There are two changes among the 11 GTP entries as each car goes down to its two full-season drivers for the first non-endurance event of the year. Frederik Vesti fills in for Earl Bamber alongside Jack Aitken aboard the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. Meanwhile, Laurin Heinrich shifts to the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 alongside Tijmen van der Helm; Heinrich has won the first two races of the year in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 and will be making his first appearance on the streets of Long Beach.

Several changes occur among the 17 GTD cars. Robert Wickens returns to the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R for his second season in the program, now alongside Mason Filippi. Corey Lewis makes his first sprint race and second season start in Gradient Racing’s No. 66 Ford Mustang GT3 alongside Jake Walker. And Spencer Pumpelly fills in for Tom Gamble alongside Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

Two cars that have run GTD extras here in the past do so again in 2026. AO Racing will field Harry King and Mikkel Pedersen in its No. 177 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), as the team seeks a repeat win after Jonny Edgar and Laurens Vanthoor won in 2025. The 2024 GTD race winners, Vasser Sullivan Racing, bring back the No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 for Jack Hawksworth and Frankie Montecalvo. Additionally, Pfaff Motorsports will run a GTD car for Andrea Caldarelli and Zachary Vanier, the No. 46 Lamborghini Temerario GT3 following the Temerario GT3’s worldwide competition debut last month at Sebring.