GT World Challenge America at VIR: Sedgwick and Heylen Dominate
The GT World Challenge America made a return to racing at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this past weekend, marking its fourth event of the season. RS1’s Alex Sedgwick and Jan Heylen showcased a dominant performance, clinching wins in both races and re-entering the title contention with only three rounds remaining.
Race 1 Recap
Philip Ellis of Regulator Racing secured the pole position for Race 1 on Saturday, driving the #91 Mercedes-AMG GT3. He swiftly established a significant lead, exceeding five seconds over Kenton Koch’s #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO within the first 15 minutes. As rain fell, teams prepared for changing conditions, with Ellis maintaining an 11-second lead after 30 minutes.
However, a spin by LAB Motorsport’s Jean-Frederic Laberge, who hit the barriers at Turn 16, resulted in a Safety Car period. Following routine pit stops, an unexpected twist occurred as the #50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Corvette, piloted by Aaron Povoledo, assumed the lead. Yet, a drive-through penalty for Bill Auberlen in the #51 BMW altered the race dynamics.
Heylen, who had restarted the race in seventh, rapidly climbed the ranks, overtaking Connor De Phillippi for the Pro class lead and later assuming overall leadership. Povoledo’s attempt to retain his position faltered after a late pit stop, dropping him to 13th place. De Phillippi finished second overall with Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg securing third overall and the Pro-Am class victory, highlighting an exciting battle for positions just before the flag.
Race 2 Highlights
In Race 2, Heylen started from pole, continuing the momentum established in Race 1. Despite an early Safety Car, he quickly built a ten-second lead over Stephens’ #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG. Sedgwick managed to maintain pace after the driver change, securing RS1’s second victory of the weekend.
The #34 Mercedes of Stephens and Mikaël Grenier finished a strong second, while Koch and De Phillippi’s #99 BMW placed third, keeping their championship lead intact, albeit by a narrowing margin. Heylen and Sedgwick now sit 14 points behind in the Pro class standings, with Stephens and Grenier in third, trailing by 20 points.
Championship Standings
Turner Motorsport had a strong showing across both races, with Rothberg’s continued success in Pro-Am bolstering their standings significantly. The duo’s performance extended their championship lead, while Regulator Racing faced setbacks, including a retirement for the #91 Mercedes in Race 2.
Upcoming Event
The series will now head to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, from August 15-17, where the championship battle intensifies as teams aim to capitalize on the recent results.
For more details and in-depth analysis, updates will follow as the season progresses.
