The GT Challenge at VIR is a sports car race that is held at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, since 1957.
History After being a part of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship and the IMSA GT Championship the race, along with the track, went on hiatus from the early 1970s until 2002. It returned as a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series, and then became an American Le Mans Series race in 2012. In 2014 the race joined the schedule of the United SportsCar Championship after the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series.
The race length has varied from 150 to 500 km. The former title VIR 240 refers to the duration of 240 minutes (4 hours). In 2013, the race was renamed to the Oak Tree Grand Prix.
Beginning in 2016, the Oak Tree Grand Prix became the name of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge a support race runs during the same weekend as the United SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.
Winners Season Date Overall winner(s) Entrant Car Distance/Duration Race title Report SCCA National Sports Car Championship 1957 August 4 Carroll Shelby John Engar Maserati 450S Inaugural Grand Prix Sports Car Races report October 27 Charles Wallace Briggs Cunningham Jaguar D-type 2 hours, 30 minutes President's Cup Race report 1958 May 4 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar 1 hour National Championship Spring Sprint Sports Car Road Races report October 5 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar Autumn Festival Sports Car Races report 1959 May 3 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Lister-Jaguar VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report 1960 May 1 Bob Holbert Porsche 718 RSK VIR-Shrine National Championship Sports Car Races report 1961 April 30 Walt Hansgen Briggs Cunningham Maserati Tipo 61 3 hours President's Cup report 1962 April 29 Roger Penske Cooper T61 Monaco 2 hours, 30 minutes President's Cup report 1963 April 27 Don Devine Meister Brauser Racing Scarab Mark II-Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes VIR National Cup report 1964 April 19 Ed Lowther Genie Mk.8-Ford National Championship Sports Car Races report1965–1970 Not held IMSA GT Championship 1971 April 18 Peter Gregg Hurley Haywood Brumos Porsche-Audi Porsche 914/6 Danville 300 report 1972 April 16 Peter Gregg Hurley Haywood Peter Gregg Porsche 911 S Danville 250 report1973–2001 Not held Rolex Sports Car Series 2002 September 1 Andy Wallace Chris Dyson Dyson Racing Crawford SSC2K-Judd VIR 500 report 2003 October 5 Andy Pilgrim Terry Borcheller Bell Motorsports Doran JE4-Chevrolet VIR 400 report 2004 October 3 Wayne Taylor Max Angelelli SunTrust Racing Riley MkXI-Pontiac VIR 400 report 2005 October 9 Luis Díaz Scott Pruett Chip Ganassi Racing Riley MkXI-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes VIR 400 report 2006 April 23 Mike Rockenfeller Patrick Long Alex Job Racing Crawford DP03-Porsche VIR 400 report 2007 April 29 Wayne Taylor Max Angelelli Jan Magnussen SunTrust Racing Riley MkXI-Pontiac VIR 400 report 2008 April 27 Scott Pruett Memo Rojas Chip Ganassi Racing Riley MkXX-Lexus Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report 2009 April 25 Jon Fogarty Alex Gurney GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Riley MkXX-Pontiac 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report 2010 April 24 Scott Pruett Memo Rojas Chip Ganassi Racing Riley MkXX-Lexus 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report 2011 May 14 João Barbosa Terry Borcheller J. C. France Action Express Racing Riley MkXI-Porsche 2 hours, 45 minutes Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR report American Le Mans Series 2012 September 15 Lucas Luhr Klaus Graf Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 4 hours American Le Mans Series VIR 240 report 2013 October 5 Lucas Luhr Klaus Graf Muscle Milk Pickett Racing HPD ARX-03a 2 hours, 45 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report United SportsCar Championship 2014 August 24 Luis Díaz Sean Rayhall 8 Star Motorsports Oreca FLM09-Chevrolet 1 hour, 30 minutes (2 x 45-minute segments) Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report Giancarlo Fisichella Pierre Kaffer Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 2 hours, 45 minutes 2015 August 23 Patrick Pilet Nick Tandy Porsche North America Porsche 911 (991) RSR 2 hours, 40 minutes Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR report 2016 August 28 Antonio García Jan Magnussen Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2017 August 27 Antonio García Jan Magnussen Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2018 August 19 Connor De Phillippi Alexander Sims BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2019 August 25 Patrick Pilet Nick Tandy Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2020 August 22 Antonio García Jordan Taylor Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2021 October 9 Tommy Milner Nick Tandy Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2022 August 28 Matt Campbell Mathieu Jaminet Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2023 August 27 Antonio García Jordan Taylor Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2024 August 25 Bryan Sellers Madison Snow Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2025 August 24 Alexander Sims Antonio García Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report 2026 August 23 Andrea Caldarelli Sandy Mitchell Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3 2 hour, 40 minutes Michelin GT Challenge at VIR report
References
External links Racing Sports Cars: VIR archive Ultimate Racing History: VIR archive