Hand Wins Fuel Mileage Thriller in Mustang GT4 Podium Sweep

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Joey Hand stretched the fuel in his PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 to take an unlikely victory in Saturday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix at VIR.

The Ford factory driver took over the lead on the final lap of the two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge contest as the No. 21 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Scott Andrews ran out of fuel.

Andrews took the restart in the lead with two laps to go as one of several GS class cars attempting to make it to the finish following a late-race yellow for the No. 22 Hardpoint Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Sean McAlister, which stopped on track with ten minutes to go.

It came after the majority of the leaders, including the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 of Bill Auberlen and Christian Szymczak’s No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes, both made green flag stops for splashes.

Hand, in the No. 40 PF Mustang GT4 took the restart in fourth, after the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche of Spencer Pumpelly ran out of fuel moments before going green, and got around both Szymczak and the No. 59 KohR Motorsports Mustang GT4 of Billy Johnson before Andrews slowed on track.

He held off a hard-charging Johnson by 0.125 seconds at the line for a Ford sweep of the GS podium.

Hand, in his second Pilot Challenge start of the season, shared top honors with James Pesek, who won with the team at Sebring International Raceway in March.

Kyle Marcelli brought the PF-run No. 877 Mustang GT4 home in third alongside Sheena Monk, with a number of cars running out of fuel on the final lap.

The No. 64 Team TGM Porsche of Owen Trinkler and Ted Giovanis was fourth, with Robby Foley and Vin Barletta rebounding from an early race incident to complete the top-five.

GS class championship leaders VOLT Racing finished 19th in class after Alan Brynjolffson slowed on track with an apparent electrical issue to bring out the race’s first yellow with 1 hour and 14 minutes to go.

The No. 7 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 returned to action with co-driver Trent Hindman but four laps down.

Michael Lewis and Taylor Hagler, meanwhile, picked up top class honors in TCR in their No. 1 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

Lewis drove around teammate Parker Chase for the class lead in the closing stages and held off a challenge from the sister No. 77 Hyundai of Tyler Maxson and Karl Wittmer’s No. 99 VGRT Honda Civic Type-R TCR, which finished second and third, respectively.

Wittmer lost second in the closing laps after suffering a half-spin through Oak Tree Corner, while Chase faded to eighth at the end in his No. 98 BHA Hyundai.

RESULTS: Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix

John Dagys

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