and Japan next year before findings are applied to Suzuka\u2019s Balance of Performance.<\/p>\n

GT300 cars were previously eligible in the Suzuka 10 Hours, which ran from 2018-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuzuka is also evolving into a race that will truly feature the best of Japan and the rest of the world, just like the 1000km has been in the past,\u201d said Ratel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt remains one of Japan\u2019s most historically significant motor races but still has room to grow, especially in terms of spectator attendance, which is now possible thanks to Super GT\u2019s involvement.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoining forces also provides an opportunity to push the combined entry towards 50 cars.\u201d<\/p>\n

GTA President and CEO Masaaki Bandoh added: \u201cWe have great respect for the longstanding partnership we have built with SRO over many years, and we are delighted to take the next step together through the Suzuka 1000km.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Super GT and particularly the GT300 class, competing against top GT3 teams from around Japan, Asia and the rest of the world at Suzuka represents a tremendous opportunity to showcase the strength and appeal of our championship on the global stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

2027 Intercontinental GT Challenge Schedule:
Feb. 12-15 \u2014 Meguiar\u2019s Bathurst 12 Hour
May 7-9 \u2014 Texas 8 Hour
May 27-30 \u2014 N\u00fcrburgring 24
June 24-27 \u2014 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
Sept. 4-5 \u2014 Suzuka 1000km<\/p>\n

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John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John<\/a><\/p>\n

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