Loftsgard, Anderson Take Title Fight to VIR in Pivotal Weekend

Photo: Bob Chapman/Ford

The fight for the Mustang Challenge North America titles in both Dark Horse and Dark Horse Legends continues this weekend at Virginia International Raceway for the penultimate event of the season.

With a sweep of the weekend last time out at Watkins Glen International, Cole Loftsgard of Round 3 Racing, has marginally increased his points lead over Devin Anderson to 120 points.

However with Anderson, in his TechSport Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse R, finishing second in both races while also scoring pole for Race 2 and setting the fastest race laps in both 45-minute contests, it’s kept his championship hopes still very much alive with four races to go.

It’s a similar story in the DHL class, with Wheelhouse Motorsports driver Tom Tait holding a 130-point margin over Paley Motorsport with AAG Racing driver Chris Clarke.

A total of 15 entries are set for this weekend’s pair of races at the picturesque 3.27-mile circuit.

Track action begins on Friday with two practice sessions followed by qualifying in the evening, while Race 1 takes the green flag on Saturday at 9:25 a.m. EST and Race 2 on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. EST.

Both races will be streamed live on Peacock as well as on both Ford Racing and IMSA’s YouTube channels.

Pre-Event News & Notes:

***This weekend marks the second time Mustang Challenge has raced at VIR, with Tait the only returning driver that won at the 17-turn circuit last year. Robert Noaker, who currently leads the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge GS championship in a Ford Mustang GT4, swept the weekend in 2026, while Zachary Lee, who has graduated to Pirelli GT4 America, also in a McCumbee McAleer Racing Mustang GT4, took a class win in DHL.

***A new prize, the JKTG Driving Research Award, will be given to the highest placing Ford Racing Driver Development Team competitor in each Mustang Challenge field. It will recognize the Driver Development Team member who showcases dedication to continuous learning, opportunity and evolution – principles that are key to the JKTG Foundation’s Driving Research Campaign.

***The Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy (JKTG Foundation) funds cancer research, policy projects and events that promote collaboration to improve the quality, effectiveness and experience of the care that patients receive. Ted Giovanis’ Team TGM operation joined the Ford Racing family this year, having switched to running Mustang GT4s in Pilot Challenge competition.

***Will Lucas will return to the site where he was crowned inaugural Mustang Cup USA champion last year. The Wheelhouse Motorsports driver won both the Miles and Parnelli Cups in the Dark Horse class last year in the USAC-sanctioned single-make series before stepping up to full-time Mustang Challenge competition this year, having scored three podiums so far this season.

***Paolo Salvatore and wife Michelle will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Monday following the races after officially tying the knot on the podium at VIR last year. It came in a bet by Salvatore to his then-girlfriend that they would get married at the track if he’d finish on the podium. Salvatore currently sits third in the Dark Horse Legends points standings entering the weekend.

***VIR will mark the final races of the season for Mustang Challenge during a WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event, as the season will continue at Circuit of The Americas on Sept. 4-6 in support of the FIA World Endurance Championship Lone Star Le Mans event.

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