ALTON, Vir., (August 23, 2023) – The ninth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship takes place this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, and the Wright Motorsports No. 77 VOLT Lighting Porsche is ready for another exciting weekend of racing.
“VIR is an incredible track and we’re excited to be back,” said Team Owner John Wright. “It’s an exhilarating track for the drivers and also provides an excellent viewing experience for the fans. We’ve put a lot of preparation into this weekend and hope to conclude the weekend with a strong finish for our VOLT group.”
Nestled in the heart of southern Virginia, near the town of Alton, VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) has long been hailed as a racing haven, even earning the moniker "Heaven on Earth" from the legendary actor, philanthropist, and racer Paul Newman. This historic road course has witnessed some of the most exhilarating motorsport moments, and as the IMSA WeatherTech series descends upon its asphalt, expectations run high for yet another nail-biting weekend of racing.
As the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR unfolds, this race is one of the select weekends where the GTD and GTD Pro classes take center stage without the presence of the three prototype classes. With a total of 20 entries vying for glory on the circuit, the GTD class, in particular, will dominate the field, constituting 75 percent of the grid.
Following the team’s previous outing at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the Wright Motorsports crew has meticulously fine-tuned every aspect of the VOLT Porsche, ensuring that the car is primed for a performance worthy of the team’s impeccable history.
The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR will be broadcast live from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern on USA and Peacock for domestic audiences. For those tuning in from around the globe, the race can be streamed live on imsa.tv or tracked via IMSA’s international listings.
DRIVER QUOTES
Alan Brynjolfsson
VIR is a thrilling track to race on. Plus, we get to have another “GT-only” race where we can focus forward on our own race and racing our fellow classmates. It also means we can get a little more aggressive and have some fun!
Trent Hindman
VIR is truly a one-of-a-kind race track and tends to be among my favorite races of the year. Along with the demanding nature of the circuit itself, it is nice to be returning to another track on the schedule that traditionally suits the 911 platform quite well. The fact that this is a GT only round also takes some pressure off our shoulders and allows us to race forward, uninterrupted. We’ve got three more rounds to go in our 2023 campaign, and I look forward to having a strong run with Alan and the VOLT Racing/Wright Motorsports team.