GT Challenge at VIR

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.

GT Challenge at VIR
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
VenueVirginia International Raceway
Corporate sponsorMichelin
First race1957
First USCC race2014
Duration2 hours 40 minutes
Most wins (driver)Walt Hansgen (4)
Most wins (team)Briggs Cunningham (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Riley (7)

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
SeasonDateOverall Winner(s)EntrantCarDistance/DurationRace TitleReport
SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1957 August 4United States Carroll ShelbyUnited States John EngarMaserati 450S100 km (62 mi)Inaugural Grand Prix Sports Car Racesreport
October 27United States Charles WallaceUnited States Briggs CunninghamJaguar D-type2 hours, 30 minutesPresident's Cup Racereport
1958 May 4United States Walt HansgenUnited States Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar1 hourNational Championship Spring Sprint Sports Car Road Racesreport
October 5United States Walt HansgenUnited States Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar150 km (93 mi)Autumn Festival Sports Car Racesreport
1959 May 3United States Walt HansgenUnited States Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar200 km (120 mi)VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1960 May 1United States Bob HolbertPorsche 718 RSK200 km (120 mi)VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1961 April 30United States Walt HansgenUnited States Briggs CunninghamMaserati Tipo 613 hoursPresident's Cupreport
1962 April 29United States Roger PenskeCooper Monaco2 hours, 30 minutesPresident's Cupreport
1963 April 27United States Don DevineUnited States Meister Brauser RacingScarab Mk II-Chevrolet1 hour, 30 minutesVIR National Cupreport
1964 April 19United States Ed LowtherGenie Mk.8-Ford58 mi (93 km)National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1965
–
1970		 Not held
IMSA GT Championship
1971 April 18United States Peter Gregg
United States Hurley Haywood		United States Brumos Porsche-AudiPorsche 914/6300 mi (480 km)Danville 300report
1972 April 16United States Peter Gregg
United States Hurley Haywood		United States Peter GreggPorsche 911 S250 mi (400 km)Danville 250report
1973
–
2001		 Not held
Rolex Sports Car Series
2002 September 1United Kingdom Andy Wallace
United States Chris Dyson		United States Dyson RacingCrawford SSC2K-Judd500 mi (800 km)VIR 500report
2003 October 5United Kingdom Andy Pilgrim
United States Terry Borcheller		United States Bell MotorsportsDoran JE4-Chevrolet400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2004 October 3South Africa Wayne Taylor
Italy Max Angelelli		United States SunTrust RacingRiley Mk.XI-Pontiac400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2005 October 9Mexico Luis Díaz
United States Scott Pruett		United States Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XI-Lexus2 hours, 45 minutesVIR 400report
2006 April 23Germany Mike Rockenfeller
United States Patrick Long		United States Alex Job RacingCrawford DP03-Porsche400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2007 April 29South Africa Wayne Taylor
Italy Max Angelelli
Denmark Jan Magnussen		United States SunTrust RacingRiley Mk.XI-Pontiac400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2008 April 27United States Scott Pruett
Mexico Memo Rojas		United States Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XX-Lexus250 mi (400 km)Bosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2009 April 25United States Jon Fogarty
United States Alex Gurney		United States GAINSCO/Bob Stallings RacingRiley Mk.XX-Pontiac2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2010 April 24United States Scott Pruett
Mexico Memo Rojas		United States Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XX-Lexus2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2011 May 14Portugal João Barbosa
United States Terry Borcheller
United States J. C. France		United States Action Express RacingRiley Mk.XI-Porsche2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
American Le Mans Series
2012 September 15Germany Lucas Luhr
Germany Klaus Graf		United States Muscle Milk Pickett RacingHPD ARX-03a4 hoursAmerican Le Mans Series VIR 240report[2]
2013 October 5Germany Lucas Luhr
Germany Klaus Graf		United States Muscle Milk Pickett RacingHPD ARX-03a2 hours, 45 minutesOak Tree Grand Prix at VIRreport[3]
United SportsCar Championship
20141 August 24 Mexico Luis Díaz
United States Sean Rayhall		 United States 8 Star Motorsports Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes (2 x 45-minute segments) Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[4][5]
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella
Germany Pierre Kaffer		 United States Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia 2 hours, 45 minutes
20151 August 23 France Patrick Pilet
United Kingdom Nick Tandy		 Germany Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR 2 hours, 40 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report[6]
2016 August 28 Spain Antonio García
Denmark Jan Magnussen		 United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2017 August 27 Spain Antonio García
Denmark Jan Magnussen		 United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2018 August 19 United States Connor De Phillippi
United Kingdom Alexander Sims		 United States BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2019 August 25 France Patrick Pilet
United Kingdom Nick Tandy		 United States Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2020 August 22 Spain Antonio García
United States Jordan Taylor		 United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2021 October 9 United States Tommy Milner

United Kingdom Nick Tandy

 United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2022 August 28 Australia Matt Campbell

France Mathieu Jaminet

 Canada Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
2023 August 27 Spain Antonio García

United States Jordan Taylor

 United States Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report

References
  1. "2013 ALMS Schedule". alms.com. American Le Mans Series. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  2. "2012 VIR 240 Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 20 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  3. "2013 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official PC Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official GTLM/GTD Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. "2015 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
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