Introduced in 2016, the SprintX Championship for GT 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 April at Virginia International Raceway. This event is followed by races in May at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Lime Rock Park. The penultimate rounds are at Utah Motorsports Campus and the season ends at Circuit of the Americas on the Labour Day weekend. 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 race.

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, Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, Mercedes AMG GT3, McLaren 650S GT3, Cadillac ATS-V.R GT3, Acura NSX GT3, Bentley Continental GT3 and Ferrari 488 GT3.
  • 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 – Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, KTM X-bow GT4, Ginetta G55 GT4 and SIN R1 GT4.
  • 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 and Ferrari Challenge championships.

    These cars are prepared to the same rules as those competing in the 50-minute sprint races.

    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 Pro/Pro, Pro/Amateur or Amateur/Amateur – points are awarded accordingly.

    The opening rounds of the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge SprintX season took place during the Nissan Grand Prix of VIR weekend. Thirty-three cars competed in the two sixty-minute races around Virginia International Raceway’s seventeen-turn 3.270-mile road course.

    • Starting on the pole for Sunday’s race – round two was the No. 54 Black Swan Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 driven by Jeroen Bleekemolen and team owner, Tim Pappas. Sharing the front row are the runner-up’s from round one, Daniel Morad and Ryan Dalziel in the CRP Racing Mercedes AMG. Behind these two entries are a total of thirty-one starters.
    Saint Petersburg pole-sitter, Daniel Mancinelli qualified the No. 31 Ferrari 488 GT3 third for the opening round of the 2017 SprintX series. A series of penalties by their competitors netted Mancinelli and his co-driver Andrea Montermini the season’s first victory. In Sunday’s race, they started tenth and missed the podium by one position.
    Driving the Dream Racing Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo in the SprintX Grand Touring Cup category was Allesandro Bressan and Yuki Harata. The pair started round one twenty-ninth overall and second in class. But they went on to win their category in rounds one and two at Virginia International Raceway.
    Michael Schein performed the qualifying honours for Saturday’s race and started fourteenth overall and second in the Pro/Am. Sharing the Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R with Schein was pro-driver Jan Heylen. The pair finished first in class and third overall but were given a three position grid penalty in round two for avoidable contact. In Sunday’s race, the pair finished third in their group.
    The No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R was driven by Jordan Taylor and Michael Cooper. The Cadillac was scheduled to start seventh but it stopped exiting pit-lane. The crew was able to get the car fired and the duo started at the back of the field. Despite their misfortune, they captured the last spot on the podium. They repeated their performance on Sunday but with less drama.
    Second quickest in the Grand Touring SprintX Am/Am category was the No. 007 TRG-AMR Aston Martin GT3 shared by Kris Wilson and Drew Regitz. In the weekend’s first they were the last car to finish on the lead lap and took the class victory. Sunday did not go as well; Wilson was involved in a late-race incident that included Stefan Johansson and Philip Bloom.
    The SprintX Grand Touring Pro/Pro podium for round one of the 2017 season. In the center are class and overall winners - Daniel Mancinelli and Andrea Montermini. To their right are the runner-up duo from McCann Racing, Mike Skeen and Andrew Davis. And, despite problems at the beginning of the race, Cadillac drivers Jordan Taylor and Michael Cooper grabbed the last spot on the rostrum.
    Quickest in the SprintX Grand Touring Sport Am/Am category was the Stephen Cameron Racing prepared Aston Martin driven by Greg Liefooghe and Aristotle Balogh. The pair dominated rounds one and two – they started on the class pole for each race and scored a pair of victories.
    Taking the top spot in Saturday’s qualifying session for the Grand Touring SprintX Am/Am class was Tyler McQuarrie. McQuarrie was sharing the MOMO/NGT Motorsports Ferrari 458 GT3 with Henrique Cisneros. On Saturday the pair finished a distant second to the class winning Aston Martin. In round two, they fared better – winning their category.
    On Saturday, the Black Swan Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 started near the rear of the Grand Touring group. A wheel issue in round one prevented Jeroen Bleekemolen and team owner, Tim Pappas from securing a good finish. However, that changed in race two when the team started from the pole and won the Pro/Am category.
    Qualifying in the top spot for the Grand Touring Cup category was Corey Friedman in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup that he was sharing the Joseph Toussaint. They entered round one with a reason to be optimistic but could not match the pace of the Dream Racing Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo. Both days, they finished second in class.
    The No. 2 CRP Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 was shared by Ryan Dalziel and Daniel Morad. The pair shared the front row for the season’s first race with the pole-winning McCann Audi. With less than fifteen minutes to go in the race, the Mercedes was leading but was given a drive-through penalty and finished fifth. In Sunday’s contest, the duo redeemed themselves by taking the victory.
    Mike Skeen bumped Ryan Dalziel off the pole late in Saturday’s qualifying session. Skeen was scheduled to share the driving duties with World Challenge veteran and team owner, Michael McCann, however, a decision was made to replace McCann with Andrew Davis. In the season’s first race the pair finished second just 0.239-seconds behind the winning Ferrari.
    Case-it Racing entered two Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsports in the Grand Touring Sport class. The No. 017 Porsche shared by Adam Merzon and Trent Hindman. The car started thirty-second overall and third in class but at the checkered flag the second in Grand Touring Sport. On Sunday, they earned another runner-up finish in their group.
    The SprintX Grand Touring Pro/Pro podium for round two of the 2017 season. Making up for their mistake on Saturday, CRP Racing’s, Daniel Morad and Ryan Dalziel scored the win. To their right are the runner-up duo from K-Pax Racing, Alvaro Parente and Ben Barnicoat. And, with less drama than the previous day, Jordan Taylor and Michael Cooper captured the final position on the rostrum.

    FINISHCLASSDRIVERENTRANT / CARLAPS
    1SprintX - GT Pro/ProMontermini / MancinelliTR3 Racing / Ferrari 488 GT332
    2SprintX - GT Pro/FroSkeen / DavisMcCann Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS32
    3SprintX - GT Pro/AmHeylen / ScheinWright Motorsports / Porsche 911 GT3 R32
    4SprintX - GT Pro/ProCooper / TaylorCadillac Racing / Cadillac ATS-V.R32
    5SprintX - GT Pro/ProDalziel / MoradCRP Racing / Mercedes AMG GT332
    6SprintX - GT Pro/ProLong / BergmeisterWright Motorsports / Porsche 911 GT3 R32
    7SprintX - GT Pro/ProO'Connell / TaylorCadillac Racing / Cadillac ATS-V.R32
    8SprintX - GT Pro/AmImperatori / LuoAbsolute Racing / Bentley Continental GT332
    9SprintX - GT Pro/ProRiberas / MarcelliR. Ferri Motorsport / Ferrari 488 GT332
    10SprintX - GT Pro/AmVanthoor / SofronasGMG Racing / Porsche 911 GT3 R32
    11SprintX - GT Pro/ProFong / AbrilAbsolute Racing / Bentley Continental GT332
    12SprintX - GT Am/AmWilson / RegitzTRG-AMR / Aston Martin GT332
    13SprintX - GT Pro/ProSummerton / DavisonDime Racing / Lamborghini Huracan GT331
    14SprintX - GT Pro/AmUdell / CalvertCalvert Dynamics / Porsche 911 GT3 R31
    15SprintX - GT Pro/AmCisneros / McQuarrieMOMO/NGT / Ferrari 458 GT331
    16SprintX - GT Pro/AmLewis / HedlundK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT331
    17SprintX - GT Pro/AmNegrao / Negrao Sr.MCC Motorsports / Mercedes AMG GT331
    18SprintX - GT Pro/ProKane / SellersK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT331
    19SprintX - GT Pro/ProEversley / DyerRealTime Racing / Acura NSX GT331
    20SprintX - GT Cup Pro/AmBressan / HarataDream Racing / Lamborghini Huracan31
    21SprintX - GT Cup Am/AmToussaint / FriedmanAutometrics / Porsche 911 GT3 Cup31
    22SprintX - GT Pro/AmBleekemolen / PappasBlack Swan Racing / Mercedes AMG GT330
    23SprintX - GTS Am/AmLiefooghe / BaloghStephen Cameron / Aston Martin GT430
    24SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMerzon / HindmanCase-it Racing / Porsche Cayman GT430
    25SprintX - GTS Am/Am Cassels / BloomCase-it Racing / Porsche Cayman GT429
    26SprintX - GTS Pro/AmTilley / KaufmanTRG-AMR / Aston Martin Vantage GT428
    27SprintX - GT Pro/AmPegram / DaysonM1GT Racing / Audi R8 LMS Ultra28
    28SprintX - GT Pro/ProKaffer / PumpellyMagnus Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS27
    29SprintX - GT Pro/ProParente / BarnicoatK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT325
    30SprintX - GT Am/AmFuentes / JohanssonScuderia Corsa / Ferrari 458 GT322
    31SprintX - GT Pro/AmSeefried / PotterMagnus Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS17
    32SprintX - GT Pro/AmSanchez / MontecalvoAIM Autosport / Nissan GT-R Nismo GT313
    33SprintX - GT Pro/ProKox / WilkinsRealTime Racing / Acura NSX GT311

    FINISHCLASSDRIVERENTRANT / CARLAPS
    1SprintX - GT Pro/ProDalziel / MoradCRP Racing / Mercedes AMG GT327
    2SprintX - GT Pro/ProParente / BarnicoatK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT327
    3SprintX - GT Pro/ProCooper / TaylorCadillac Racing / Cadillac ATS-V.R27
    4SprintX - GT Pro/ProMontermini / MancinelliTR3 Racing / Ferrari 488 GT327
    5SprintX - GT Pro/ProKaffer / PumpellyMagnus Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS27
    6SprintX - GT Pro/ProRiberas / MarcelliR. Ferri Motorsport / Ferrari 488 GT327
    7SprintX - GT Pro/ProSkeen / DavisMcCann Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS27
    8SprintX - GT Pro/ProFong / AbrilAbsolute Racing / Bentley Continental GT327
    9SprintX - GT Pro/AmSummerton / DavisonDime Racing / Lamborghini Huracan GT327
    10SprintX - GT Pro/AmBleekemolen / PappasBlack Swan Racing / Mercedes AMG GT327
    11SprintX - GT Pro/ProEversley / DyerRealTime Racing / Acura NSX GT327
    12SprintX - GT Pro/ProKane / SellersK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT327
    13SprintX - GT Pro/ProO'Connell / TaylorCadillac Racing / Cadillac ATS-V.R27
    14SprintX - GT Pro/ProKox / WilkinsRealTime Racing / Acura NSX GT327
    15SprintX - GT Pro/AmVanthoor / SofronasGMG Racing / Porsche 911 GT3 R27
    16SprintX - GT Pro/AmHeylen / ScheinWright Motorsports / Porsche 911 GT3 R27
    17SprintX - GT Pro/AmCisneros / McQuarrieMOMO/NGT Motorsports / Ferrari 458 GT327
    18SprintX - GT Pro/AmLewis / HedlundK-PAX Racing / McLaren 650S GT327
    19SprintX - GT Pro/AmImperatori / LuoAbsolute Racing / Bentley Continental GT327
    20SprintX - GT Pro/AmSanchez / MontecalvoAlways Evolving/AIM Autosport / Nissan GT-R Nismo GT327
    21SprintX - GT Am/AmWilson / RegitzTRG-AMR / Aston Martin GT327
    22SprintX - GT Cup Pro/AmBressan / HarataDream Racing / Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo26
    23SprintX - GT Cup Am/AmToussaint / FriedmanAutometrics Motorsports / Porsche 911 GT3 Cup26
    24SprintX - GT Am/AmPegram / DaysonM1GT Racing / Audi R8 LMS Ultra26
    25SprintX - GT Pro/AmSeefried / PotterMagnus Racing / Audi RS 8 LMS26
    26SprintX - GTS Am/AmLiefooghe / BaloghStephen Cameron Racing / Aston Martin GT425
    27SprintX - GT Am/AmFuentes / JohanssonScuderia Corsa / Ferrari 458 GT324
    28SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMerzon / HindmanCase-it Racing / Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport24
    29SprintX - GTS Am/AmCassels / BloomCase-it Racing / Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport22
    30SprintX - GT Pro/ProLong / BergmeisterWright Motorsports / Porsche 911 GT3 R19
    31SprintX - GT Pro/AmNegrao / Negrao Sr.MCC Motorsports / Mercedes AMG GT318
    32SprintX - GTS Pro/AmTilley / KaufmanTRG-AMR / Aston Martin Vantage GT49
    33SprintX - GT Pro/AmUdell / CalvertCalvert Dynamics / Porsche 911 GT3 R6

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