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Updated: June 7, 2026
Two Indianapolis 500 winners will be part of one of the deepest GT sports car grids of the season when the DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Oct. 8-11. Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson are set to race alongside international endurance regulars in the combined Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) and GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season finale.
The main event runs Saturday, Oct. 10, from 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. That means the race starts in daylight, passes through sunset and finishes under floodlights and headlights on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course. Organizers expect 28 cars to take part, with teams of three drivers sharing each entry. One race produces separate overall winners for both championships.
The strength of this year’s entry list goes beyond regular GT race winners. Palou, the five-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2025 Indy 500 winner, is making another GT start at IMS. He joins Luca Stolz and AMG Junior Lin Hodenius in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG for the IGTC portion of the race.
Palou’s previous experience with the team came in the 2024 edition, when electrical problems during the co-driver stints left the car 13th. He called this year’s return a chance to close unfinished business.
“I have some unfinished business from my 2024 GT3 outing, so I am really happy to reunite with the team to have another opportunity to aim for the race win,” Palou said.
He also pointed to the fan atmosphere at IMS as one of the reasons the event stands out on the GT calendar.
Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, brings additional marquee value to the event. He will share the Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO with his younger brother Hampus Ericsson and team regular Derek DeBoer. That entry runs in the Pro-Am class for GT World Challenge America powered by AWS.
Marcus has built a solid GT resume in recent years. He drove a Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 in this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. He also raced with Hampus for the first time in a Leiper Motorsport Lamborghini at the Michelin 12 Hour Malaysia race in December at Sepang International Circuit.
“Racing alongside Hampus and sharing a car with him is something I cherish deeply, so I’m very grateful to Random Vandals for giving us the opportunity to do this together,” Ericsson said.
The endurance event also serves as the IGTC drivers’ championship decider, and the lead-up has taken an unusual turn. German driver Maro Engel arrives as the points leader, seven points ahead of fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Luca Stolz. Maxime Martin is another eight points back, also in a Mercedes-AMG.
Engel will not race at IMS because of a schedule conflict with the German DTM series. That removes him from the track but not from the championship table. It also turns the race into a direct battle between Stolz and Martin, who both have a chance to overtake Engel while he is absent.
Stolz is especially motivated. Not only does he have Palou as a teammate in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing entry, but another strong result could be enough to put him in the championship conversation. Martin, who drives the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG Team JMF Motorsports car, has the same opportunity. The gap between the two active contenders is narrow enough that every position through eight hours could matter.
Mercedes-AMG has already produced three IGTC drivers’ champions, including INDYCAR SERIES veteran Tristan Vautier in 2018. A Stolz or Martin victory in the standings would extend that record. Whatever happens, the 2026 season is guaranteed to produce an 11th different IGTC drivers’ champion in as many years.
There is also manufacturer silverware on the line. Porsche enters the weekend with a chance to match the IGTC record with a fourth manufacturers’ title. Kerong Li has already wrapped up the IGTC Independent Cup drivers’ championship in the No. 86 High Class Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO, giving the Porsche camp a boost of confidence before the finale.
While the 8 Hour is the headline, the IMS weekend is effectively a festival for SRO America’s roster of GT and touring car series. Support races include GT America powered by AWS, McLaren Trophy America, Pirelli GT4 America, TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School and Toyota GR Cup North America.
Several names from outside the usual GT paddock add spice to the undercard. Automotive and racing television host Rutledge Wood will race in Toyota GR Cup North America. He will share the track with Keelan Harvick, the 14-year-old son of three-time Brickyard 400 winner Kevin Harvick.
Pirelli GT4 America also features “Malcolm in the Middle” actor Frankie Muniz, who has become a regular in sportscar racing, and INDY NXT by Firestone veteran Nolan Allaer.
For fans, the event offers something that few other races on the calendar can match: continuous action that begins in the afternoon, stretches through golden hour and ends with headlight-lit battles in the dark. The pit lane and team strategy become part of the show, as driver changes, fuel windows and tire management unfold under changing track conditions.
The gates at Indianapolis Motor Speedway open to the public Friday through Sunday. Fans can purchase tickets and parking, view the full weekend schedule and plan their visit through the official IMS channels.
With the season come down to one race, the DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour is set to deliver a fitting finale for GT racing in 2026.
