Corvette Racing at VIR: Going for Another Overall Win

Program seeking fourth overall win at GT-only weekend in Virginia

DETROIT (Aug. 23, 2022) – Corvette Racing seeks to win overall for the fifth time and sixth in class at Virginia International Raceway as the team returns to the track this weekend for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.

It’s the second of two GT-only races on the calendar for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The event, scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, is one that Corvette Racing has dominated since it went to its current format in 2014.

A Corvette Racing entry has claimed overall wins four times at VIR in IMSA competition, including each of the last two years. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, who share the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, were victors in 2020 in the now-extinct GT Le Mans (GTLM) category.

They were second a year ago to Corvette teammates Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy, who are partnering this season in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

This year is the first for Corvette in the new GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category, and as such is the first at VIR for the GTD Corvette – which runs with more weight, less power, an anti-lock braking system and a spec Michelin tire compared to the GTLM class.

Aside from a win at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, the season has been mostly frustrating with a runner-up finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and third-place showings at Long Beach and Road America.

Corvette Racing’s love affair with VIR goes back to 2012. This will be the team’s 11th appearance at the 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course. The configuration of the circuit – two long straights and a mix of low- medium- and high-speed corners – creates opportunities for a number of engineering and strategic decisions. That’s an area where Corvette Racing has a distinct advantage given its 24-year history of competition.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 28. The race will air live on CNBC and stream live on Peacock beginning at 2 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio will broadcast Saturday’s final practice and qualifying with the race call Sunday at IMSA.com, on XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“VIR has everything… nice flow, especially. This should be a good weekend for us. It’s another ‘first’ weekend for the GTD Corvette. We don’t know where we will stand. There are some long straightaways, so we will have to decide on the best aero package to see what is most beneficial. It’s a track where we always have fun at and have a ton of success. Hopefully it’s the same way this year again.

“There are a few tracks where we have to find aero balance like what we need at VIR. I would consider this track like Canadian Tire Motorsport Park or Watkins Glen where there are fast speeds and slow sections, but you probably need to take care of your top speed. At times, it pays to be a little lighter on downforce and being fast on the straights. We will figure out what’s best.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“In terms of enjoyment of driving around, VIR is probably in the top-three of the tracks we go to. It’s one of those natural-terrain tracks that still feels like an old-school track. There’s not much margin for error… high speeds and lots of elevation changes. It’s just a lot of fun to drive. It’s one of the ones we always look forward to going to.

“It’s a place where you can get caught out pretty quickly with a lot of blind corners that are high-speed. So you do have to be careful. It’s one of the better tracks we go to because it’s an all-GT race. If we had prototypes there, it would be pretty difficult because of how narrow it is. Every time we go there, the racing is always tough and tight. We saw that last year in the GTLM class with only three cars. Going back there this year with a little bit bigger grid, the racing should be super good.”

2022 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTD PRO
(After eight of 10 events)

Driver Standings
1. Mathieu Jaminet/Matt Campbell – 2,793
2. Ben Barnicoat – 2,566
3. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2,566
4. Alex Riberas/Ross Gunn – 2,476
5. Connor De Phillippi/John Edwards – 2,234

Team Standings
1. No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports – 2.793
2. No. 14 VasserSullivan – 2,566
3. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 2,566
4. No. 23 Heart of Racing Team – 2,476
5. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 2,234

Manufacturer Standings
1. Porsche – 2,793
2. Lexus – 2,596
3. Chevrolet – 2,566
4. Aston Martin – 2,546
5. BMW – 2,319

Source:
Corvette Racing

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