2023 is the inaugural season for the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.
The series serves as a ladder and support series for the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.
It replaces the IMSA Prototype Challenge Series.
There are two VP Racing SportsCar Challenge classes, LMP3 and GSX.
- Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) – This division was introduced in 2017.
Several race car manufacturers produce chassis for this category: Ligier, Duqueine, Ginetta and Adess.
They are equipped with Michelin tires and powered by a 5.6-liter naturally aspirated Nismo V8 motor, which produces over 420 horsepower.
All vehicles must weigh no less than 950 kg.
- Grand Sport X (GSX): This category's cars are prepared for international GT4 technical requirements.
This class includes cars such as the Ford Mustang GT4, BMW M4 GT4, Mercedes-AMG, Audi R8 and Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
Vehicles competing in this group produce between 400 - 450 horsepower and are capable of speeds over 175 mph.
There are six events in 2023. Each race weekend hosts a pair of 45-minute contests with one driver per car and no pit stops.
- January 20–22 - Daytona International Speedway
- March 11–12 - Sebring International Raceway
- July 7–9 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
- July 21–22 - Lime Rock Park
- August 25–27 - Virginia International Raceway
- October 11–14 - Road Atlanta
During the Chevrolet Grand Prix, rounds five and six of the 2023 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge were held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Drivers would compete in two 45-minute contests around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road circuit.
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On Saturday morning at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, twenty-three drivers head through corner one for round
five of the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Away first is the second-fastest qualifier, Jonathan Woolridge,
in the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports Ligier JS P320. Behind Woolridge is Jr III Racing's Bijoy Garg,
driving the No. 3 Ligier JS P320. Trailing the leaders are LMP3 competitors Dan Goldburg and Courtney Crone.
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Round five at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park produced some first-time winners.
The local driver Jonathan Woolridge was making his second appearance in the series.
Woolridge qualified second fastest in the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports Ligier JS P320 but led into corner one.
He went flag-to-flag for his first series victory. He wasn't a factor in Sunday's contest and finished sixth.
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The other first-time winner in Saturday's race was GSX competitor Michael Cooper, who drove the No. 48
Accelerating Performance Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Despite the team only taking delivery of the car two
weeks earlier and intense pressure from Francis Selldorff, the former World Challenge champion grabbed the victory.
The next day, Cooper retired after twenty-six of the thirty-six-lap race.
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The LMP3 points leader was Dan Goldburg, who had four podium results, of which two were victories at Daytona International Speedway.
The driver of the No. 73 JDC MotorSports Duqueine D08 got a poor start in the weekend's first contest and finished fourth.
He wouldn't make the same mistake on Sunday.
Goldburg grabbed the lead at the beginning of the race and took the win despite pressure from Bijoy Garg.
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The podium for round five of the 2023 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
In the center is the local competitor and LMP3 winner, Jonathan Woolridge.
Woolridge was last season's FEL Emzone Radical Cup Canada champion.
On the left is the runner and title contender from Jr III Racing, Bijoy Garg.
Completing the rostrum is the third-place finisher, Courtney Crone.
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The No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 was piloted by Francis Selldorff.
After four rounds, Selldorff was yet to finish on the podium.
There was reason to be optimistic as he qualified on the GSX pole for Saturday's contest.
However, at the start, Selldorff was passed by Michael Cooper.
Despite numerous attempts to pass Cooper, he finished second. In round six, Selldorff was penalized and finished fourth.
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LMP3 championship contender Bijoy Garg drives the No. 3 Ligier JS P320 prepared by Jr III Racing.
Entering rounds five and six at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, he was second in the standings with two
victories at Sebring International Racing. Garg qualified on the pole for race one, but a poor start ended with a runner-up result.
On Sunday, he collected another second place and finished behind the points leader, Dan Goldburg.
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Gregory Liefooghe was the GSX pole-sitter for Saturday's contest.
Still, the Stephen Cameron Racing team withdrew the entry to save the No. 43 BMW M4 GT4 for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race.
Liefooghe and Sean Quinlan finished fifteenth in Grand Sport.
The next day, he started on the class pole and drove away from the other competitors, winning by a margin of 33.060-seconds.
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The GSX points leader after four rounds was Sebastián Carazo but 'hot on his heels' was Moisey Uretsky.
Uretsky drove the No. 44 Accelerating Performance Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
Carazo finished third Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, while Uretsky was sixth.
In the finale, Urestsky collected a runner-up result and Carazo finished sixth.
This allowed Urestsky to move within twenty markers of Carazo.
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The GSX rostrum for round five at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In the center is a first-time winner, Michael Cooper.
However, Cooper has extensive road racing experience, having captured titles in the Mazda MX-5 series and TC and GTS
championships in World Challenge. The second-place finisher, Francis Selldorff, was also a first-time visitor to the podium.
Capturing the final spot on the rostrum is Sebastian Carazo.
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POS. | CLASS | DRIVERS | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
1 | P3 | Jonathan Woolridge | Ligier JS P320 | 27 | - |
2 | P3 | Bijoy Garg | Ligier JS P320 | 27 | - |
3 | P3 | Courtney Crone | Duqueine D08 | 27 | - |
4 | P3 | Dan Goldburg | Duqueine D08 | 27 | - |
5 | P3 | Brian Thienes | Ligier JS P320 | 27 | - |
6 | P3 | Lance Willsey | Ligier JS P320 | 27 | - |
7 | P3 | Adrian Kunzle | Ligier JS P320 | 27 | - |
8 | GSX | Michael Cooper | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 26 | - |
9 | GSX | Francis Selldorff | BMW M4 GT4 | 26 | - |
10 | GSX | Sebastian Carazo | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 26 | - |
11 | GSX | Adam Adelson | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 26 | - |
12 | GSX | Tim Probert | Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 | 26 | - |
13 | GSX | Moisey Uretsky | Aston Martin Vantage GT4 | 26 | - |
14 | GSX | Patrick Wilmot | BMW M4 GT4 | 26 | - |
15 | GSX | Sean Quinlan | BMW M4 GT4 | 26 | - |
16 | GSX | Vincent Barletta | BMW M4 GT4 | 26 | - |
17 | GSX | Angus Rogers | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 25 | - |
18 | GSX | Todd Coleman | Aston Martin Vantage GT4 | 25 | - |
19 | GSX | Mark Siegel | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 21 | Did Not Finish |
20 | P3 | Alex Kirby | Ligier JS P320 | 18 | Did Not Finish |
21 | GSX | Will Wachs | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 14 | Did Not Finish |
22 | GSX | Frank DePew | Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R | 9 | Did Not Finish |
23 | P3 | Keith McGovern | Ligier JS P320 | 3 | Did Not Finish |
POS. | CLASS | DRIVERS | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
1 | P3 | Dan Goldburg | Duqueine D08 | 36 | - |
2 | P3 | Bijoy Garg | Ligier JS P320 | 36 | - |
3 | P3 | Alex Kirby | Ligier JS P320 | 36 | - |
4 | P3 | Courtney Crone | Duqueine D08 | 36 | - |
5 | P3 | Brian Thienes | Ligier JS P320 | 36 | - |
6 | P3 | Jonathan Woolridge | Ligier JS P320 | 36 | - |
7 | P3 | Lance Willsey | Ligier JS P320 | 36 | - |
8 | P3 | Adrian Kunzle | Ligier JS P320 | 35 | - |
9 | GSX | Gregory Liefooghe | BMW M4 GT4 | 33 | - |
10 | GSX | Moisey Uretsky | Aston Martin Vantage GT4 | 33 | - |
11 | GSX | Adam Adelson | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 33 | - |
12 | GSX | Francis Selldorff | BMW M4 GT4 | 33 | - |
13 | GSX | Patrick Wilmot | BMW M4 GT4 | 33 | - |
14 | GSX | Sebastian Carazo | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 33 | - |
15 | GSX | Sean Quinlan | BMW M4 GT4 | 32 | - |
16 | GSX | Vincent Barletta | BMW M4 GT4 | 32 | - |
17 | GSX | Todd Coleman | Aston Martin Vantage GT4 | 32 | - |
18 | GSX | Tim Probert | Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 | 32 | - |
19 | GSX | Angus Rogers | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 32 | - |
20 | GSX | Will Wachs | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 31 | - |
21 | GSX | Michael Cooper | Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS | 26 | Did Not Finish |
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