Category: IMSA

AUSTIN, Texas (August 27, 2024) — The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) team will continue its championship efforts at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Rounds 7 and 8 of the LST North America Championship. With 43 cars set to compete in the two 50-minute rounds, all four WTRAndretti driver pairings remain in championship contention across the PRO, PRO|AM and AM classes. The team will join the World Endurance Championship to take on COTA’s challenging 20 turns across the 3.426-mile track.

Danny Formal and Ryan Norman will return to their No. 1 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST after the duo secured their first win of the 2024 LST North America season at Watkins Glen International. The No. 1 car now sits in third in the PRO class championship standings, with just ten points separating Formal and Norman from the lead. After a double podium finish at Watkins Glen, the driver duo will look to continue their momentum as they enter the second half of the season and make a charge for the championship lead.

Nate Stacy and Nick Persing will continue their championship hunt in the No. 8 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST. A mixed weekend at Watkins Glen saw the duo drop to fourth in the PRO|AM championship, with misfortune ruining their race in the fifth round. However, the pair recovered well, taking a podium in the sixth round of LST North America competition in order to keep their championship hopes intact.

In the No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST, Graham Doyle and Ashton Harrison continue the momentum from Watkins Glen. Two solid finishes by the driver pair across the weekend saw the No. 10 team jump in the AM championship standings as they took their first podium of the season in the fifth round. Entering the second half of the season, both Doyle and Harrison look to continue their positive trajectory.

Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee return to pilot the No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST as the duo looks to string together strong results to regain their championship lead in the AM class. In the last four rounds of the 2024 LST North America season, the driver pair has either stood on the podium or been struck by misfortune during the race. Now sitting in second in the AM championship, McIntosh and McGee will look to regain their consistency from the first rounds as they enter the second half of the season.
The WTRAndretti LST stable will log their first laps around the Circuit of the Americas at 10:20 a.m. CDT on Friday, August 30, with qualifying and the first race of the doubleheader commencing at 9:30 a.m. CDT and 6:10 p.m. CDT respectively on Saturday, August 31. The second race of the weekend will take place at 9:50 a.m. CDT on Sunday, September 1. Rounds 7 and 8 LST North America Championship from Circuit of the Americas will be streamed live on Peacock.

Ryan Norman, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “I’m feeling really good going into COTA race weekend! We had a great couple days of testing and made huge improvements in our car and it was a lot more comfortable over long run pace. We had a strong race weekend in Watkins Glen with a win and 2nd place and Danny and I will be looking to continue that consistency through the rest of the season.”

Danny Formal, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “COTA is up next. This was my first ever race that I did with WTRAndretti back in 2021. Kyle (Marcelli) and I got our first podium in our first race with the team, so super excited to get back there. Our test earlier in the month, we did really well. We tried a lot of stuff and we found really good balance for the car. It’s going to be extremely hot, probably one of the hottest races I’ve ever done in my life, so super excited to get going. So proud of this WTRAndretti team. We’re sitting third in the championship, a few points from the lead. Excited to get going at COTA, get back with the crew, Ryan Norman, and hopefully put the number one car where it belongs.”

Nate Stacy, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “Excited to be back at the track this weekend in the No. 8. After doing some testing here recently with the team, I am confident we have a good racecar and can have some good results!”

Nick Persing, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “I’m really excited to be back at COTA – it was one of my first podiums when I was racing F4 back in the day. I’ve had a lot of time at the track and hope that I can make that track time translate. The test went pretty well earlier this month. It was a little tricky adjusting to the drive style around the track in a GT car rather than a formula car, but I have no doubt I’ll figure it out by the time the race weekend comes and have a feeling it’ll be a good weekend for Nate and I.”

Graham Doyle, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking ahead to my debut in the No. 10 DEX Imaging LST with Ashton. I really how can’t express how excited I am. First, just to get back in the car. It’s been a long break since Watkins Glen, so it’s going to be awesome to be back with the team again and get back to racing. Second, getting to work with Ashton further and continue progressing on our goals we set for the season and our continued improvements race after race. I think COTA will be a place we can really showcase those. As we reach the midpoint in the season and midway in the points, Ashton and I are looking to capitalize on a very strong test we recently had and looking ahead to getting some solid finishes and points that will hopefully leave us in a good position in the standings heading to the final round.”

Ashton Harrison, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking forward to going back to COTA in Super Trofeo. WTRAndretti has had a lot of success there and I’ve personally had some success there in a variety of cars, so I’m looking being at as infamous of a track as COTA. Getting to experience this with Graham, his first time at our test, he did an amazing job – that track is pretty challenging. Looking forward to racing in the AM category and continuing our podium success. As we are winding down the season here in the U.S., preparing for our European tour at World Finals, I’m looking forward to working with Graham and continuing our success with WTRAndretti.”

Anthony McIntosh, No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Glenn and I have prepared quite a bit for this race. The prerace work with the team has been top notch. We are looking forward to racing hard with all the other drivers in the series.”
ABOUT WTRANDRETTI’S DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing, now with Andretti Global (#WTRAndretti), is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. WTRAndretti has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of its Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched eight North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In addition to its Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, WTRAndretti fields a two-car GTP program with it Championship winning No 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 effort as well as GTD program with the No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2.

TF Sport looking for season’s best FIA WEC result in series’ lone American stop

DETROIT (August 27, 2024) – TF Sport and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R program come full-circle this weekend as the FIA World Endurance Championship returns to Circuit of The Americas for the first time since 2020 at the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans.

Two of the TF Sport-run Corvettes are set for Sunday’s race around the 21-turn, 3.4-mile circuit in Austin. It’s the lone visit to the U.S. for the FIA WEC and the pair of first-year GT3.Rs that are part of the LMGT3 class.

However, it isn’t the first race for the Corvettes at COTA this season as the Corvette swept both rounds of GT World Challenge America.

Despite a difference in weather conditions – May vs. September and tires – Pirelli vs. Goodyear – there are significant lessons that can carry over to the WEC round.

From an engineering perspective, suspension and other points in chassis setup – with validations from Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop simulator – should provide a solid baseline for when TF Sport arrives at COTA and hits the track for Friday’s first practice.

The squad has previous success at COTA with a GTE-Am class win in the last FIA WEC event at the track in 2020. Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood was part of the winning lineup and was part of the program’s first test with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R roughly a year ago.

Eastwood will continue in the No. 81 Corvette alongside full-season teammates Tom Van Rompuy and Rui Andrade – each of which will compete at COTA for the first time. So will all three members of the No. 82 Z06 GT3.R lineup: while Hiroshi Koizumi, Sebastien Baud and factory driver Daniel Juncadella, who also tested the Corvette for the first at COTA last August.

The Lone Star Le Mans is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 1. MotorTrend TV will air live television coverage with streaming coverage on the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans also will stream audio coverage of Saturday’s final practice and qualifying, plus Sunday’s race.

TF SPORT PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “In general it’s a fantastic track. It’s undergone some repaving so it will be interesting to see what happens with that. I have fond memories of COTA. The last time we were there in WEC we won the race, which was a great result. It also was the very first place I got to drive the Z06 GT3.R a year ago in the heat of the summer, which is what we’re going to have. I think it will suit the car very well. Degradation will be a key – in the middle of summer in Austin it’s not going to be cool at all – so managing that from the outset will be important. I’m looking forward to it. Brazil wasn’t a great result but we showed some strong pace, which at the minute is what we need to show. We’ve got a bit of confidence going in.

“The three sectors are three different racetracks, for sure. The first is super-high speed. You really have to have a good aero platform to get through. It’s still seven corners but they’re almost all high-speed so you need a good car under you. The middle sector is super-tricky with really long apexes and really late apexes. Then going to the final sector you still need a really good car under you. There is a lot of speed so the deg will be high. It’s a really tricky track to get it fully hooked up. It’s a super-long lap with a lot of high-speed corners with a lot of corners… it’ll test both the car and the drivers. Hopefully we can put everything together for a good result.”

RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m very excited to race in COTA for the first time. The track is incredible and to race a Corvette in the USA is such an amazing opportunity. The season hasn’t been easy for us but we are taking steps forward, and in Brazil we saw some good steps in performance. I can’t wait to hit the track and give it our all to try and chase some trophies.”

DANIEL JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “COTA will be quite a special event for me. I’ve never raced at COTA but I did my first test there in a Corvette GT3 last August. So it’s cool to close out my first proper year of driving Corvettes at COTA. With it being the home WEC race for the Corvette should be a good event. The track is cool. Watching on TV, you always think it’s not super-exciting because there is so much asphalt runoffs there. But when I drove there last year, I was quite impressed by the combination of high-speed corners, the fast changes of direction and elevation. It’s quite interesting and I really enjoyed it, even though I only drove maybe 20 or 25 laps. So it should be cool. It will be difficult to manage the heat so that will play a big role in terms of strategy and how we manage the tires. These are a couple of good ingredients to make the race quite exciting for everybody. Hopefully we can navigate those and get our best result for the season.”

2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Points

LMGT3 Drivers Standings

1. Aliaksandr Malykhin/Joel Sturm/Klaus Bachler – 100
2. Morris Schuring/Richard Lietz/Yasser Shahin – 75
3. Augusto Farfus/Darren Leung/Sean Gelael – 74
4. Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James – 55
5. Alessio Rovera/Francois Heriau/Simon Mann – 49
6. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 11
7. Daniel Juncadella/Hiroshi Koizumi/Sebastien Baud – 10

LMGT3 Teams Standings

1. No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing – 100
2. No. 91 Manthey EMA – 75
3. No. 31 Team WRT – 74
4. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team – 55
5. No. 55 Vista AF Corse – 49
6. No. 81 TF Sport – 11
7. No. 82 TF Sport – 10

CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: By the Numbers

• 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at COTA since 2013 – Corvette C6.R (2013), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and the mid-engine Corvette C8.R – which raced at COTA for the first time in WEC competition in 2020 – and Z06 GT3.R, both of which are eighth-gen Corvettes
• 4: Class wins at COTA for Corvette Racing entries in two championships: IMSA and GT World Challenge America. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen won twice in ALMS GT/WeatherTech Championship GTLM. Tommy Milner and Alec Udell won in GT World Challenge America earlier this year in the first wins for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R
• 8: Wins this year for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R including two earlier this year at Circuit of The Americas
• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
• 51: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. DXDT Racing’s Bryson Morris joined the list at Road America in GT World Challenge America
• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
• 135: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 116 in IMSA, nine at Le Mans, three in the FIA WEC and seven in GT World Challenge America
• 302: Event starts by Corvette Racing entries since 1999, starting with that year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. No. 300 came in early August at Road America in IMSA
• 3845.40: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its eight previous events at Circuit of The Americas. That represents 24 trips across the Texas Panhandle.
• 387,712.20: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon and more than halfway back!

Corvette Racing at Circuit of The Americas

2013 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 11th in GT

2014 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 10th in GTLM

2014 – FIA WEC

No. 65 Corvette C7.R: Tommy Milner/Jordan Taylor/Ricky Taylor – 7th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC entry)

2015 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 6th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 8th in GTLM

2016 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 3rd in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 5th in GTLM

2017 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 1st in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 7th in GTLM

2020 – FIA WEC

No. 63 Corvette C8.R: Jan Magnussen/Mike Rockenfeller: 6th in GTE Pro

2024 – GT World Challenge

No. 63 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Alec Udell – 1st,1st in Pro

No. 08 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Bryan Sellers/Scott Smithson – 6th, 11th in Pro-Am

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

DANVILLE, Virginia – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Korthoff Preston Motorsports (KPM) broke through for its first victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s competitive GT Daytona (GTD) class Sunday with a convincing win by team co-drivers Mikael Grenier and Kenton Koch in the No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The No. 32’s maiden win came just over three years after the team made its IMSA GTD debut in July of 2021 at Watkins Glen International. The triumph follows KPM’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD team and driver championships last year and several near-miss shots at a race win over the course of the team’s full-season campaigns, which began in 2022.

After qualifying on the outside front row – KPM’s second stout qualifying performance in a row after Grenier won the pole earlier this month at Road America – Koch pounced from his second place starting position to grab the GTD lead on the first lap of the race. Koch then maintained a close but comfortable gap on the field while doing his best to save fuel in what turned out to be a double stint to open the race.

Grenier took the wheel after the KPM team executed its second flawless pit stop and picked right up where Koch left off. The KPM team led a GTD class-high 82 of the race’s 86 laps, losing the top spot only twice for two laps each time when the field cycled through a pair of green-flag pit stops. With a GTD Pro competitor in between him and the second place GTD challenger, Grenier took the checkered flag for the milestone win by 0.897 of a second.

Meanwhile, season-long GTD class championship leaders Winward Racing and team co-drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis secured a solid race result to improve their points margin with a late charge to a fourth-place finish. After Ward kept the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the lead pack and out of trouble in his race-opening stint, a good stop by the Winward crew just before the race’s 45-minute mark put Ellis back in the race in the top 10.

Driving almost the final two hours over the course of two stints, Ellis kept the championship in mind as he chose his battles and looked for the right chances to improve race positions. The best opportunities came in the final 10 minutes of the race when Ellis took advantage of being in the middle of a GTD Pro class battle and the typical frenzied fight to the finish that always occurs at the end of IMSA races.

Ellis found a way by Winward’s closest championship competitor to take the checkered flag in a race-high fourth place and one spot ahead of their title rival.

With two endurance races remaining on 2024’s schedule next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and in October at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the No. 57 team and drivers have a 284-point lead in the WeatherTech GTD standings, 2,698 – 2,414, over the nearest competitor.

Sunday’s KPM win also gave Mercedes-AMG another major boost in the GTD manufacturer championship with the Silver Star’s series-leading fifth victory of the season following Winward’s four race wins in the first half of the year. Now with 2,882 points, a season-high 507 clear of the closest competitor, Mercedes-AMG heads to next month’s race in Indianapolis with a chance to clinch the title one race before the end of the season.

Grenier and the KPM team also improved their stakes in the GTD team and driver championship standings with Sunday’s win. The No. 32 KPM squad is third in the GTD team championship with 2,178 points while Grenier moved into third in the driver championship rankings for the first time this season with the same number of points.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams is the Battle on the Bricks six-hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, September 19 – 22. Longtime KPM driver Mike Skeen returns to the No. 32 with Grenier and Koch at Indy while Indy Dontje resumes his familiar endurance roll with Winward to co-drive the No. 57 with Ward and Ellis.

Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I’m happy, especially for Herb Korthoff and the entire Korthoff Preston Motorsports team. All of the mechanics, they have been working so hard, but we have just had some bad luck. We should have won three or four races over the last few years, but you can never stop trying, so it is good to get a victory. We started off Friday really off, we were almost the last car, and it was really hard to drive, but we made a good change overnight with good feedback from my teammate. We had good track position after Kenton’s great qualifying and we knew we had to keep it. I think it is hard to overtake for everyone here. Kenton took the lead and did a good job with fuel saving, so it gave us a short pit stop. In the end, I was just managing a bit and keeping them behind me. Every win is important, but this one is very special, extra special because I am happy for the team, I know that they wanted this, and I am also happy for Kenton.”

Kenton Koch, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Having the track position here is really important, so once we were where we needed to be I was kind of managing it from there, just making it to each pit stop with as much fuel in the tank so we would have the shortest stop as possible. We did that, the crew nailed the stops like they always do, and then we’re able to maintain track position. My first win in GTD and for the team as well. Everyone has worked really hard to get to this point, to finally have the planets align. They knew it was coming eventually as we’ve always had opportunities to win, but something has always gotten in our way. Not this time! It feels good, and it definitely feels good to be piloting one of these Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars. It’s only my second time here in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, and first in GTD, but we have wins now two years in a row. Obviously, the car is quite nice to drive. I’m very fortunate to be a part of this program.”

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Finishing ahead of our main competitor is helpful but I wouldn’t say it makes it easier. I think it’s going to be the same mentality going into the final races of keeping out of trouble and making sure we finish. Increasing the points gap a little bit again is nice but this was more of a statement, I would say, to them that we will also give them a good fight, a good run for their money. It was a good fight, and I tried to pick the right battles along the way with the right cars, choosing who I let by, who I would fight, and try to wiggle our way back to the front that way. It worked out perfectly. Of course, it would have been a little bit nicer to be an extra step or two up on the podium, but from where we started the weekend, and how it was going with the safety car and with the GTD Pro cars in between battling, I think it was a very good race for us.”

DANVILLE, Va. (Aug. 24, 2024) – Showing flashes of pace and continued improvement of his racecraft, Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing) has been on the cusp of a Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race win all season. After one corner of Saturday’s race at VIRginia International Raceway, it looked as though he’d have to keep waiting, but a stunning comeback finally put Fletcher on the top step of the podium for the very first time. He was joined by young rookie Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing) and 2021 series champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing).

Starting second, Fletcher had the outside lane going into Turn One. He dropped a wheel and that was all it took for physics to pull him off the track and through the grass. He came to a stop just before the tire wall and was able to continue, albeit at the back of the field.

“It was driver error,” Fletcher said. “I apologize to the team for making them stress out. I knew I had to put my head down and really get back after it. I knew the McCumbee McAleer guys provided me with a great race car.”

Fortunately for him, a full-course caution was issued only a few moments later when three cars tangled in Turn 10. On the restart, Fletcher was able to pick up six positions in one lap to kick start his comeback. He was into the top 10 by lap six.

The top 10 cars were glued nose to tail and it took everything Fletcher had to find his way through the pack, especially without another full-course caution for the rest of the 45-minute race.

In a series where the draft is a huge factor and the winning pass is often made on the final lap, Fletcher made the surprise decision to execute a three-wide pass for the lead in Turn One with more than six minutes left on the clock.

“Honestly, I haven’t really led much this year so far,” Fletcher explained. “So, I was really excited to get out there. I just wanted to stay consistent, and I was pretty confident I could do it from the front.”

He was right. Even with heavy pressure from two-time series champion Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) for the final four laps, Fletcher stayed out front and finally got his first MX-5 Cup win.

“You’ve just got to get them on your bumper and make it happen,” Fletcher said. “The Home Restoration Store, Home Decor and More, McCumbee McAleer machine got it done today and I’m so thankful for everyone.”

Finishing second by 0.070-second, Workman also had a lot of work to do, to make the podium. The rookie started seventh on the grid but made a skillful restart after the full-course caution and was into second by lap six.

“I think I was just able to get a good run on all the straightaways and was able to make up some time on the cars in front of me throughout that lap,” Workman said. “I was able to get to second. I stayed in second for a while, pushing whoever was leading me. It [the leader] was kind of flip flopping around a lot and I was always the second car in line, either pushing Gresham [Wagner] or Jared [Thomas]. Then, I finally went for the lead, and I was just managing the gap behind me.”

Managing was hard work when the top eight were still nose-to-tail through the fast and technical circuit.

“It’s a lot of trusting the drivers around you,” Workman said. “I’ve been racing with these guys all year, so I kind of know their driving styles and where they’re gonna brake and things like that. I was in second for so long, just to get to know the drivers around me. During that time that I was in second, I was able to find that breaking point and break there every single lap to manage the gap in front of me.”

Starting from pole, Wagner led early, but lost pace in the closing stages of the race and even fell out of the top five with four laps to go.

“It’s tough to push non-stop just because the temperatures get so high, so it incentivizes passing and getting some clean air every couple laps,” Wagner said. “At some point, I just shuffled back and then tried to work my way back. The car wasn’t 100 percent. I didn’t have the running in the first practice, so the setup was just a tick from where I’d want it. I just tried to set myself up to always move forward the last 10 minutes and take advantage of the racing ahead of me.”

Exiting the final corner, Wagner was fourth, but prepared for the long drag race to the finish line.

“Fourth place is a tough spot, because you’re at the whim of what happens in front,” Wagner said. “But thankfully a lane opened up and I pushed Weston through to second and also my teammate to his first win. So, all things considered, I’m pretty happy with it.”

Thomas was seemingly in the wrong lane at the finish and didn’t have anyone to give him a push, so he crossed the finish line in fourth.

Jonathan Neudorf (No. 55 BSI Racing) had one of the best races of his MX-5 Cup career and secured a personal best of fifth place.

The point leader coming into VIR, Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 JTR Motorsports Engineering) finished seventh, right behind Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) who came into the weekend second in points.

Round 12 of the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin goes green Sunday at 9:45am ET with live streaming on the RACER and IMSA YouTube Channels.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

ALTON, Virginia (August 24, 2024) – The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) GTD team secured a solid sixth place starting position around the challenging corners of VIRginia International Raceway. Kyle Marcelli put together an impressive lap time of 01:44.504 as he managed to balance speed and precision to start toward the front of the 14-car GTD field.

The No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 team will take on the final sprint race of the season on Sunday, August 25 as Danny Formal and Kyle Marcelli close out the sprint championship for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is set to take place at 12:10 p.m. ET with live coverage on USA Network.

TOP FIVE GTD STARTING GRID

1. No. 55 Proton Competition (Ford Mustang GT3) C. Lewis, G. Levorato (113.300 mph)
2. No. 32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsports (Mercedes-AMG GT3) M. Grenier, K. Koch (113.076 mph)
3. No. 120 Wright Motorsports (Porsche 911 GT3 R) E. Skeer, A. Adelson (113.063 mph)
4. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team (Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo) Z. Robichon, R. De Angelis (112.799 mph)
5. No. 96 Turner Motorsport (BMW M4 GT3) P. Gallagher, R. Foley (112.646 mph)
6. No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 (Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2) K. Marcelli, D. Formal (112.606 mph)

KYLE MARCELLI, No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2: “I expected more. I did everything I could. It was really difficult to get more speed out of myself and the car. I’m just frustrated with the result on paper. I rest easy knowing that I did everything I could. I made some mistakes, and it was easy to make mistakes. I think that was the biggest challenge I had; you were either under the limit or over the limit. It was really hard to find the sweet spot. I wanted more for the team and for myself, but that’s all we had.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.

WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.

No. 3 Corvette qualifies second, Milner on inside of third row in GT-only fight

ALTON, Va. (August 24, 2024) – Antonio Garcia will start on the outside of the front row Sunday after leading the group of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R drivers in qualifying for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.

Garcia, in the No. 3 Corvette from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, set a best qualifying lap of 1:43.346 (113.908 mph) in Saturday’s 15-minute qualifying session. That put him 0.140 seconds off the GTD PRO pole-winning time around the 3.27-mile, 17-turn Virginia International Raceway circuit.

Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Z06 GT3.R was fifth in class at 1:43.745 (113.470 mph) and four-tenths of a second from the front row for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s lone GT-only event. The Virginia driver was on the back foot early after being balked on his first flying lap by another car that ran ahead of both Corvettes.

The Pratt Miller squad claimed six victories at VIR under the Corvette Racing factory banner through the end of last season, including last year’s win for Garcia and Jordan Taylor in the Corvette C8.R. The Z06 GT3.R already has two VIR wins this year as DXDT Racing swept both rounds of GT World Challenge America there earlier this year with Milner as one of its drivers.

In GTD, Orey Fidani qualified the No. 13 AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R 14th in class with a lap of 1:47.306 (109.704 mph). He and Matt Bell are coming off a season-best, fifth-place finish the last time out at Road America. A repeat – or besting that result – at VIR would solidify Fidani’s lead in the Bob Akin Award standings, with the highest points-scoring Bronze driver at the end of the year earning an automatic entry to the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. ET on Sunday. The race will air live on USA starting at noon ET with live streaming on Peacock inside the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S. IMSA Radio will stream the call of the race at IMSA.com with coverage also on XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED SECOND IN GTD PRO: “It was a confusing session with people slowing down, so you were forced to slow down in order to start the next lap. I’m sure we were in everybody’s way most of the time. I tried to be clean and do the best I could. I’m happy with the position for sure. I wasn’t expecting this, and I wasn’t expecting such a long track to be so busy. But yeah, that’s the way it went.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED FIFTH IN GTD PRO: “It was a frustrating qualifying session. I think if you asked everyone except the pole-sitter, they would probably agree. It was a messy qualifying. Realistically we’ve had too many of those as a series… too many sessions where people try and build gaps all the time and cause problems. My quick lap was OK. I’m not crazy unhappy with it, but it would have been nice to have had a normal qualifying progression where I could go for two laps and see what that would have been. The good thing is that it’s just GTD PRO cars ahead of us, which is good. But we do have our work cut out for us. This is a place where having straight-line speed is very beneficial, and in the current state of things we don’t have a lot of that. So we’ll need to be clever tomorrow with our strategy. We’re prepared for that and know what to expect. We’ll work on that overnight tonight and see what we can come up with for the race.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

• Trinkler Coaches and Co-Drives with Mark Sandridge and His Son Jordan Sandridge in Saturday’s International GT (IGT) Endurance Race in the Mission Foods SpeedTour Weekend at Watkins Glen International
• Trinkler Returns to Competition Just Over Eight Months After Sustaining Third-Degree Burns in a Testing Incident and Michelin Pilot Challenge Podium Finish Just Six Weeks Later at Daytona International Speedway

WATKINS GLEN, New York (August 22, 2024) – Owen Trinkler, a past IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) Champion, returns to on-track competition this weekend co-driving with longtime sports car racing driver and entrant Mark Sandridge, and his son Jordan Sandridge, in the No. 58 Team Salad/Sandridge Crafted Foods Type 991 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Saturday’s featured International GT (IGT) Endurance race. The race and full IGT schedule is part of the Mission Foods SpeedTour event today through Sunday at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York.

Trinkler’s return to the cockpit comes a little over eight months after sustaining third-degree burns on his left arm and hand when his Team TGM Aston Martin caught fire at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in a pre-season test session last December. Remarkably, Trinkler drove through the pain of his recovering injuries just six weeks later to not only race at Daytona in January’s season-opening Pilot Challenge GS race but finish on the podium. In addition to the third-place overall and GS-class result, Trinkler qualified second despite minimal practice and led the four-hour race in the early stages.

“I am looking forward to getting back on track this weekend,” Trinkler said. “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the support I received from the IMSA paddock and everyone who reached out to me during my recovery from the third-degree burns sustained during testing at Daytona last December. Among those at the top of that list is Mark Sandridge and his son Jordan who welcome me back to their team this weekend to not only continue coaching with Team Salad but also to co-drive with them in Saturday’s International GT endurance race at Watkins Glen. I can’t thank them for the timely opportunity and I am more than ready to get back behind the wheel and help them get to victory lane and closeout the year’s final stretch of IGT race weekends with a trio of top results.”

With Watkins Glen and two following race weekends the only remaining rounds on the IGT calendar, Mark Sandridge is in the top five of the IGT Mission Foods GT3 Cup Championship standings.

“Owen is not only a gifted driver but also a dedicated and committed professional,” Mark Sandridge said. “His strategic approach to racing, and unwavering focus on improvement have earned him respect and admiration within the racing community. This dedication is evident in his consistent performance and ability to overcome challenges on and off the track. This all contributes to his skill at mentoring drivers as well, and Owen is the perfect coach for developing amateur drivers like my son Jordan and myself. Under Owen’s guidance, we have significantly improved our driving skills and gained a deeper appreciation for the sport.”

This weekend’s race in the Porsche will be Trinkler’s first in competition since January’s heroic effort. After that race, Trinkler’s successful seven-year run with TGM came to a conclusion, but he has kept busy coaching the Sandridges and others.

His 2018 Pilot Challenge driver and team championship titles played a role in Trinkler being named GT4 Driver of The Year in Sportscar365.com’s popular year-end acknowledgements published each December.

With nearly 200 IMSA race starts and a Pilot Challenge record of wins ranking in the top 10, Trinkler aims to leverage his extensive experience and past success to secure a full-time driving role for the 2025 season. He is also focused on completing his ahead-of-schedule recovery from last year’s injuries.

“My personal team and the medical professionals have been nothing short of outstanding, and I am making progress each day,” Trinkler said. “As I continue to heal, we are also exploring our options for the 2025 race season. This journey has reinforced my appreciation for the strength of our racing community. With over 30 years of experience in the paddock, I am eager to lead a new team toward a championship as we look ahead.”

DANVILLE, Virginia – Championship-leading Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams and Mercedes-AMG begin the year’s final three-race stretch run of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway with the annual Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, August 23 – 25. Sunday’s two-hour and 40-minute race is the final WeatherTech Championship sprint event of the season and the year’s only race spotlighting the series’ GT Daytona (GTD) and GTD Pro divisions in their own feature race. The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is scheduled to start this Sunday at 12:10 p.m. EDT with live television coverage on the USA Network and NBC’s livestream platform Peacock beginning 10 minutes earlier at Noon EDT. International viewers can see the action live on www.IMSA.com/TVLive.

Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams Winward Racing and Korthoff Preston Motorsports kick-off this season’s final three races with across the board leads in all three GTD-class season-long championships contested in the WeatherTech Championship.

Winward, and team co-drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, has set the standard in the overall WeatherTech Championship this season with a series-high four GTD class wins. The four victories are the most for any WeatherTech Championship team in any class this year, with no single team in the series’ three other divisions winning more than two races.

The series-best win record includes victories in the season’s first three endurance races at Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen and a sprint race win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Full-season team drivers Ward and Ellis drove in all four victories with Indy Dontje partnering as the team’s third driver for the endurance race wins. Daniel Morad also joined the Winward squad as the team’s fourth and race-closing driver at the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The Winward No. 57, Ward and Ellis have led the WeatherTech Championship GTD team and driver point standings all season. They arrive in VIR atop the GTD driver and team championships by 268 points, 2,396 – 2,128.

Meanwhile, Korthoff Preston has stepped up to carry the day for the Silver Star on more than one occasion this year, finishing a Mercedes-AMG best third place in April’s Grand Prix of Long Beach and winning the pole one race ago at Road America with team driver Mikael Grenier.

The No. 32 team and drivers have quietly moved into third place in the GTD team championship standings with 1,796 points. The reigning Michelin Endurance Cup Champion team and drivers have what it takes to make a move in the year’s final races after VIR, which includes the 6-Hour Battle on The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 10-Hour Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Kenton Koch co-drives with Grenier once again this weekend while longtime team driver Mike Skeen assists with race strategy from the pits for the second-straight race weekend. Skeen returns to his more familiar driver role for the Indy and Road Atlanta endurance races.

The collective performance of both Winward and Korthoff Preston this season has built Mercedes-AMG’s robust lead in the GTD manufacturer championship standing to an even 2,500 points, a season-high 473 tallies ahead of the second-place competitor’s 2,027 points.

A pair of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams are also entered in Saturday’s two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race at VIR in the top-tier Grand Sport (GS) class.

Morad and co-driver Bryce Ward – Russell Ward’s father – share the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 while Jesse Webb and teammate Michai Stephens co-drive the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Following practice sessions for both the WeatherTech Championship and Pilot Challenge Friday, Saturday includes qualifying for both series and the two-hour Pilot Challenge race that afternoon at 2:15 p.m. EDT.

Pilot Challenge GS qualifying takes place earlier Saturday at 8:20 a.m. EDT while WeatherTech GTD and GTD Pro qualifying follows the Pilot Challenge race at 4:50 p.m. EDT.

Sunday’s WeatherTech Championship race schedule features only the featured two-hour and 40-minute race for GTD and GTD Pro competitors at 12:10 p.m. EDT.

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Personally, I really like the track in Virginia. I think it’s one of the tracks that suits us quite well, but it will still be a tough race for us as usual, and we are hoping for some more green flag running than we had at Road America as over longer stints we are pretty strong. We also proved last year we are strong strategically as well on the fuel game. We are looking for a strong finish, and hopefully in front of our nearest championship contenders to extend that points lead again. I am looking forward to the race. This is the last of this year’s sprint races before the year-end endurance races, but I think we take them all the same. It’s a shame there are not extra points in the endurance races as that is where we are at our best with the team and longer races suit the Mercedes-AMG GT3 as well. We will just continue to have clean execution as we have done in all of the last few races and, to be honest, the entire year.”

Kenton Koch, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “This will be my first time at VIR in a WeatherTech Championship race. I have winning Mercedes-AMG GT3 experience there last year in GT World Challenge with Daniel Morad. So, I have a little bit of experience there with the platform and I am excited to get back there with KPM. Road America went well, we had some speed, and were right there with Winward and nose-to-tail fighting for the podium until the very end. Wasn’t able to finish the job, but we had some good strategy from Mike on the stand, and we were quite fortunate to have him as he obviously knows it well from firsthand experience. It’s good to have him onboard throughout the rest of the year and for the season-ending long races. We are excited to get back to VIR, it’s just a fun place to be for us.”

BATAVIA, Ohio. (August 21, 2024) – Wright Motorsports heads back to VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend for the next round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. After a second-place finish at VIR last month in the Fanatec GT World Challenge, the team is well-prepared to fight for another strong result in the WeatherTech Championship with the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“We’ve had a strong season so far, and coming off a great result at VIR last month gives us a lot of confidence heading into this weekend,” said John Wright, Team Owner of Wright Motorsports. “Our team has been working hard, and we believe the car is in a great spot to compete for another podium. Adam and Elliott have shown tremendous growth this season, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together at this GT-only event.”

Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer have piloted the green and yellow Porsche to a podium finish twice so far this season, and this weekend, the pair aspire to nab their first IMSA WeatherTech win. Twenty-three entries will compete in the GT-only weekend, with 14 of them making up the GTD class in which Wright competes. Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute race will be the last sprint event of the 2024 season, with just the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta remaining.

VIRginia International Raceway is a favorite among drivers and fans alike, known for its challenging layout and picturesque setting. The 3.27-mile circuit features 17 turns and a mix of high-speed straights and technical sections that test both driver skill and car setup.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR will begin on Sunday at 12:10 PM ET, streaming live on Peacock and airing live domestically on the USA Network. Fans outside the United States can stream live on imsa.com/tvlive. For event information, visit imsa.com.

EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Eastern

Friday, August 23

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Practice One

Saturday, August 24

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Practice Two
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Autograph Session
4:50 PM – 5:05 PM Qualifying

Sunday, August 25

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM Open Grid Fan Walk
12:10 PM – 2:50 PM Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

Adam Adelson

I’m super excited to be racing at VIR for the second time this year. It’s my favorite track. I’ve always looked up and admired to those IMSA weekends where they just put the GT cars on a pedestal, where I think they deserve to be there. There are such amazing vehicles, and to just be in racing there is a dream come true for me. I’m really excited.

Elliott Skeer

There is nothing better than GT racing in North America, and to do it at a place like VIR truly represents old-school GT racing at its finest. It is definitely going to be an incredible event, and just having SRO recently there really makes me feel prepped and ready to go for what the IMSA WeatherTech fight can be. Definitely everything in my life is leading up to try to win an IMSA event, and I can’t really think of a better one to try and get it at than VIR.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.