Heylen Closes GS Points Gap With VIR Win

Photo: IMSA

Jan Heylen closed the gap in the GS points standings with his second consecutive IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge victory in Sunday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway.

Heylen got by the No. 23 Notlad by RS1 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Stevan McAleer with 12 minutes to go and never looked back, taking a 0.516-second win over McAleer, who stretched his fuel for a final 1 hour and 16-minute stint.

While having shared top honors at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Heylen shared driving duties on Sunday with Ryan Hardwick, who earned his first Pilot Challenge win.

Trent Hindman held off a hard-charging Bill Auberlen to finish third in the No. 7 VOLT Racing by Archangel Aston Martin ahead of points leader Auberlen, who climbed his way through the field after an off-sequence pit stop that initially put him outside of the top-ten.

Auberlen and pole-sitter Dillon Machavern hold a 10-point lead over the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Heylen heading into next month’s season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

The No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R of Robin Liddell and Frank De Pew finished fifth on Sunday, ahead of Trenton Estep’s CB Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 in sixth.

A loose wheel for the No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes of Kenny Murillo and Eric Foss, who emerged the leader following the first round of pit stops, derailed the team’s run for a likely podium finish.

Murillo and Foss would have to settle for a 12th place result. 

JDC-Miller Pair First Repeat TCR Winners

The TCR class saw Mikey Taylor and Chris Miller take top class honors, as the first repeat driving squad of the season.

Taylor took his No. 17 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS 3 LMS TCR to a 2.467-second victory over Stephen Simpson in the No. 54 Michael Johnson Racing Hyundai Veloster N TCR.

The No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Mark Wilkins and class pole-sitter Harry Gottsacker completed the class podium in third.

TCR class championship leaders Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis finished fifth in class, meanwhile.

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