DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The only event of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season that highlights the GT classes, races into historic VIRginia Int’l Raceway next week. Twenty-three cars are on the pre-event entry list, nine in GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and 14 in GT Daytona (GTD).
The Michelin GT Challenge is the eighth race of the season for the two classes, with only endurance events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta remaining after this. The class leaders – the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in GTD PRO and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in GTD – will be looking to solidify their positions while the remaining competitors look to close the gap at VIR.
Here’s what you need to know for the upcoming race weekend:
GT Classes Front and Center
The GT classes of the WeatherTech Championship, consisting of FIA GT3-specification homologated cars, headline the race weekend at VIR. It’s the only time they’ll race without at least one prototype class this season.
• Chasing Class Leaders: The points leaders in both GT classes have built their advantages with mostly consistent strong performances across the season. The No. 77 AO Porsche sits atop the GTD PRO field by 76 points on the strength of two wins and just one result lower than sixth place. The No. 57 Winward Mercedes leads in GTD by 268 points thanks to four class victories. With just three races remaining starting at VIR, challengers in both classes need to begin whittling away those deficits.
Who’s Hot?
• No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin: With three podium finishes in the past four races, including a win at Watkins Glen International, the No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 has advanced from fourth place to second in the GTD PRO standings. Heart of Racing co-drivers Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas look to continue closing on the class-leading AO Porsche at VIR.
• No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3: Since opening the season with a pair of subpar results, Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher have put together a string of five straight GTD finishes of fifth place or better, including a win Aug. 4 at Road America. It’s moved the No. 96 BMW into second place in the class standings, eight positions better than they were after Sebring in March.
Who’s Good Here?
• Gunn-ing for More: The aforementioned Ross Gunn, co-driver of the No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, has the rare honor of holding the track lap record for both classes racing next week at VIR. He set the GTD standard in 2021 qualifying and nailed down the GTD PRO record a year later in qualifying.
• Corvette Duo: Antonio Garcia and Tommy Milner, part of the vaunted Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team, are the leaders in VIR race wins among those entered for this year’s race. Garcia, who shares the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R with Alexander Sims, is a four-time VIR winner including last year in GTD PRO. Milner, who rides with Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette, has three VIR victories, the last coming in 2021 in the former GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winners in 2024 Field (12)
• Antonio Garcia (4): GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020; GTD PRO – 2023
• Tommy Milner (3): GT – 2005, 2012; GTLM – 2021
• Kyle Marcelli (2): LMPC – 2013; GTD – 2018
• Bryan Sellers (2): GTD – 2016, 2023
• Madison Snow (2): GTD – 2016, 2023
• Philip Ellis (1): GTD – 2022
• Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2020
• Corey Lewis (1): GTD – 2017
• Zacharie Robichon (1): GTD – 2021
• Mike Rockenfeller (1): DP – 2006
• Alexander Sims (1): GTLM – 2018
• Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Pole Winners in 2024 Field (8)
• Jack Hawksworth (2): GTD – 2018; GTD PRO – 2023
• Tommy Milner (2): GT – 2004; GTLM – 2021
• Madison Snow (2): GTD – 2016; 2023
• Robby Foley (1): GTD – 2021
• Ross Gunn (1): GTD PRO – 2022
• Joey Hand (1): GTLM – 2017
• Zacharie Robichon (1): GTD – 2019
• Russell Ward (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Teams in 2024 Field (6)
• Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (6): GT – 2012; GTLM – 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021; GTD PRO – 2023
• Paul Miller Racing (2): GTD – 2016, 2023
• Pfaff Motorsports (2): GTD – 2021; GTD PRO – 2022
• Turner Motorsport (2): GTD – 2014, 2020
• Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (2): DP – 2004, 2007
• Winward Racing (1): GTD – 2022
Previous Michelin GT Challenge Winning Manufacturers in 2024 Field (7)
• Chevrolet – 13
• Porsche – 11
• BMW – 7
• Ferrari – 5
• Lexus – 3
• Lamborghini – 2
• Mercedes-AMG – 2