Grand Touring Classes Headline IMSA Program at VIRginia International Raceway
August 16, 2023
By Mark Robinson
IMSA Wire Service
 Entry List (Click Here) DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR returns as the second GT-only race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season from Aug. 25-27 at the historic track in Alton, Virginia. Twenty cars are entered in the two-hour, 40-minute race around the 3.27-mile, 17-turn natural terrain road course. USA Network will have live race coverage of the ninth race on the 2023 series calendar. Questions heading into the race center on whether the respective class leaders – the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 in GTD PRO and No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 in GTD – can maintain their advantages or will pursuers close the gaps. Here’s what you need to know for the upcoming race weekend:
Fast Facts
Michelin GT Challenge at VIR
VIRginia International Raceway – Alton, Virginia
Aug. 25-27, 2023
Race Day/Time: Sunday, Aug. 27, 2:10 p.m. ET
USA Network Coverage: LIVE – 2-5 p.m.
Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 2 p.m. (available outside the U.S. on IMSA.com/TVLive starting at 2:05 p.m.)
Live Qualifying Stream: Saturday, Aug. 26, 3:20 p.m. on Peacock (in the U.S.) and IMSA.com/TVLive
IMSA Radio: Select sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27 (XM 207, Web/App 992)
Circuit Type: 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course
Classes Competing: GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), GT Daytona (GTD)
Race Length: Two hours, 40 minutes
Track Social Media: Twitter: @virnowInstagram: @virnowFacebook: @virnow
Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #MichelinVIR
WeatherTech Championship Track Records
GTD PRO: Ross Gunn, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, 1:43.953 / 113.243 mph, August 2022
GTD: Ross Gunn, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, 1:43.356 / 113.897 mph, October 2021
2022 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR Winners
GTD PRO: Matt Campbell/Mathieu Jaminet, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R
GTD: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
StorylinesGT Classes Front and Center: The GT classes of the WeatherTech Championship, consisting of FIA GT3-specification cars, headline the race weekend at VIR. It’s the last of two races this season (the other came at Lime Rock Park in July) to feature only the GTD PRO and GTD classes.
Chasing Class Leaders: The points leaders in both GT classes have built sizable but not unsurmountable gaps with consistently strong performances across the season. The No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 sits atop the GTD PRO field by 169 points on the strength of two wins and seven podiums in eight races. The No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 leads in GTD by 205 points thanks to four class victories. With just three races remaining starting at VIR, challengers in both classes need to begin whittling away those deficits.
Penultimate Sprint Cup Race: The IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup – a separate GTD championship comprised of the eight non-endurance races on the schedule – is another matter. Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers and the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 are the reigning Sprint Cup champions and regained the lead in this category with their Aug. 6 triumph at Road America. They are, however, just 59 points up on Marco Sorensen, Roman De Angelis and the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Who’s Hot?
No. 14 Lexus and No. 1 BMW: As stated above, the No. 14 Lexus and No. 1 BMW have put together unequivocally strong seasons and cannot be counted out on any track.
No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin: The hottest team of late, however, has been the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 shared by Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas. They’re riding a two-race win streak in GTD PRO.
Who’s Good Here?
No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R: The popular plaid Porsche is seeking a third straight VIR victory with a third straight different driver lineup. In 2021, Zacharie Robichon and Laurens Vanthoor wheeled the No. 9 to the GTD class win. Last year it was Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet taking the No. 9 to victory lane in GTD PRO. Klaus Bachler and Patrick Pilet aim to make it a Pfaff three-peat in GTD PRO this time around.
Record-Setting Gunn: Heart of Racing driver Ross Gunn has the rare and distinct honor of holding the track record in both classes competing at VIR. The Brit set the GTD standard (1 minute, 43.356 seconds) in 2021 and the GTD PRO record (1:43.953) last year.
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winners in 2023 Field (9)
Bill Auberlen (4): GT – 2002, 2004, 2005; GTD – 2020
Antonio Garcia (3): GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020
Patrick Pilet (2): GTLM – 2015, 2019
Jordan Taylor (2): GT – 2011; GTLM – 2020
Philip Ellis (1): GTD – 2022
Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2020
Bryan Sellers (1): GTD – 2016
Madison Snow (1): GTD – 2016
Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Pole Winners in 2023 Field (6)
Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2021
Ross Gunn (1): GTD PRO – 2022
Jack Hawksworth (1): GTD – 2018
Madison Snow (1): GTD – 2016
Jordan Taylor (1): GT – 2010
Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Teams in 2023 Field (6)
Corvette Racing (5): GT – 2012; GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021
Pfaff Motorsports (2): GTD – 2021; GTD PRO – 2022
Turner Motorsport (2): GTD – 2014, 2020
Paul Miller Racing (1): GTD – 2016
Riley Motorsports (1): GTD – 2019
Winward Racing (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Manufacturers in 2023 Field (6)
Chevrolet – 9
Porsche – 9
BMW – 6
Lexus – 3
Lamborghini – 2
Mercedes-AMG – 2 |
