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 4 Carroll Shelby John EngarMaserati 450S100 km (62 mi)Inaugural Grand Prix Sports Car Racesreport
October 27 Charles Wallace Briggs CunninghamJaguar D-type2 hours, 30 minutesPresident's Cup Racereport
1958 May 4 Walt Hansgen Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar1 hourNational Championship Spring Sprint Sports Car Road Racesreport
October 5 Walt Hansgen Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar150 km (93 mi)Autumn Festival Sports Car Racesreport
1959 May 3 Walt Hansgen Briggs CunninghamLister-Jaguar200 km (120 mi)VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1960 May 1 Bob HolbertPorsche 718 RSK200 km (120 mi)VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1961 April 30 Walt Hansgen Briggs CunninghamMaserati Tipo 613 hoursPresident's Cupreport
1962 April 29 Roger PenskeCooper Monaco2 hours, 30 minutesPresident's Cupreport
1963 April 27 Don Devine Meister Brauser RacingScarab Mk II-Chevrolet1 hour, 30 minutesVIR National Cupreport
1964 April 19 Ed LowtherGenie Mk.8-Ford58 mi (93 km)National Championship Sports Car Racesreport
1965–1970: Not held
IMSA GT Championship
1971 April 18 Peter Gregg
Hurley Haywood		 Brumos Porsche-AudiPorsche 914/6300 mi (480 km)Danville 300report
1972 April 16 Peter Gregg
Hurley Haywood		 Peter GreggPorsche 911 S250 mi (400 km)Danville 250report
1973–2001: Not held
Rolex Sports Car Series
2002 September 1 Andy Wallace
Chris Dyson		 Dyson RacingCrawford SSC2K-Judd500 mi (800 km)VIR 500report
2003 October 5 Andy Pilgrim
Terry Borcheller		 Bell MotorsportsDoran JE4-Chevrolet400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2004 October 3 Wayne Taylor
Max Angelelli		 SunTrust RacingRiley Mk.XI-Pontiac400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2005 October 9 Luis Díaz
Scott Pruett		 Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XI-Lexus2 hours, 45 minutesVIR 400report
2006 April 23 Mike Rockenfeller
Patrick Long		 Alex Job RacingCrawford DP03-Porsche400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2007 April 29 Wayne Taylor
Max Angelelli
Jan Magnussen		 SunTrust RacingRiley Mk.XI-Pontiac400 km (250 mi)VIR 400report
2008 April 27 Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas		 Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XX-Lexus250 mi (400 km)Bosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2009 April 25 Jon Fogarty
Alex Gurney		 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings RacingRiley Mk.XX-Pontiac2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2010 April 24 Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas		 Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk.XX-Lexus2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
2011 May 14 João Barbosa
Terry Borcheller
J. C. France		 Action Express RacingRiley Mk.XI-Porsche2 hours, 45 minutesBosch Engineering 250 at VIRreport
American Le Mans Series
2012 September 15 Lucas Luhr
Klaus Graf		 Muscle Milk Pickett RacingHPD ARX-03a4 hoursAmerican Le Mans Series VIR 240report[2]
2013 October 5 Lucas Luhr
Klaus Graf		 Muscle Milk Pickett RacingHPD ARX-03a2 hours, 45 minutesOak Tree Grand Prix at VIRreport[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


References
  1. "2013 ALMS Schedule". alms.com. American Le Mans Series. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  2. "2012 VIR 240 Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  3. "2013 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official PC Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 25 August 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. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. "2015 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Official Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association.
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