Rafael Martinez will return to Circuit of The Americas this weekend for Round 2 of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge – five years after first driving out of pit lane at the Austin, Texas circuit that launched his motorsport journey.
Competing alongside Westin Workman in the GSX class for RAFA Racing Team, Martinez heads back to COTA carrying momentum from a strong season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway, where the team celebrated class wins for Workman and Bronze class podiums for Workman to open the 2026 campaign.
For Martinez, however, this weekend is about more than points.
“My first ever ride-along was March of 2021,” Martinez said. “It was literally this weekend, five years ago, that my exposure to road course racing got started. When I got out there for the first time, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I certainly didn’t see the potential that would open up for me personally or for us as a business.
“Exactly five years later, to be going back there to race professionally – it’s pretty special.”
COTA has since become more than just another stop on the calendar.
“I’ve been all over the world at this point – Europe, the UK, across the U.S., Yas Marina this year, Australia – but every time someone asks me my favorite track, I say COTA,” he said.
“Every time I go there, it feels like home because it kind of is. There’s a sentimental aspect. It’s the track I’ve driven the most. I have the ultimate confidence there versus any other circuit.”
That confidence is paired with growing comfort in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 as Martinez enters his second season in the platform. After several months out of the car between Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and the Roar before the 24 weekend, he returned to Daytona immediately feeling at ease.
“As soon as I strapped in at the Roar, I felt like I was at home again,” Martinez said.
“I didn’t have to figure things out. I knew what I was getting myself into. Now going back to COTA, even though I’ve never driven the Supra there, I know I’ll be up to speed quicker than I have in the past.”
Daytona marked a measurable step forward.
“Having someone like Westin alongside me at Daytona was huge,” Martinez said.
“Last year, we were still learning a lot on our own. This year, seeing how much he could really push the car brought me along. I was a couple of seconds quicker at Daytona than I was last year. That really showed.”
Workman’s pace translated into results – winning both races, including a dramatic charge through the pack in the second race after having to start from the back after pre-race issues.
“Westin is super talented, young, hungry – this is what he wants to do with his life,” Martinez said.
“He trains, he carries himself well, he’s in the game. Having someone I can chase around is awesome. At the same time, I can mentor him from a mental and business perspective. It’s a great balance.”
This weekend presents an added technical wrinkle. VP Challenge competitors will run the NASCAR short course configuration at COTA, altering the flow through the high-speed esses and requiring drivers to carry different momentum into Turns 5 and 6.
“I’ve never run the NASCAR short course,” Martinez said.
“You’re going left instead of right, so the momentum is different. On the sim, it’s been challenging figuring out where to position the car. I tried to arc it, but you need to point it more at the corner and make it sharper to keep the speed you want. We’ll finalize some fine-tuning, but it’s going to be interesting.”
The weekend also unfolds alongside NASCAR competition, placing sports car racing in front of a sizable and diverse crowd.
“It’ll be cool to showcase what the sports cars can do in front of that audience,” Martinez said.
“It’s a different type of crowd, but it’s a great opportunity to show the level of racing in VP Challenge.”
With limited time between sessions and two 45-minute races on Saturday, execution will be critical. But as Martinez prepares to roll onto the grid at the circuit that started it all, perspective is already shaping the moment.
“Five years ago, I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he said. “Now I’m going back there with confidence in the car, with a strong teammate, and with a real opportunity to fight at the front. That’s a pretty cool full-circle moment.”
Friday, February 27, 2026
12:00 pm – 12:40 pm Practice #1 – VP Challenge
2:00 pm – 2:40 pm Practice #2 – VP Challenge
6:30 pm – 6:45 pm Qualifying – VP Challenge GSX
Saturday, February 28, 2026
11:30 am – 12:15 pm Race #1 – VP Challenge (45 minutes)
5:30 pm – 6:15 pm Race #2 – VP Challenge (45 minutes)
