Catalano Captures VP Challenge Win In Entertaining CTMP Opener (Updated)

IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge: Catalano Clinches Victory at CTMP

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario – Valentino Catalano solidified his dominance in the LMP3 class, winning the opening race of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge weekend. Piloting the #30 Duqueine D08 for Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports, Catalano secured his fourth victory of the season after an eventful 45-minute race.

Catalano entered the race as the championship leader, but the dynamics shifted pre-race when his teammate, Oscar Tunjo, was disqualified from pole due to a technical infraction. This promoted Jonathan Woolridge to pole position in the #54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320, with Catalano starting second. Tunjo was relegated to fifth.

Woolridge initially led, but Catalano executed a decisive pass on Lap 8, taking the lead from Woolridge around the outside of Turn 8. Tunjo quickly moved into third by Lap 12, trailing Catalano by just over three seconds. However, his race took a disastrous turn when he lost a left front tire exiting Turn 10, resulting in a full-course caution.

With the pack closed up, Catalano held off Woolridge, finishing 2.331 seconds ahead. Bronze Cup winner Brian Thienes rounded out the podium in third.

“In the beginning, I was managing my race,” Catalano commented. “It’s really tricky around here, and I had some issues in the car that got worse at the end, so I had to bring it home.”

In the Grand Touring Daytona X (GTDX) class, Jake Walker dominated in the #6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, leading from start to finish for his fourth win in five races, crossing the line 12.440 seconds clear of the field. The championship took a dramatic twist late in the race when title contenders AJ Muss and Adam Adelson collided exiting Turn 10. Muss received a 10-second penalty, falling to third, while Adelson moved up to second, potentially leading the championship by 20 points.

Samantha Tan secured the Bronze Cup win in fourth, marking a successful return to her home track.

In the Grand Sport X (GSX) category, Kiko Porto in the #8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 captured his fifth win of the season by an impressive 8.597 seconds. Post-race, Porto reflected on a mechanical issue that nearly hindered his performance early in the weekend.

“Thankfully, the team did an amazing job to fix the car,” Porto stated. “I was able to control the pace and maintain an eight-second gap.”

Steven Clemons finished second in his #76 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, while Chris Walsh claimed third and the Bronze Cup victory in the #22 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS after Ian Porter experienced mechanical issues late in the race.

The second race of the weekend, originally scheduled for 11:10 AM and later postponed to 5:10 PM, was ultimately canceled due to inclement weather and scheduling conflicts.

Race 1 Results: