Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix
August 21- 23, 2020
Round: 4 of 10 races in the 2020 Michelin Pilot Challenge
Racetrack: Virginia International Raceway (VIR), Danville, VA
3.27-mile road course, featuring 17 turns
Race: Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 2:55 pm ET (11:45 pm PST) (2 Hours)
TV: LIVE on NBC Gold Track Pass
Live timing and scoring from each session available at www.IMSA.com
Live radio commentary for every session at www.IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com
BHA FAST FACTS:
#21 Car Leads: Harry Gottsacker and Mark Wilkins lead the 2020 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with 90 points, five points over teammates Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman. Mason Filippi and Michael Lewis are tied for third.
Hyundai 3-Peat?: It's been a clean sweep for Hyundai since IMPC returned to racing last month at Sebring. Will they make it three-in-a-row for Hyundai this weekend at VIR? Hyundai leads Audi in the manufacturers championship by five points, 102-97.
Newcomers Out Front: Gabby Chaves, Ryan Norman, Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman are new to the BHA team this season, but it hasn't taken them long to find the front of the field. Gabby and Ryan have led every race and scored their first victory in just their third IMPC start. Spencer Brockman and Parker Chase joined the 2019 TCR Champions just before Sebring. They finished second in their second IMPC start two weeks ago at Road America.
Rain Dance? Last year, weather played a major role over the weekend, qualifying was washed out at VIR and the grid was set by the championship points standings…should that happen again, three of the four BHA cars will start in the first two rows.
Double Duty: Parker Chase will be extra busy this weekend, he will compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway, driving the #77 Late Model for Chad Bryant Racing.
Bryan's View: "July was a great month for our Veloster N TCR cars with podium sweeps at Sebring and Road America. As August turns up the heat, we know our competition will be doing the same. The team and drivers have worked hard to prepare for an increased challenge." – Bryan Herta
#29 Vertical Bridge/Hyundai Veloster N TCR
Drivers: Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman
Best Start: 4th Best Finish: 2nd Championship: 13th (52 points)
New to the team at Sebring, VIR will be the third start for the #29 car.
Spencer Brockman was the fastest Hyundai in qualifying at Road America, in his second race. They started 4th and finished 2nd.
Parker Chase on his transition to front wheel drive: "Coming off an amazing weekend at Road America with a 2nd place, Spencer and I both are looking to continue the momentum into VIR. With two races in a front wheel drive car, I’m starting to get it under my belt after driving rear wheel drive GT3 cars for the last two and a half years. I'm still working on the tire conservation aspect of a front wheel drive but I’m getting the hang of it!"
Spencer Brockman's impressions after his first two IMPC races: "After a great 2nd place result at Road America, Parker and I will be working towards improving this position by one heading into VIR. It has been a great pleasure driving the Hyundai Veloster N TCR so far, and I have loved the challenges that IMSA racing has presented. Being that Road America was only my 2nd ever race with pit stops and driver changes, it has been quite a big transition for me. There are a few things I need to polish, but the Bryan Herta Autosport crew has helped tremendously with my transition to sports car racing and, I can’t thank them enough. I’m truly looking forward to getting back behind the wheel again!"
Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian:
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a championship winning auto racing franchise. Led by IndyCar and Sports Car star Bryan Herta, Bryan Herta Autosport has won races in every discipline they have entered, including Indy Lights, Indy Car, Global Rally Cross, and championship titles in Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA. BHA rose to prominence after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in what was the final race of the Centennial Era, a celebration of 100 years of racing at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with driver Dan Wheldon. Five years later, BHA partnered with Andretti Autosport, and defied the odds again, winning their second Indianapolis 500 with rookie driver Alexander Rossi. In 2018, BHA entered the Pirelli World Challenge in partnership with Hyundai and dominated the TCR class, winning seven races with drivers #98 Michael Lewis and #99 Mark Wilkins in the Hyundai i30N TCR, securing the team and manufacturers championships in the process. In 2019, BHA and Hyundai moved to the IMSA Michelin Sports Car Challenge, and the transition was flawless. BHA swept the series driver and team championships with driver Mark Wilkins and Michael Lewis finishing first in the #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR and young guns Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi finishing second in the #21 Hyundai Veloster N TCR. For 2020, BHA continues its successful partnership with Andretti Autosport fielding the #98 U.S. Concrete Honda w/ Curb Agajanian in the IndyCar series for driver Marco Andretti and a four-car Hyundai Veloster N TCR campaign in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Michael Lewis and Mason Fillipi (#98), Mark Wilkins and Harry Gottsacker (#21), Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman (#33) and Parker Chase and Spencer Brockman (#29). Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and parts support representative of Hyundai TCR race cars for customer teams. For more information, visit www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
At Hyundai Motor America, we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. Hyundai’s technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assurance—our promise to create a better experience for customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and nearly half of those sold in the U.S. are built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.Please visit our media website at www.HyundaiNews.com