McAleer, Raphael Take GT4 SprintX Race 1 Win

Photo: Gavin Baker/SRO

Classic BMW has claimed overall victory in the first Pirelli GT4 America SprintX/East race of the weekend at Virginia International Raceway, thanks to a late-race pass by Stevan McAleer.

McAleer took his No. 29 BMW M4 GT4 to a 2.223-second win over the No. 47 nolasport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Jason Hart, which picked up GT4 SprintX Pro-Am class honors.

Hart emerged as the overall leader following the mid-race round of pit stops although came under attack by McAleer in the closing stages of the 60-minute contest.

The pass for the lead came with less than ten minutes on the clock.

McAleer shared the overall and GT4 East Pro-Am victory with co-driver Justin Raphael.

Gregory Liefooghe made it two BMWs on the overall podium, with the No. 19 Stephen Cameron Racing BMW GT4 finishing third and runner-up in GT4 SprintX Pro-Am.

The No. 3 Epic Motorsports BMW GT4 of James Clay and Randy Mueller, meanwhile, picked up GT4 East Am class honors with a fourth place overall finish. 

While pole-sitter Kris Wilson got off to a commanding lead, a heavy accident between the No. 21 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Michael Dinan and Rich Golinello’s KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 brought out a lengthy full-course caution on the third lap.

Golinello, whose Mustang GT4 was broadsided by Dinan’s out-of-control Porsche GT4, has been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation, according to a SRO Motorsports America spokesperson.

The race restarted with 33 minutes left on the clock, prior to the opening of the pit window.

The second GT4 SprintX/East race of the weekend is set for Sunday at 4:10 p.m. EDT.

RESULTS: Race 1 (GT4 SprintX)
RESULTS: Race 1 (GT4 East)

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