IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge: Catalano Claims Fourth Win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – Valentino Catalano demonstrated mastery in the Le Mans Prototype 3 (P3) class, securing his fourth victory of the season at the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Driving the No. 30 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08, Catalano’s win solidifies his lead in the championship standings.
Race Overview
The race commenced under altered conditions after Oscar Tunjo, Catalano’s teammate, faced a setback. Post-qualifying technical inspections relegated Tunjo from pole position to the rear of the P3 field, promoting Jonathan Woolridge’s No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320 to pole.
Woolridge led initially but was overtaken by Catalano on lap eight with a decisive maneuver at Turn 8, subsequently setting up for an optimal line into Turn 9. By lap 12, Tunjo had climbed back to third, trailing Catalano by over three seconds.
However, disaster struck for Tunjo on lap 19 when the left front wheel and tire detached from his car, resulting in a full-course caution. Catalano capitalized on this interruption, maintaining his lead to finish 2.331 seconds ahead of Woolridge, with Brian Thienes taking the Bronze Cup at third place in his No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier JS P320.
“I wanted to know I had a gap…Then I saw that Oscar was pushing,” Catalano noted. “It’s really unfortunate for him because there would have been a really fun battle.”
Grand Touring Daytona X (GTDX) & Grand Sport X (GSX) Results
In the GTDX class, Jake Walker clinched victory in the No. 6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, marking his fourth win in five races by a commanding 12.440 seconds. "The Turner Motorsport BMW was ripping right out of the gate," Walker commented.
The championship standings shifted dramatically when title contenders AJ Muss (No. 66 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3) and Adam Adelson (No. 24 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R) collided at Turn 10. Muss received a 10-second penalty, dropping him to third and handing Adelson second place, thus putting Adelson 20 points ahead in the championship race.
Kiko Porto continued his strong showing in the GSX class, taking his fifth win of the season with the No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 by 8.597 seconds despite earlier mechanical concerns. "The yellow came, but I still had tires to the finish," Porto stated.
Steven Clemons finished second in the No. 76 BSI Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, while Chris Walsh secured third and the Bronze Cup win in his No. 22 TWOth Autosport Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS, benefiting from a last-lap incident involving Ian Porter.
Upcoming Events
The second race of the weekend for the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. ET on Sunday, streaming live on Peacock, IMSA.TV, and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel.
Results Summary
- P3 Class: Catalano (1st), Woolridge (2nd), Thienes (3rd)
- GTDX Class: Walker (1st), Adelson (2nd), Muss (3rd)
- GSX Class: Porto (1st), Clemons (2nd), Walsh (3rd)
These results contribute to the ongoing season’s narrative, emphasizing the competitive landscape of IMSA racing.
