International Motor Sports Association's (IMSA) president John Doonan confirmed the race was part of the schedule for the2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA SCC) in August 2021.[1] It was the ninth consecutive year the event was held as part of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2022 GT Challenge at VIR was the eleventh of twelve scheduled sports car races of 2022 by IMSA, and it was the last of eight rounds held as part of the WeatherTech Sprint Cup.[2] The race was held at the seventeen-turn 3.270 mi (5.263 km)Virginia International Raceway inAlton, Virginia on August 28, 2022.[3]
As in previous years, it would be the second of two GT-only rounds of theIMSA SportsCar Championship, in which only the GTD Pro and GTD classes competed.[4] After the previous years edition was moved to October, the race returned to its traditional date of August.[5][6]
The No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports entry entered the event as defending GTD-class winners, while the GTD Pro class would compete at Virginia International Raceway for the first time in class history.
Before the race,Matt Campbell andMathieu Jaminet led the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship with 2793 points; the duo held a 227 point lead overBen Barnicoat.[7] With 2329 points,Stevan McAleer led the GTD Drivers' Championship by 36 points over Ryan Hardwick andJan Heylen in second whileRoman De Angelis was third with 2285 points.[7] Porsche and BMW were leading their respective Manufactures' Championships while Pfaff Motorsports and Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports each led their own Teams' Championships.[7]
A total of 18 cars took part in the event split across two classes. 5 cars were entered in GTD Pro and 13 in GTD.[8] In GTD,Magnus Racing and Team Hardpoint made their first appearances since theWatkins Glen round.Jules Gounon joinedCooper MacNeil in theWeatherTech Racing entry. No changes happened in GTD Pro.
There were two practice sessions preceding the start of the race on Sunday; one on Friday and one on Saturday. The first session on Friday afternoon ran for 60 minutes while the second session on Saturday morning lasted 90 minutes.[9]
The first practice session took place at 3:50 pmET on Friday and ended withConnor De Phillippi topping the charts forBMW M Team RLL, with a lap time of 1:45.196.[10]
The second and final practice session took place at 10:40 amET on Saturday and ended withJack Hawksworth topping the charts forVasser Sullivan Racing, with a lap time of 1:43.984.[12]
Saturday's afternoon qualifying was broken into one session for the GTD Pro and GTD classes, which lasted for 15 minutes.[9] The rules dictated that all teams nominated a driver to qualify their cars, with the Pro-Am (GTD) class requiring a Bronze/Silver Rated Driver to qualify the car. The competitors' fastest lap times determined the starting order.[14]
With 3173 points, Campbell and Jaminet's victory allowed them to extend their advantage to 265 points as García and Taylor took over second position in the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship.[18] As a result of finishing second place, De Angelis took the lead of the GTD Drivers' Championship with 2630 points while McAleer dropped to second. Ellis and Ward jumped to fourth after being sixth coming into Virginia International Raceway.[18] Porsche and BMW continued to top their respective Manufacturers' Championships, while Pfaff Motorsports kept their advantage in the GTD Pro Teams' Championship. Heart of Racing Team took the lead of the GTD Teams' Championship with 1 round remaining.[18]
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Heart of Racing Team
Ross Gunn
Antonio Garcia
Pfaff Motorsports
Matt Campbell
