DXDT is back too, with factory driver Charlie Eastwood leading the line here in Florida. The Irishman believes the team is ready to reach victory lane for the first time in IMSA.

Why?
The team now has a season under its belt to build on and has assembled a line-up capable of fighting at the sharp end. The two Silver-graded drivers, Salih Yoluc and Mason Filippi, will benefit from the firepower of both Eastwood and IndyCar ace Scott McLaughlin.
If all goes to plan, they will form a dynamic duo, tasked primarily with taking the fight to the front-runners late in the race, should the crew emerge from the night hours unscathed.

“We think we have a really, really strong chance,” Eastwood told RACER. “We missed a bit of pace earlier in the year last year, which is fairly normal when you’re new to a championship. But by Petit, our pace was good. We’re leaving no stone unturned, and we’re as prepared as anyone at this stage.

“We actually went to Sebring two months ago to try the new Michelin GTD tire and back-to-back test it with the old one ahead of the season. Characteristically, it’s better; you get a bit more feedback from the front axle, and we feel we can load it a bit nicer. Lap time isn’t crazy different, but we found it faster. And that’s part of our drive to make sure we are ready to come here. We have a few items to check off during this weekend, and then we’ll be ready.”

McLaughlin, who briefly looked in the frame for a Porsche GTP drive due to his ties to Penske and his run in the Sanctioned Test, is energized by his late deal to join the Corvette concern.

“I felt I might get a chance with Porsche, and they went their own way with driver count,” he said. ”That was fine, but I just love this race and wanted to be a part of it. I have a pretty good relationship with GM and Corvette, and it worked out pretty well. I know the car really well, so I’m excited by what's ahead.

“We’re going to have to ask Mason and Salih to do a lot of fast times and long stints early on, then hopefully Charlie and I can push hard at the end.”

The wild card for Corvette is the newcomer to the customer stable, DragonSpeed. The U.S.-flagged team heads into 2026 off the back of a hugely impressive 2025 season in GTD PRO with Ferrari. The Elton Julian-led effort, partnered with Risi Competizione for technical support, was a title contender all the way to the end of the season with the 296 GT3.

Rather than stay the course with Ferrari for another championship push, though, DragonSpeed decided before the end of the 2025 season to switch manufacturers. Corvette and GM were chosen, and in the aftermath of Petit Le Mans, the team announced its new direction and got to work.

It’s a big change. The team is learning on the job during the Roar weekend, as the timing of its new chassis delivery meant only a short shakedown was possible before this week.
Driver Giacomo Altoe, back with the team, was positive after its first full day running the car on Friday, along with his teammates Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson and Matteo Cairoli.

“It’s amazing and a very different feeling than what I'm used to,” Altoe said after his first taste of the Corvette.
“Of course, I needed a few laps to adapt. Handling was different, but it's also very different from how I'm seated in the car with the seating position, the sound, and how the car works.

“I still need to go through all the systems, so there is a lot of homework to do. I just need to find out what the car needs, and we will keep progressing.

"I actually really liked being out there in traffic. The rearview camera works very well, it’s something I like.
Henrik is doing well, too, and is really happy with the car. It's a very positive start."

DragonSpeed’s strength is in its breadth of experience in sports car racing, operating at a high level in prototype and GT racing with a variety of cars. There’s also plenty of track time across this weekend and next week in the build-up to the race, which should allow the team enough time to get its teeth into the ins and outs of its new bit of kit.

Normally, you’d rule out a team making a switch in manufacturer just weeks out from the start of a campaign from being a force early on, but what DragonSpeed has proven in the past is that it is a fearless operation capable of springing a surprise.