IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge: VIR Roundup and Championship Implications
VIRginia International Raceway—IMSA officials confirmed the addition of a make-up event from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to the VIR schedule, marking a tripleheader for the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Following a competitive weekend, class leaders Valentino Catalano, Adam Adelson, and Kiko Porto solidified their standings, positioning themselves on the cusp of securing their respective class championships with one race weekend remaining at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
In the LMP3 category, Catalano (#30 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08) clinched his seventh victory of the season, leading the Sunday race from pole and finishing 29.269 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Brian Thienes (#77 Forte Racing Ligier JS P320). With a commanding 370-point lead heading into the final round, Catalano remarked, “My first time winning three races in the same weekend! Perfect weekend… I’m really grateful for everything.”
GTDX saw Adelson (#24 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R) extend his lead over Jake Walker (#6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3) to 210 points after a fierce battle throughout all three races. Despite finishing second in each race to Walker, Adelson showcased strong performance under pressure. Walker noted, “Adam and I had a great battle… The car was great, even with having to work the tire a little bit harder to get around Adam.”
In the GSX class, Porto (#8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2) extended his championship lead to an unofficial 440 points over Steven Clemons. Porto captured victory in the final race of the weekend, emphasizing the importance of team adjustments for optimal performance: “Today, we finally went a step ahead… it’s good to learn also a little bit more.”
Noteworthy results included Matthew Dicken (#36 RAFA Racing Ligier JS P320) and Justin Di Benedetto (#4 Di Benedetto Racing Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS) achieving their best finishes of the season, both securing third in their classes.
The season finale at Road Atlanta will take place on October 9-10, featuring a doubleheader that promises to determine the champions in all classes.
