Zenith Racing Series (ZRS) is introducing a year-end Driver Championship awards program totaling more than $1,000,000 USD across ZR2, ZR3, and ZP2. The program is a direct investment in the drivers who define Zenith through preparation, performance, and sportsmanship, and it reflects the series’ long-term commitment to building endurance racing that rewards excellence.
Zenith was created around a simple idea: endurance racing should be fun, fair, and worth the effort it takes to do it well. The series is built to deliver a distinctive on-track experience, meaningful track time, and a level playing field where results come from execution and racecraft. These awards exist because of that foundation. They are meant to recognize the drivers who perform at the highest level within Zenith’s format, and to reinvest back into the paddock in a way that strengthens the grid, fuels long-term participation, and rewards the standard our champions set. Clear rules and consistent enforcement remain central to that goal, ensuring every title is earned the right way, over a full season.
“These Driver Championship awards are first and foremost about honoring our champions,” said Dakota Dickerson, Zenith Racing Series Chief Operating Officer. “Winning a Zenith title takes preparation, teamwork, and racecraft across a full season, and we want that achievement to be rewarded in a real, meaningful way. Just as important, this program supports the endurance racing community - helping drivers continue their journey, keep doing what they love, and grow in the sport. I’m thankful to our partners and ownership group for making it possible, and we’re fired up for our first official event at Sonoma in March.”
A central part of the program is Zenith’s alignment with IMSA, the premier professional endurance racing championship in North America. In addition, Zenith is aligning with SRO America, to provide a natural progression from its ZR2 and ZR3 ranks into the fiercely competitive GT ranks within SRO. Through these relationships, Zenith champions will be able to apply their awards toward continued racing within Zenith as well as toward eligible sportscar racing opportunities such as IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, and Pirelli GT4 America. This initiative expands what’s possible for drivers without prescribing a single path.
“IMSA is proud to align with the Zenith Racing Series as they invest in the endurance racing community and our sport’s future talent,” said John Doonan, President of IMSA. “As North America’s leading endurance sportscar racing championship with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and many other sportscar racing platforms, we see tremendous value in programs that reward strong competition and support the driver and team growth ladder at every level. Zenith is creating an environment where racers can compete hard, be recognized for their performance, and carry that momentum wherever they choose to race next, including within IMSA’s paddock. We welcome these future champions to IMSA should they choose to use their scholarship funds with us.”
"SRO America is pleased to align with the Zenith Racing Series on this meaningful investment in driver development,” said Greg Gill, President and CEO of SRO America. “They have built a competitive and professional environment predicated on providing opportunities that reward true performance, which reflects the values that we strive for across our GT racing platforms. This program not only recognizes the commitment required to win a championship, but also gives drivers the ability to take the next step in their careers, including our highly competitive Pirelli GT4 America series, the gold standard of GT4 competition. We're greatly looking forward to collaborating with Zenith and welcoming these future champions into our paddock.”
Awards will be presented to the top 3 overall finishing driver teams in each of Zenith Racing’s classes. These awards include a mix of cash plus entry fees into eligible series. Full eligibility and redemption guidance are published in the official Zenith rules and awards documentation. Drivers planning to run the 2026 season are encouraged to review the rules and register their declared “driver team” by the cutoff to ensure eligibility for Driver championship points and year-end awards.
For more information, visit www.zenithracingseries.com/rules.
Media Contact:
Angela Andrews
Event Manager
Angela@ZenithRacingSeries.com
Zenith Racing Series