Turner Motorsport Welcomes Reigning Pilot Challenge Champion Luca Mars

8 January 2026, 3:30PM

Turner Motorsport has announced its driver line-ups for the 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, featuring four Grand Sport (GS) class champions, including the arrival of reigning GS champion Luca Mars to the team.

The 19-year-old won last year’s GS title with RS1, collecting three wins, six podiums, and two pole positions on the way to a championship. It followed Mars’ 2024 VP Racing SportsCar Challenge title with KOHR Motorsports, the first for the current-generation Ford Mustang GT4.

Mars will join 2017 GS champion Dillon Machavern in the #95 BMW M4 GT4 EVO. Machavern won the 2017 title with RS1 and will be part of that team’s first foray into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as he’ll pull “double duty” in both the BMW M Endurance Challenge and the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Machavern has also raced for Turner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Turner Motorsport,” said Mars. “They’ve been around for a while and have had success with the BMW so I’m looking forward to getting in the car at Daytona. I’ve raced against Dillon many times, and he’s a good competitor so I’m excited to be racing with him. The goal is obviously to win another championship, but also just being with the team and learning the car.”

“Heading into the 2026 season, I’m very optimistic about the season ahead,” added Machavern. “This is my eight season competing with Turner Motorsport. Will always puts together an awesome line-up, and this season is no different. I’m excited to have Luca join the team. He knows what it takes to win, and is a welcomed addition.

“We have all the right pieces in place. We understand the car better than ever, and Luca and I have a world-class team behind us who always set us up for success. The goal, as always, is to win the championship, and I think we have a great chance to get it done in ’26!”

The #96 Turner BMW will be driven by the 2023 GS champion duo of Vincent “Vin” Barletta and Robby Foley. The Pro/Am duo ran just four races together in 2025, with a best finish of fourth at CTMP (Mosport).

This will be the start of Foley’s eighth season at Turner Motorsport; with 170 starts, he has the second-most appearances for BMW M’s longest-tenured customer team – behind only Bill Auberlen.

“I’m really excited to be back racing in GS with Vin,” said Foley. “I’m really passionate about this series, and we’ve had a lot of success in the past, so I’m hoping to pick up where we left off in 2023.”

Turner Motorsport has won three Michelin Pilot Challenge GS titles (2006, 2011, 2023) and 30 races in the series, their most recent of which came last year at Mid-Ohio, where Machavern and Francis Selldorff won the four-hour race in June.

“I’m excited to bring four GS champions together. It’s a strong line up and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do in 2026,” said team owner and namesake Will Turner. “My crew is the best and we have the talent behind the wheel so I’m hoping the two can get the job done. Daddy needs some (tacos) al pastor!”

Images © IMSA