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Watkins Glen Confirmed as PWC Season Finale

Watkins Glen to play host to Pirelli World Challenge season finale on Labor Day weekend…

Photo: PWC

Watkins Glen International will be the site of the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge season finale with a Labor Day weekend event scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 2, series officials have confirmed.

PWC’s return to the New York circuit will feature the entire division lineup including GT (GT/GTA/GT Cup), GTS (GTS/GTA) and Touring Car (TCR/TC/TCA) with doubleheader sprint races.

The finale will feature traditional 50-minute sprints for GT and GTS classes and 40-minute features for Touring Car classes.

The last PWC event at Watkins Glen was held in 2010, and replaces IndyCar’s race held on the same weekend this year.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Pirelli World Challenge competitors, officials, leadership, and fans to Watkins Glen International in 2018,” said Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup.

“This series features fantastic wheel-to-wheel racing across a wide spectrum of sportscar classes and our fans are in for a treat on Labor Day weekend next year.”

WC Vision and CEO Greg Gill said: “Adding an historic racing facility such as Watkins Glen International to conclude our 2018 Pirelli World Challenge makes for an outstanding season finale weekend

“As the rumors of this date and venue surfaced the feedback from the drivers, teams, and sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive. Watkins Glen International will be a great backdrop to crown our 2018 champions.”

In addition to the Watkins Glen season finale, PWC has also confirmed its race lineup with the GT/GTA/GT Cup divisions again being split into five GT Sprint (50 minutes) and five GT SprintX (60 minutes, two drivers) races.

The GTS events, featuring GT4 machinery, will remain nine-weekends with a total of 18 50-minute Sprint rounds while Touring Car divisions will contest 40-minute Sprints in the class’ 12-race, six-weekend campaign.

The GT Sprint championships will be contested in the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Long Beach, Calif., as well as at the permanent road circuits of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America and Watkins Glen.

The GT SprintX championship will be campaigned at Circuit of the Americas, Virginia International Raceway, Lime Rock Park, Portland International Raceway and Utah Motorsports Campus.

Details on the 2018 race regulations for GT Sprint and GT SprintX events will be announced in the near future, including the new pit stop requirements and other amendments to competition rules.

Featuring the GT3 and GT4 categories, the second annual SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge California 8 Hours is set to return to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Oct. 19-21

2018 Pirelli World Challenge Schedule:
March 9-11 — St. Petersburg (w/IndyCar)
March 23-25 — Circuit of The Americas
April 13-15 — Long Beach (w/IndyCar)
April 27-29 — Virginia International Raceway
May 18-20 — Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
May 25-26 — Lime Rock Park
June 22-24 — Road America (w/IndyCar)
July 13-14 — Portland International Raceway
Aug. 10-12 — Utah Motorsports Campus
Aug. 21-Sept. 2 — Watkins Glen International
Oct. 19-21 — Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (IGTC)

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John

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