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 three and four of the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX season were contested during the Grand Prix of Virginia presented by Audi Sport weekend. Thirty-eight teams competed in the two sixty-minute races around Virginia International Raceway’s seventeen-turn 3.270-mile road course.

In the mid-90’s, Shane Lewis competed in the World Challenge series. In 2018, he returned to the championship with Gar Robinson in the Robinson Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4. Lewis was the fastest qualifier for round three and leads the field through ‘Nascar Bend’ on the first lap. Directly behind him is Scott Maxwell, who was the fourth quickest qualifier and Matthew Fassnacht who started on the outside of the front row.
Volt Racing who campaign regularly in IMSA’s Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge entered their Ford Mustang GT4 in the Pro/Am category for Trent Hindman and Alan Brynjolfson. On Saturday, the Mustang was gridded eighth overall and seventh in class. A great strategy gave Hindman and Brynjolfson their first Pirelli World Challenge victory. In round four, the pair started sixth and took the runner-up spot.
In opening the weekend at Circuit of the Americas, Aurora Straus shared the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4 with Al Carter. The pair swept the weekend capturing two GTS Am victories. At Virginia International Raceway, Straus shared the car with Jon Miller. On Saturday, the point’s leader and her partner finished, sixth in class. The following day, Straus and Miller were back on form and she scored her third victory of the season.
Starting on the GTS Am pole for Saturday’s contest was the sixth fastest qualifier, Toby Grahovec. Sharing the No. 92 Classic BMW entry with Grahovec was Chris Ohmacht. The team waited until the final moments of the pit-stop window to make the driver change. The strategy paid off as the pair took the class victory. In round four, they started tenth overall and second in class – at the checker, they were fourth in their category.
The Pirelli World Challenge SprintX GTS Am podium for round three at Virginia International Raceway. In the center of the podium are the winners from Classic BMW, Toby Grahovec and Chris Ohmacht. This was the duo’s first victory of 2018. On the left are the runner-ups, Greg Liefooghe and Henry Schmitt. To the right and completing the rostrum are Randy Mueller and Michael Camus. The top three competed in BMW M4s.
The pole-winning GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4 leads thirty-seven entries through the ‘Snake’ on lap-one of round fourth. Further back in the field the Panoz Avezzano GT4 of Preston Calvert and the BMW M4 GT4 shared by Steven McAleer and Justin Raphael tangle. McAleer and Raphael finished eleventh in the Pro/Am class while Calvert was disqualified from the race results.
James Sofronas and his driving partner, Alex Welch were proving to be a formidable duo in the Pro/Am category. At the season opener in Austin, they finished fourth and grabbed a victory on Sunday driving the GMG Racing prepared Audi R8 LMS GT4. At Virginia International Raceway, the pair increased their points lead by taking the runner-up spot on Saturday and in round four they, captured their second victory of 2018.
Mike Hedlund’s season got off to a miserable start. In round one at Circuit of the Americas’, contact on the first lap forced him to retire in corner one. The driver of the Flying Lizard Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT4 qualified thirteenth overall in the first race at Virginia International Raceway and he finished sixth in GTS Am. The following day, Hedlund captured the final spot on the class podium – his second of the year.
The No. 1 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4 was shared by Andy Pilgrim and Lawson Aschenbach. Combined these two drivers have a total of six Pirelli World Challenge titles. The Camaro was gridded ninth overall and eighth in Pro/Am for round three. The duo captured the last position on the class podium and did the same on Sunday. They left Virginia International Raceway third in the title chase.
A starting line incident eliminated the No. 3 BMW M4 GT4 from round one at Circuit of the Americas. The team’s weekend at Virginia International Raceway would be much better. Competing in the GTS Am category drivers, Randy Mueller and Michael Camus would qualify eleventh overall for Saturday’s race and grab the final spot on the class podium. On Sunday, the pair started seventeenth and finished sixth in class.
Stephen Cameron Racing entered the No. 88 BMW M4 GT4 for Henry Schmitt and Greg Liefooghe. The duo were rated amateurs and completed in the GTS Am category. They had opened the season with mixed results – a DNF and third in class. At Virginia International Raceway, they scored a pair of podium finishes – a second on Saturday and a third in round four.
The Pirelli World Challenge SprintX GTS Pro/Am podium for round three. In the center of the podium are the winners from Volt Racing, Trent Hindman and Alan Brynjolfson. This was the duo’s first Pirelli World Challenge victory. On the left are the second place finishers and point’s leaders, James Sofronas and Alex Welch. To the right and completing the rostrum are Lawson Aschenbach and Andy Pilgrim.

FINISHCLASSDRIVERENTRANT / CARLAPS
1SprintX - GTS Pro/AmHindman / BrynjolfsonVolt Racing / Ford Mustang GT422
2SprintX - GTS Pro/AmWelch / SofronasGMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT422
3SprintX - GTS Pro/AmPilgrim / AschenbachBlackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT422
4SprintX - GTS AmOhmacht / GrahovecClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT422
5SprintX - GTS Pro/AmJames / KeeganTeam Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT422
6SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBuford / MaxwellPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT422
7SprintX - GTS AmLiefooghe / SchmittStephen Cameron Racing / BMW M4 GT422
8SprintX - GTS AmMueller / CamusEpic Motorsports / BMW M4 GT422
9SprintX - GTS Pro/AmRobinson / LewisRobinson Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT422
10SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBraun / KurtzGMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT422
11SprintX - GTS AmJeffery CourtneyJCR Motorsports / Maserati Grand Turismo MC GT22
12SprintX - GTS AmMike HedlundFlying Lizard Motorsports / Audi R8 LMS GT422
13SprintX - GTS AmStraus / MillerST Racing / BMW M4 GT422
14SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMarcelli / FidaniPfaff Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR22
15SprintX - GTS Pro/AmCooper / GaplesBlackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT422
16SprintX - AmDrew StaveleyIan Lacy Racing / Ginetta G5522
17SprintX - GTS Pro/AmTan / WittmerST Racing / BMW M4 GT422
18SprintX - GTS AmPreston CalvertTeam Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT422
19SprintX - GTS Pro/AmFassnacht / SzymczakMurillo Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT422
20SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMcAleer / RaphaelClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT422
21SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKlenin / WilsonKPR / McLaren 570S GT422
22SprintX - GTS Pro/AmEversley / MerzonCaseit Racing by Flying Lizard / Audi R8 LMS GT422
23SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBlackstock / PesekPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT422
24SprintX - GTS AmFred RobertsJCR Motorsports / Maserati Grand Turismo MC GT22
25SprintX - GTS Pro/AmVess / HartClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT422
26SprintX - GTS AmJeff BurtonRearden Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT422
27SprintX - GTS Pro/AmPesek / AllegrettaPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT422
28SprintX - GTS AmGibbons / DeBoerTRG / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR22
29SprintX - GTS AmRadisic / RobertsPrecision Driving / BMW M4 GT422
30SprintX - GTS AmMark PavanRacers Edge Motorsports / SIN R122
31SprintX - GTS AmSteve BurnsIan Lacy Racing / Ginetta G5521
32SprintX - GTS AmFrank GannettIan Lacy Racing / Ginetta G5521
33SprintX - GTS Pro/AmLee / SaboGMG Racing / McLaren 570S GT421
34SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKeith JensenNOLAsport / Porsche Cayman GT4 - CS-MR19
35SprintX - GTS AmJason BellM1 GT Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT415
36SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKranz / PianaMuehlner Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT414
NCSprintX - GTS Pro/AmMason / HoltonCompass Racing / McLaren 570S GT49
NCSprintX - GTS Pro/AmHarry GottsackerRacers Edge Motorsports / SIN R10

FINISHCLASSDRIVERENTRANT / CARLAPS
1SprintX - GTS Pro/AmWelch / SofronasGMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT424
2SprintX - GTS Pro/AmHindman / BrynjolfsonVolt Racing / Ford Mustang GT424
3SprintX - GTS Pro/AmPilgrim / AschenbachBlackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT424
4SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBraun / KurtzGMG Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT424
5SprintX - GTS Pro/AmCooper / GaplesBlackdog Racing / Chevrolet Camaro GT424
6SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMarcelli / FidaniPfaff Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR24
7SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKranz / PianaMuehlner Motorsports / Porsche Cayman GT424
8SprintX - GTS AmStraus / MillerST Racing / BMW M4 GT424
9SprintX - GTS Pro/AmFassnacht / SzymczakMurillo Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT424
10SprintX - GTS AmMike HedlundFlying Lizard Motorsports / Audi R8 LMS GT424
11SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBuford / MaxwellPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT424
12SprintX - GTS AmLiefooghe / SchmittStephen Cameron Racing / BMW M4 GT424
13SprintX - GTS AmOhmacht / GrahovecClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT424
14SprintX - GTS Pro/AmJames / KeeganTeam Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT424
15SprintX - GTS Pro/AmMcAleer / RaphaelClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT424
16SprintX - GTS AmJeffery CourtneyJCR Motorsports / Maserati Grand Turismo MC GT24
17SprintX - GTS Pro/AmTan / WittmerST Racing / BMW M4 GT424
18SprintX - GTS Pro/AmRobinson / LewisRobinson Racing / Mercedes-AMG GT424
19SprintX - GTS AmMueller / CamusEpic Motorsports / BMW M4 GT424
20SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKlenin / WilsonKPR / McLaren 570S GT424
21SprintX - GTS AmJeff BurtonRearden Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT424
22SprintX - GTS Pro/AmEversley / MerzonCaseit Racing by Flying Lizard / Audi R8 LMS GT424
23SprintX - GTS AmJason BellM1 GT Racing / Audi R8 LMS GT424
24SprintX - GTS Pro/AmVess / HartClassic BMW / BMW M4 GT424
25SprintX - GTS AmMark PavanRacers Edge Motorsports / SIN R124
26SprintX - GTS Pro/AmKeith JensenNOLAsport / Porsche Cayman GT4 - CS-MR24
27SprintX - GTS Pro/AmPesek / AllegrettaPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT424
28SprintX - GTS AmFrank GannettIan Lacy Racing / Ginetta G5524
29SprintX - GTS Pro/AmBlackstock / PesekPF Racing / Ford Mustang GT423
30SprintX - GTS Pro/AmHarry GottsackerRacers Edge Motorsports / SIN R122
31SprintX - GTS Pro/AmLee / SaboGMG Racing / McLaren 570S GT421
32SprintX - GTS AmRadisic / RobertsPrecision Driving / BMW M4 GT422
33SprintX - AmDrew StaveleyIan Lacy Racing / Ginetta G5522
NCSprintX - GTS AmGibbons / DeBoerTRG / Porsche Cayman GT4 CS-MR22
DQSprintX - GTS AmPreston CalvertTeam Panoz Racing / Panoz Avezzano GT422

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