O’Connell Takes Points Lead With VIR Race 2 Victory

Photo: Brian Cleary/SRO

Johnny O’Connell has taken the SRO3 points lead following his second GT America powered by AWS win of the season in Sunday’s round at Virginia International Raceway.

O’Connell, in the No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, held off Race 1 winner Justin Rothberg in the 40-minute contest, which featured a mid-race full-course caution.

An incident for Tim Savage’s ProSport Competition Aston Martin Vantage GT3 set up an 18-minute shootout to the finish that saw O’Connell cross the line just 0.118 seconds ahead of Rothberg following a race-long battle.

Jason Daskalos, who started from the rear of the SR03 class field, came home third in his repaired No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

Daskalos entered the race with a two-point lead over O’Connell after suffering an accident in Race 1 on Saturday but has dropped to second in the title race as a result of O’Connell’s win.

The No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Mercedes-AMG of Ross Chouest came home fourth on Sunday, with Kyle Washington completing the top-five in his No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Isaac Sherman, meanwhile, returned to victory lane in his No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in GT4, finishing ahead of Saturday class winner Curt Swearingin in the No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche.

Damir Hot notched another podium finish in his No. 05 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4.

RESULTS: Race 2

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