2018 Utah Motorsports Campus - World Challenge

Introduced in 2016, the SprintX Championship for Grand Touring competitors is based on the very successful Blancpain Sprint Series in Europe.

There are a total of five rounds with the championship kicking off in March at Circuit of the Americas. This event is followed by races at Virginia International Raceway and Lime Rock Park. The penultimate rounds are at Portland International Raceway with the season ending at Utah Motorsports Campus in August. The races are 60-minutes in length and require a mandatory pit-stop for a driver change between the 25 and 35-minute mark of the contest.

The SprintX Championship has three classes:

Grand Touring X (GT-X) – This is the series quickest class and includes cars that predominantly fall into the FIA GT3 category. These are two-wheel drive vehicles that may use normally aspirated or turbocharged engines which produce approximately 500 horsepower. Examples of cars competing in this category include: Porsche 911 GT3 R, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Mercedes AMG GT3, McLaren 650S GT3, Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R, Bentley Continental GT3, Audi R8 LMS and Ferrari 488 GT3.
Grand Touring Cup X (GTC-X) – The GT Cup class was originally for 2015-2016 Porsche 991 GT Cup cars. It now includes vehicles from other spec series – the Lamborghini Super Trofeo (Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo) and Ferrari Challenge (Ferrari 458 Challenge) championships.
Grand Touring Sport X (GTS-X) – The cars in this class are similar to the GT vehicles but have more preparation restrictions. Drivetrain layouts include all-wheel-drive and front and rear-wheel drive. These cars can be powered by forced induction or normally aspirated motors. In previous years, the GTS class was mainly comprised of Ford, Chevrolet and Porsche products. In 2016, this category witnessed an influx of FIA GT4 vehicles which proved to be very competitive – Chevrolet Camaro GT4, McLaren 570S GT4, Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR, Audi R8 LMS GT4, Ginetta G55 GT4, BMW M4 GT4, Audi R8 LMS GT4, Mercedes-AMG GT4, Panoz Avezzano GT4 and SIN R1 GT4.

SprintX cars are prepared to the same rules as those competing in the 50-minute Sprint races. Due to the popularity of the GTS/GT4 category, they would have their race group. Grand Touring X and Grand Touring Cup X would compete in the same contest.

As the championship features a two-driver format which includes professional and sportsman racers, there was a need to categorize competitors. Within the three classes, the driver combinations are grouped as Professional/Professional (Pro/Pro), Professional/Amateur (Pro/Am), Amateur/Amateur (Am) and some competitors will compete solo – points are awarded accordingly.

Rounds nine and ten at the Utah Motorsports Campus were the final events on the 2018 schedule for SprintX GTS competitors. Titles were still on the line for the Pro/Am and Amateur categories. Drivers would compete in two sixty-minute races around the fourteen-turn 3.048-mile ‘Outer Course’. The weekend was titled, The Grand Prix of Utah.

The start of round nine for the Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX category. The GTS Am class BMW M4 GT4 shared by Jon Miller and Aurora Straus jumps into the lead from the third position on the grid. Behind the BMW is the pole-winning Ford Mustang GT4 qualified by Scott Maxwell and the Matt Keegan and Ian James Panoz Avezzano GT4 which also started on the front row.

Classic BMW entered three M4s in the GTS SprintX division and four M235iRs in the Touring car class. The No. 92 BMW M4 GT4 competed in the Amateur category and was driven by Chris Ohmacht and the 2016 Touring Car champion, Toby Grahovec. In race one, they were gridded sixth in class but finished tenth. Capitalizing on a late race incident in round ten, the pair scored their second victory of the season.

Harry Gottsacker was the biggest threat to the Pro/Am championship leaders, James Sofronas and Alex Welch. He had driven the No. 69 SIN R1 solo during the 2018 campaign. In the qualifying session for round nine, Gottsacker was sixth quickest and was a threat to win the race until he was penalized for leaving the pits too early during his mandatory stop. Gottsacher redeemed himself on Sunday by taking the win.

Matt Keegan handled the qualifying duties for the No. 50 Panoz Avezzano GT4 that he would share with Ian James. Keegan missed the pole by 0.060-seconds and shared the front row with the Mustang of Scott Maxwell. With the retirement of Maxwell and a penalty for Harry Gottsacker, the pair won round nine. On Sunday, they started on the pole but could not maintain Gottsacker’s pace and finished second.

The GTS SprintX Pro\Am point’s leaders, Alex Welch and James Sofronas shared the No. 14 GMG prepared Audi R8 LMS GT4. Welch qualified the Audi fourth quickest – just two positions ahead of their rival for the title, Harry Gottsacker. Overheating issues during the race caused the Audi to go into limp mode, they finished sixth. On Sunday, the duo was eighth in class and captured the championship by three points.

Johnny O’Connell the four-time Pirelli World Challenge GT champion shared the No. 72 Robinson Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R with his son, Canaan. Competing in the Pro/Am division, the pair were gridded thirteenth overall and seventh in class for round nine. At the checkered flag, they were eighth in their category. Unfortunately, on Sunday, the Camaro was involved in a starting incident and retired after two laps.

The Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX Pro/Am podium for the final round of the 2018 season. On the top of the rostrum is the winner from Racers Edge Motorsports, Harry Gottsacker. To the left of Gottsacker are the runner-ups, from Team Panoz Racing, Matt Keegan and Ian James. Completing the podium are the third-place finishers, Jade Buford and Scott Maxwell.

Thirty-three Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX competitors prepare to enter the last corner (called Release) for the final round of the 2018 season. Starting on the pole and setting the fastest lap in the weekend’s first race is the Panoz Avezzano of Ian James and Matt Keegan. Sharing the front row with the James/Keegan Panoz is the Racers Edge Motorsports SIN R1 of the title contender, Harry Gottsacker.

In the last half of the season, Preston Calvert was coming to terms with the Panoz Avezzano GT4. In the previous round at Portland International Raceway, Calvert scored his first GTS SprintX victory. He was still on form at the Utah Motorsports Campus qualifying fourth in the Amateur category. In race one, Calvert took another class win and the following day, he captured the runner-up position.

Another driver competing solo but in the Amateur category was the point’s leader, Drew Stavely. Heading into Utah, Stavely’s stats included three victories and six visits to the podium. Driving a Ginetta G55, he started round nine seventh overall and second in class increasing his points lead over Aurora Straus who finished fourth. On Sunday, Stavely was fourth but it was enough to secure the title.

Despite being handicapped by a lack of straight-line speed, Scott Maxwell won the pole position for round nine in the PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4. Sharing the Mustang with Maxwell was Jade Buford who was third in the Pro/Am standings. Maxwell was leading Saturday’s race when the car began leaking gear oil and was forced to retire. The following day the pair fared better, they started and finished third.

The 2017 TCA champion, Matt Fassnacht qualified the Murillo Racing prepared Mercedes-AMG GT4 and would start the weekend’s first race in fifth place. Fassnacht’s driving partner was Mazda MX-5 Cup veteran, Christian Szymczak. In the weekend’s first event, they captured the final spot on the Pro/Am podium. In the season’s last race, the duo missed the rostrum by one position.

In 2016, the KTM XBow made its first appearance in the series and one was used by Brent Sandberg to win the GTS title. The only driver racing a KTM in 2018 was Nicolai Elghanayan. Competing in the Amateur category, Elghanayan scored a victory in round five at Lime Rock. At Utah, he started race two thirty-second overall and passed twenty-one cars to finish third in class and earn the hard charger award.

The round nine World Challenge GTS SprintX Amateur podium at the Utah Motorsports Campus. On the left is second place finisher and class point’s leader, Drew Stavely. And to the right, earning his first podium of the season is Mark Klenin, who captured third place. Between these two is the winner, Preston Calvert. This was Calvert’s second consecutive victory - he won the previous race at Portland International Raceway.

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	ENTRANT / CAR	LAPS
1	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	James / Keegan	Team Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT4	29
2	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Harry Gottsacker	Racers Edge Motorsports / SIN R1	29
3	SprintX - GTS Am	Preston Calvert	Team Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT4	29
4	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Fassnacht / Szymczak	Murillo Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT4	29
5	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Pilgrim / Aschenbach	Blackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	29
6	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Welch / Sofronas	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	29
7	SprintX - Am	Drew Staveley	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	29
8	SprintX - GTS Am	Mark Klenin	KPR / McLaren 570S GT4	29
9	SprintX - GTS Am	Straus / Miller	ST Racing / BMW M4 GT4	29
10	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Cooper / Gaples	Blackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	29
11	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Braun / Kurtz	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	29
12	SprintX - GTS Am	Liefooghe / Schmitt	Stephen Cameron Racing / BMW M4 GT4	29
13	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	O'Connell / O'Connell	Robinson Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	29
14	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Marcelli / Fidani	Pfaff Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR	29
15	SprintX - GTS Am	Mueller / Vanjonack	Epic Motorsports / BMW M4 GT4	29
16	SprintX - GTS Am	Steve Burns	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	29
17	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Strom / Jorgensen	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	29
18	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Dinan / Foley	Flying Lizard Motorsports / Audi R8 LMS GT4	29
19	SprintX - GTS Am	Jason Bell	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	29
20	SprintX - GTS Am	Ohmacht / Grahovec	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	29
21	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	McAleer / Raphael	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	29
22	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Sabo / Lee	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	29
23	SprintX - GTS Am	Mark Pavan	Racers Edge Motorsports / SIN R1	29
24	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Allegretta / Pesek	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	29
25	SprintX - GTS Am	Nicolai Elghanayan	MarcoPolo Motorsports / KTM X-bow	29
26	SprintX - GTS Am	Frank Gannett	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	29
27	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Robinson / Lewis	Robinson Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	29
28	SprintX - GTS Am	Jeff Burton	Rearden Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	28
29	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Eversley / Merzon	Caseit Racing by Flying Lizard / Audi R8 LMS GT4	28
30	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Tan / Wittmer	ST Racing / BMW M4 GT4	20
31	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Gallagher / Pesek	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	18
32	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Buford / Maxwell	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	17
33	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Novich / Holton	Compass Racing / McLaren 570S GT4	16

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	ENTRANT / CAR	LAPS
1	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Harry Gottsacker	Racers Edge Motorsports / SIN R1	24
2	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	James / Keegan	Team Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT4	24
3	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Buford / Maxwell	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	24
4	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Fassnacht / Szymczak	Murillo Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT4	24
5	SprintX - GTS Am	Ohmacht / Grahovec	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	24
6	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Braun / Kurtz	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	24
7	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Cooper / Gaples	Blackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	24
8	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Marcelli / Fidani	Pfaff Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR	24
9	SprintX - GTS Am	Preston Calvert	Team Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT4	24
10	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Welch / Sofronas	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	24
11	SprintX - GTS Am	Nicolai Elghanayan	MarcoPolo Motorsports / KTM X-bow	24
12	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Robinson / Lewis	Robinson Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	24
13	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Tan / Wittmer	ST Racing / BMW M4 GT4	24
14	SprintX - Am	Drew Staveley	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	24
15	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Strom / Jorgensen	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	24
16	SprintX - GTS Am	Jeff Burton	Rearden Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	24
17	SprintX - GTS Am	Mark Pavan	Racers Edge Motorsports / SIN R1	24
18	SprintX - GTS Am	Steve Burns	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	24
19	SprintX - GTS Am	Frank Gannett	Ian Lacy Racing / Ginetta G55	24
20	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Eversley / Merzon	Caseit Racing by Flying Lizard / Audi R8 LMS GT4	24
21	SprintX - GTS Am	Liefooghe / Schmitt	Stephen Cameron Racing / BMW M4 GT4	24
22	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	McAleer / Raphael	Classic BMW / BMW M4 GT4	24
23	SprintX - GTS Am	Mueller / Vanjonack	Epic Motorsports / BMW M4 GT4	24
24	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Dinan / Foley	Flying Lizard Motorsports / Audi R8 LMS GT4	22
25	SprintX - GTS Am	Straus / Miller	ST Racing / BMW M4 GT4	20
26	SprintX - GTS Am	Mark Klenin	KPR / McLaren 570S GT4	20
27	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Pilgrim / Aschenbach	Blackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	19
28	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Sabo / Lee	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	17
29	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Gallagher / Pesek	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	14
NC	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	O'Connell / O'Connell	Robinson Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT4	2
NC	SprintX - GTS Am	Jason Bell	GMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT4	1
NC	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Allegretta / Pesek	PF Racing / Ford Mustang GT4	0
NC	SprintX - GTS Pro/Am	Novich / Holton	Compass Racing / McLaren 570S GT4	0

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