VIR Saturday Notebook

Photo: Richard Prince/SRT Motorsports

***IMSA has rolled out with a revised points structure for the PC sprint races this weekend. While the Kansas round only awarded points for the results from the final segment, teams will score points in both segments but will be combined and ranked accordingly. In the event of a tie, the results from the first segment will determine the overall finishing position.

***Another change in the PC format came with victory lane and podium celebrations for the end of the first segment, something that was not done at Kansas.

***Saturday proved to be an expensive day in the GT paddock, not only for Corvette Racing and Porsche North America but also for the Dempsey Racing and AIM Autosport squads. The No. 27 Porsche GT America did not take part in qualifying as the team continued making chassis repairs to the GTD car after Patrick Dempsey’s accident in morning practice, while the No. 555 Ferrari qualified, the AIM squad still has further repairs to be made before the green flag on Sunday.

***The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been all the rage this weekend at VIR, which has seen multiple drivers and teams drench ice water on themselves in support of finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It’s included Mazda drivers from Freedom Autosport, CJ Wilson Racing, as well as the SRT Motorsports drivers (pictured above) who were challenged by SRT marketing director Beth Paretta.

***VIR will memorialize the track’s iconic oak tree with the replanting of a descendant of the original tree and products made from its wood. The tree, which stood for more than 200 years, served as a prominent feature, iconic symbol and welcome shade provider to the track’s south end. It fell in the summer of 2013. The new location will be outside the track, approximately 150 feet from the original oak.

***While having driven four-wheel drive GT cars in the past, Randy Pobst got a taste a different type of all-wheel drive race car earlier this week at Misano, as the Freedom Autosport CTSC driver was one of a handful of people to test drive this year’s Le Mans-winning Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Pobst was on assignment for MotorTrend.

***Tristan Nunez has started his own foundation, the Dnt txt n drV Foundation, to further reinforce his continued efforts against distracted driving. The 18-year-old Mazda factory driver is on track to speak to upwards of 50,000 students this year on the dangers of texting and driving. Visit http://www.dnttxtndrvfoundation.org/ to learn more and to watch Nunez’s new PSA.

***For those with frequent flyer miles to burn, check out the latest Delta SkyMiles auction, which offers an all-access experience to next month’s Lone Star Le Mans, courtesy of Porsche. The auction, which currently sits at 491,000 miles, includes two VIP tickets to the FIA WEC/TUDOR Championship race, two passes to Porsche VIP hospitality and the opportunity for a hot lap around the track in a Porsche Panamera Turbo.

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