GT Challenge at VIR

GT Challenge at VIR
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
VenueVirginia International Raceway
Corporate sponsorMichelin
First race1957
First USCC race2014
Duration2 hours 40 minutes
Most wins (driver)Walt Hansgen (4)
Most wins (team)Briggs Cunningham (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Riley (7)

The GT Challenge at VIR is a sports car race held at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, since 1957. After being a part of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship and the IMSA GT Championship the race, along with the track, went on hiatus from the early 1970s until 2002. It returned as a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series, and became an American Le Mans Series race in 2012. In 2014 the race joined the schedule of the United SportsCar Championship after the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series.

The race length has varied from 150 to 500 km. The former title VIR 240 refers to the duration of 240 minutes (4 hours). In 2013, the race was renamed the Oak Tree Grand Prix.[1]

Beginning in 2016, the Oak Tree Grand Prix became the name of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge support race run on the same weekend as the United SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.

Winners

Season Date Overall Winner(s) Entrant Car Distance/Duration Race Title Report
SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1957 August 4 United States Carroll Shelby United States John Engar Maserati 450S 100 km (62 mi) Inaugural Grand Prix Sports Car Races report
October 27 United States Charles Wallace United States Briggs Cunningham Jaguar D-type 2 hours, 30 minutes President's Cup Race report
1958 May 4 United States Walt Hansgen United States Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 1 hour National Championship Spring Sprint Sports Car Road Races report
October 5 United States Walt Hansgen United States Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 150 km (93 mi) Autumn Festival Sports Car Races report
1959 May 3 United States Walt Hansgen United States Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 200 km (120 mi) VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report
1960 May 1 United States Bob Holbert Porsche 718 RSK 200 km (120 mi) VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report
1961 April 30 United States Walt Hansgen United States Briggs Cunningham Maserati Tipo 61 3 hours President's Cup report
1962 April 29 United States Roger Penske Cooper Monaco 2 hours, 30 minutes President's Cup report
1963 April 27 United States Don Devine United States Meister Brauser Racing Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes VIR National Cup report
1964 April 19 United States Ed Lowther Genie Mk.8-Ford 58 mi (93 km) National Championship Sports Car Races report
1965
–
1970 		Not held
IMSA GT Championship
1971 April 18 United States Peter Gregg
United States Hurley Haywood		 United States Brumos Porsche-Audi Porsche 914/6 300 mi (480 km) Danville 300 report
1972 April 16 United States Peter Gregg
United States Hurley Haywood		 United States Peter Gregg Porsche 911 S 250 mi (400 km) Danville 250 report
1973
–
2001 		Not held
Rolex Sports Car Series
2002 September 1 United Kingdom Andy Wallace
United States Chris Dyson		 United States Dyson Racing Crawford SSC2K-Judd 500 mi (800 km) VIR 500 report
2003 October 5 United Kingdom Andy Pilgrim
United States Terry Borcheller		 United States Bell Motorsports Doran JE4-Chevrolet 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2004 October 3 South Africa Wayne Taylor
Italy Max Angelelli		 United States SunTrust Racing Riley Mk.XI-Pontiac 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2005 October 9 Mexico Luis Díaz
United States Scott Pruett		 United States Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XI-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes VIR 400 report
2006 April 23 Germany Mike Rockenfeller
United States Patrick Long		 United States Alex Job Racing Crawford DP03-Porsche 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2007 April 29 South Africa Wayne Taylor
Italy Max Angelelli
Denmark Jan Magnussen		 United States SunTrust Racing Riley Mk.XI-Pontiac 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2008 April 27 United States Scott Pruett
Mexico Memo Rojas		 United States Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XX-Lexus 250 mi (400 km) Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2009 April 25 United States Jon Fogarty
United States Alex Gurney		 United States GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Riley Mk.XX-Pontiac 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2010 April 24 United States Scott Pruett
Mexico Memo Rojas		 United States Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XX-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2011 May 14 Portugal João Barbosa
United States Terry Borcheller
United States J. C. France		 United States Action Express Racing Riley Mk.XI-Porsche 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
American Le Mans Series
2012 September 15 Germany Lucas Luhr
Germany Klaus Graf		 United States Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 4 hours American Le Mans Series VIR 240 report[2]
2013 October 5 Germany Lucas Luhr
Germany Klaus Graf		 United States Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 2 hours, 45 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[3]
United SportsCar Championship
20141 August 24 Mexico Luis Díaz
United States Sean Rayhall 		United States 8 Star Motorsports Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes (2 x 45-minute segments) Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[4][5]
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella
Germany Pierre Kaffer 		United States Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia 2 hours, 45 minutes
20151 August 23 France Patrick Pilet
United Kingdom Nick Tandy 		Germany Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR 2 hours, 40 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[6]
2016 August 28 Spain Antonio García
Denmark Jan Magnussen 		United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2017 August 27 Spain Antonio García
Denmark Jan Magnussen 		United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2018 August 19 United States Connor De Phillippi
United Kingdom Alexander Sims 		United States BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2019 August 25 France Patrick Pilet
United Kingdom Nick Tandy 		United States Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2020 August 22 Spain Antonio García
United States Jordan Taylor 		United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2021 October 9 United States Tommy Milner

United Kingdom Nick Tandy

United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2022 August 28 Australia Matt Campbell

France Mathieu Jaminet

Canada Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2023 August 27 Spain Antonio García

United States Jordan Taylor

United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2024 August 25 TBA TBA TBA 2 hour, 40 minutes

References

  1. ^ "2013 ALMS Schedule". alms.com. American Le Mans Series. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  2. ^ "2012 VIR 240 Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 20 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  3. ^ "2013 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ^ "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official PC Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official GTLM/GTD Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. ^ "2015 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2014-11-24.