rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
The first Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) full-weekend visit to VIRginia International Raceway in seven years produced an endless roll call of race winners and podium finishers in a packed weekend of competition at the HSR VIR Historics on the 3.29-mile Southern Virginia road course, September 4 – 7.
After two days of testing, practice and qualifying Thursday and Friday, the first race of the weekend was Saturday morning’s B.R.M. Endurance Challenge. The one-hour contest was an all GT Modern (GTM) affair with a trio of solo drivers taking top three honors.
The overall and GTM victory was secured by Ben Myers in his 2017 Type 991.2 No. 29 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup prepared by the 901 Shop. Myers cruised to a comfortable win ahead of second-place finisher Kevin Clayton in the European Auto Garage 2020 No. 03 Mercedes-AMG GT4 supported trackside by Kingpin Racing. Third went to Colin Dougherty in his DAS Sport No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R Type 991.2 (pictured below).
Another Saturday winner was Graham Adelman who won the day’s Group 4 Feature race for open-wheel cars in his pristine 1973 No. 73 March 732 (pictured at top). Adelman not only took the Group 4 honors, he also finished first overall in the combined HSR sprint race that included Groups 6 and 7 along with Group 4.
While a late thunderstorm cut short Saturday’s schedule, Sunday’s full and final day of on-track action brought the VIR Historics to a grand conclusion.
Similar to Saturday’s card, a B.R.M. Endurance Challenge round was the first feature race of the day with the GT Classic (GTC), Historic and Vintage classes taking to the spotlight.
The overall and Historic class win was secured by Andy Willis in the 1976 No. 34 Chevron B36.
The Vintage victory went to Adelman’s wife Sharon Adelman and her co-driver George McDonald who shared a 1988 No. 36 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup.
Completing the B.R.M. Endurance Challenge winner’s rostrum was John Spiers in his 1967 No. 28 Ford Mustang Coupe who took the GTC victory.
In HSR Michelin Prototype Challenge presented by Michelin competition, Matt Graham and Jake Latham combined to sweep both Saturday’s endurance race and the supporting sprints in their 2020 No. 31 Ligier JS P320.
The always popular Sasco Sports International/American Challenge presented by Hoosier made a rare Sunday appearance at VIR to close out the race weekend.
Spiers captured his second win of the day in the No. 28 Mustang, taking the American division win while finishing second outright behind the 1988 No. 40 Porsche 944 of Greg Micheal, who captured first overall while garnering Porsche-class honors.
The International division winner was veteran HSR competitor Kathy Blaha who had a successful solo run at the wheel of the Vintage Racing Co. E46 generation 2002 BMW M3 she races with her husband Mike Banz.
The HSR Global GT sprint was won by HSR Driver of The Year Drew Ewing in his always quick 2016 No. 13 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
The Global GT finale also gave Dougherty and Clayton one final visit to the VIR Historics victory lane. Dougherty finished second in his No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R Type 991.2 just ahead of Clayton in the 2020 No. 03 Mercedes-AMG GT4.
Next up on the 2025 HSR schedule is the inaugural HSR Road Atlanta Classic 10 Hour, presented by Mission Foods, and the Atlanta Fall Historics weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, September 25 – 28.
