WISKO Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway a Success On and Off the Track
- Jonathon Ziegelman and KMW Motorsports Sweep Inaugural HSR Global GT Doubleheader - Mike Banz and Todd Treffert Split HSR Classic RS Cup Debut Races- Great Competition and Off-Track Camaraderie Characterize Fun and Successful Holiday-Weekend Event
Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) made the most of its return to VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this past weekend where four days of on-track competition and off-track fun and camaraderie characterized the WISKO Grand Prix throughout Memorial Day Weekend, May 26 - 29.
The weekend saw the successful launch of HSR's new Global GT and Classic RS Cup racing series as well as a new partnership with Radical Cup North America that saw the competitors from that popular sports prototype racing series share the on-track schedule and some off-track holiday celebration with HSR all weekend.
Global GT features modern GT-spec race cars from the last 10 to 15 years that are a few seasons removed from their competitive prime in professional racing series. Jonathon Ziegelman swept both rounds of the series-launching Global GT doubleheader in his 2008 No. 911 Porsche 997 GT3.
Other drivers to reach the Global GT podium included Rob Trollinger, who finished second Saturday in his 2012 No. 94 Porsche 997 GT3, and Ryan Harrold who was third in that race in his 2009 No. 101 Porsche 997 GT3. Don Ondrejcak scored runner-up honors in Sunday's race in his 2007 No. 65 Porsche 997 GT3.
The Classic RS Cup is a throwback to the golden era of the original International Race of Champions (IROC) Porsche racing series from the 1970s and is also home to other classic 911-based Porsches from that era.
Mike Banz began the WISKO Grand Prix on a roll in his 1974 No. 13 Porsche 911 RSR, winning the debut Classic RS Cup race on Saturday for his third-straight victory to that point of the weekend.
On Friday, Banz raced to international class and overall honors in that day's featured Bob Woodman Tires International American Challenge race. Banz later earned his second win of the weekend Saturday afternoon in the Group 5 HSR WeatherTech sprint race.
Todd Treffert stepped up to challenge Banz on Sunday in his 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC. He scored an overall and Group 5 class victory in that morning's B.R.M. Chronographes Vintage and Historic GT Enduro and then closed out the weekend with a victory in the second and final RS Cup race.
Robert Spence finished second to Banz on Saturday in RS Cup in his 1972 No. 63 Porsche 911/ST and Treffert was third. Banz was second to Treffert in Sunday's RS Cup race while Kathy Blaha earned her top finish of the weekend with a third-place showing in her 1974 No. 14 Porsche 911 RSR.
Blaha wasn't the only lady driver to reach the podium at VIR. Sharon Adelman drove her unique 1965 No. 51 Turner Mk III to a Run Group 2 victory in Sunday morning's WeatherTech sprint race.
Adelman shared the top step of victory lane with Sean Brown who scored the Run Group 3 and overall race win in his fan-favorite 1975 No. 85 Ford Escort RS.
The Sunday WeatherTech sprint win was one of three Group 3 victories for Brown and his British-based team on the weekend. He also won in his group in Saturday's sprint and then co-drove with his son, Daniel Brown, to Group 3 honors and second overall in the B.R.M. Chronographes Vintage and Historic GT Enduro.
Banz and Sean Brown weren't the only drivers to score a trio of Feature or Run Group race wins at the WISKO Grand Prix. Jacek Mucha drove two different 2006 Swifts JMS-016Ps to a total of three group and overall race wins in Group 4 and Group 6 competition.
Sunday afternoon's featured two-hour WISKO Grand Prix was the weekend's main event for the Radical Cup North America. No. 738 Rich Thomas took the overall victory and shared the podium with the No. 9 of runner-up co-drivers Jeff Green and Francesco D'Avola and third-place finisher No. 27 Peter Heffring. All three podium finishers raced Radical SR3s with Thomas and Heffring in 1500cc RSX models and Green and D'Avola sharing a 1340cc RS race car.
Other overall Radical Cup winners on the weekend included Chuck Quinton who took the overall and Masters Class win in Sunday's morning sprint race in his No. 112 Radical SR8 RX. Chris Hall earned the overall and Masters Class win in Saturday's first Radical Cup race.
In Saturday's B.R.M. Chronographes Historic Prototype and GT Enduro, Larry Huang took the overall victory in his 2009 No. 25 Oreca FLM09. He shared the overall top-three podium with class winners Jesse Menczer in the No. 11 Radical SR8 RX 2700cc and Thomas who finished third in his No. 738 Radical.
Harrold finished an impressive fourth overall in the Enduro in his No. 101 Porsche, winning Group 10, while Hartmut von Seelen and Kevin Wheeler co-drove the 1974 No. 51 Porsche 911 RSR to the Group 9 win.
Other drivers to score WeatherTech Sprint victories during the weekend included Saturday winners Rick Starkweather (1972 MGB - Group 2), John Harrold (1979 Chevron B23 - Group 7), Jack Finch (2002 NASCAR CAT Dodge Charger - Group 8), Richard Howe (1989 Roush/Whistler Mustang - Group 9) and Trollinger, who added a Group 10 sprint win to his runner-up placing in Global GT.
Sunday WeatherTech sprint Run Group winners included Linden Burnstein, who won in Group 10 in his 2007 No. 917 Porsche 997 GT3, and John Harrold who swept Group 7 in his Chevron both days.
Next up for HSR is the Le Sommet Des Legendes (The Summit of Legends), July 7 - 10, at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada.
Noteworthy
- Champion IMSA Prototype Challenge (PC) driver Colin Braun raced in the Wisko Grand Prix on Saturday. He and Quinton were to share the No. 117 Radical RXC Spyder V8 owned by Peter Strasser in that afternoon's B.R.M. Chronographes Enduro but starting driver Braun was forced to the pits early in the race when the race car lost oil pressure.
- Friday night featured a capacity crowd for a traditional Memorial Day weekend BBQ in VIR's Barn Building that had some friendly competition of its own. Instead of race cars, however, competitors in these games used Razor scooters and Hula-Hoops and undertook such challenges as having to draw the silhouette of a Porsche 911 while blindfolded. A good time was had by all at the event that was hosted by HSR.
About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a "time machine" of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world's most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR's website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and you can also follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter at @HSR_race.
