GT Challenge at VIR – Wikipedia

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The GT Challenge at VIR is a sports car race held at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, since 1957. After being a part of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship and the IMSA GT Championship the race, along with the track, went on hiatus from the early 1970s until 2002. It returned as a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series, and became an American Le Mans Series race in 2012. In 2014 the race joined the schedule of the United SportsCar Championship after the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series.

The race length has varied from 150 to 500 km. The former title VIR 240 refers to the duration of 240 minutes (4 hours). In 2013, the race was renamed the Oak Tree Grand Prix.[1]

Beginning in 2016, the Oak Tree Grand Prix became the name of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge support race run on the same weekend as the United SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.

Winners[edit]

Season Date Overall Winner(s) Entrant Car Distance/Duration Race Title Report
SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1957 August 4 Carroll Shelby John Engar Maserati 450S 100 km (62 mi) Inaugural Grand Prix Sports Car Races report
October 27 Charles Wallace Briggs Cunningham Jaguar D-type 2 hours, 30 minutes President’s Cup Race report
1958 May 4 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 1 hour National Championship Spring Sprint Sports Car Road Races report
October 5 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 150 km (93 mi) Autumn Festival Sports Car Races report
1959 May 3 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 200 km (120 mi) VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report
1960 May 1 Bob Holbert Porsche 718 RSK 200 km (120 mi) VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report
1961 April 30 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Maserati Tipo 61 3 hours President’s Cup report
1962 April 29 Roger Penske Cooper Monaco 2 hours, 30 minutes President’s Cup report
1963 April 27 Don Devine Meister Brauser Racing Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes VIR National Cup report
1964 April 19 Ed Lowther Genie Mk.8-Ford 58 mi (93 km) National Championship Sports Car Races report
1965
–
1970 		Not held
IMSA GT Championship
1971 April 18 Peter Gregg
Hurley Haywood		 Brumos Porsche-Audi Porsche 914/6 300 mi (480 km) Danville 300 report
1972 April 16 Peter Gregg
Hurley Haywood		 Peter Gregg Porsche 911 S 250 mi (400 km) Danville 250 report
1973
–
2001 		Not held
Rolex Sports Car Series
2002 September 1 Andy Wallace
Chris Dyson		 Dyson Racing Crawford SSC2K-Judd 500 mi (800 km) VIR 500 report
2003 October 5 Andy Pilgrim
Terry Borcheller		 Bell Motorsports Doran JE4-Chevrolet 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2004 October 3 Wayne Taylor
Max Angelelli		 SunTrust Racing Riley Mk.XI-Pontiac 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2005 October 9 Luis Díaz
Scott Pruett		 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XI-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes VIR 400 report
2006 April 23 Mike Rockenfeller
Patrick Long		 Alex Job Racing Crawford DP03-Porsche 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2007 April 29 Wayne Taylor
Max Angelelli
Jan Magnussen		 SunTrust Racing Riley Mk.XI-Pontiac 400 km (250 mi) VIR 400 report
2008 April 27 Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas		 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XX-Lexus 250 mi (400 km) Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2009 April 25 Jon Fogarty
Alex Gurney		 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Riley Mk.XX-Pontiac 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2010 April 24 Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas		 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk.XX-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
2011 May 14 João Barbosa
Terry Borcheller
J. C. France		 Action Express Racing Riley Mk.XI-Porsche 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report
American Le Mans Series
2012 September 15 Lucas Luhr
Klaus Graf		 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 4 hours American Le Mans Series VIR 240 report[2]
2013 October 5 Lucas Luhr
Klaus Graf		 Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 2 hours, 45 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[3]
United SportsCar Championship
20141 August 24 Luis Díaz
Sean Rayhall 		8 Star Motorsports Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes (2 x 45-minute segments) Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[4][5]
Giancarlo Fisichella
Pierre Kaffer 		Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia 2 hours, 45 minutes
20151 August 23 Patrick Pilet
Nick Tandy 		Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR 2 hours, 40 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[6]
2016 August 28 Antonio García
Jan Magnussen 		Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2017 August 27 Antonio García
Jan Magnussen 		Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2018 August 19 Connor De Phillippi
Alexander Sims 		BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2019 August 25 Patrick Pilet
Nick Tandy 		Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2020 August 22 Antonio García
Jordan Taylor 		Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette (C8) 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report

References[edit]

External links[edit]