VP Racing Challenge Back to Sprint Format at CTMP

The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge is firmly into the second half of the season with a pair of 45-minute sprint races scheduled from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this weekend.

A total of 17 cars are set for this weekend’s racing action, spread between seven LMP3 cars and ten GSX class entries.

At the most recent LMP3 sprint weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Oscar Tunjo bolstered his full-season championship lead as his Gebhardt Motorsport team upgraded his No. 1 car from the Duqueine D08 Nissan to the Duqueine D09 Toyota.

Tunjo seeks a rebound at CTMP this weekend as last year, he lost a tire and wheel mid-race.

Tunjo leads Gebhardt teammate Danny Soufi, running the No. 11 PINAXIS-ZONE 4 Racing Duqueine D09, by 390 points in the full-season LMP3 championship and 270 in the sprint rounds.

The other LMP3 battle to watch at CTMP is among Bronze Cup drivers.

Brian Thienes (No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier JS P325 Toyota) holds a 70-point lead over Travis Hill (No. 2 Shopify Racing Ligier JS P325) in those standings.

Toney Driver Development won the most recent LMP3 race this year with Ari Balogh and Garett Grist winning the Airbnb Endurance Challenge round at Virginia International Raceway.

The Toney team has Wyatt Brichacek in its No. 95 Ligier JS P325 this weekend with a TBD listed against its No. 30 Ligier.

The story in GSX has revolved solely around Westin Workman, who is a perfect six-for-six to start the season in his No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2. That maximum score of 2,100 points so far sees him 420 clear of second-placed Courtney Crone, who’s had pace but lacked consistency thus far in her No. 35 CarBahn Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 EVO.

The GSX Bronze Cup battle is deadlocked with Workman’s teammate Rafael Martinez (No. 68 RAFA Toyota) and Dan Ammann (No. 91 VRC Motorsports Group Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport) equal on 1,800 points apiece. Jon Brel sits third in his No. 81 Kingpin Toyota, 80 back.

Canadians getting to race at their home track this weekend include Hill in LMP3, Brel and Justin Di Benedetto (No. 4 Di Benedetto Racing Porsche).

VP Challenge competitors have two practice sessions and qualifying on Friday, with races on Saturday at 8:50 a.m. EST and Sunday at 11:10 a.m. EST. Both will stream on live Peacock and the IMSA Official YouTube channel.