2024 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park - IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge

2024 is the second 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 2024. Each race weekend hosts a pair of 45-minute contests with one driver per car and no pit stops.

January 19–21 - Daytona International Speedway
March 11–12 - Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
June 7–9 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
July 12–14 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
August 23–25 - Virginia International Raceway
October 9–12 - Road Atlanta

Rounds seven and eight of the 2024 IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge were held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. P3 and GSX competitors raced in two 45-minute contests around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.

The weekend’s finale was impacted by rain. Rain began falling ten minutes after the start, and a full-course caution was displayed shortly afterward. Officials declared the contest to be a wet race at the halfway point, and drivers were required to make a mandatory pit stop for tires. With under six minutes remaining, the race was restarted.

The start of round seven for the 2024 IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge and twenty P3 and GSX competitors funnel into Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s corner one. Edging ahead is the fastest qualifier, Steve Aghakhani, in the No. 6 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320. Beside Aghakhani is the No. 87 FastMD Racing with Remstar Duqueine D08 of Jagger Jones. Behind the leaders are Jonathan Woolridge, a local racer, and Alex Kirby.

Leading the P3 points race coming into rounds seven and eight was Steven Aghaskhani. The driver of the No. 6 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320 qualified on the pole for the weekend’s first contest. On lap one, he was passed by the second-fastest qualifier, Jagger Jones, and finished in the runner-up spot. However, Jones was penalized after the race, giving the win to Aghaskhani. He started on the pole Sunday but finished second to Jones.

Local racer and the FEL Motorsports Sports Car Championship Canada points leader, Jack Polito, entered his first IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Polito qualified second in GSX driving the No. 98 Polito Racing Ford Mustang GT4. He grabbed first place and the victory when Jesse Lazare stopped on course. In the finale, he was second when a late race pass by Josh Green knocked him back to a third-place finish.

Josh Green made his first start of the 2024 VP Racing Sportscar Challenge season at Mid-Ohio, where he collected two runner-up results. The driver of the No. 78 Thaze Competition Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 was third in round seven. In the second race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Green was running third on the penultimate lap when the leaders were slowed by a backmarker. Green made an aggressive pass on Jack Polito and Jesse Lazare to grab the victory.

The first podium of the weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the P3 competitors. Jagger Jones is standing on the top step for the fifth consecutive time this season. Unfortunately, Jones’ car failed the post-race technical inspection and he was moved to last place. Standing on the left and inheriting the win was the current points leader, Steven Aghakhani. Finishing third on the track but second in the final classification is Jonathan Woolridge.

Jagger Jones drives the No. 87 FastMD Racing with Remstar Duqueine D08 and is the grandson of the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner, Parnelli Jones. Jones did not participate in the first two rounds; however, since then, he has had four consecutive victories. He started second in round seven but grabbed the lead and won. Unfortunately, the car‘s camber exceeded specs, and Jones lost the victory. He redeemed himself the following day with a first-place finish.

Jesse Lazare drives the No. 21 Motorsports in Action McLaren Artura GT4. Lazare is second in the points chase, with victories at St. Petersburg and Mid-Ohio. The former local Formula 1600 racer led the weekend’s first contest when the McLaren stopped on the course. On Sunday, Lazare was leading the penultimate lap when he was slowed by a P3 competitor. An aggressive pass by Josh Green relegated him to second place.

Eighteen IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge competitors enter Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s final turn in anticipation of the Starter’s flag. On the pole is yesterday’s P3 winner and the series point’s leader, Steve Aghakhani, driving the No. 6 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P320. Sharing the front row with Aghakhani is the No. 87 FastMD Racing with Remstar Duqueine D08 of Jagger Jones. Behind the leaders are Jonathan Woolridge and Alex Kirby.

Last season, Jonathan Woolridge won the weekend’s first P3 race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In 2024, he drives the No. 38 Ligier JS P320 prepared by Performance Tech Motorsports. Woolridge didn’t join the series until the second weekend at St. Pete. His best result before the rounds at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was a third at St. Pete. Woolridge inherited a second in round seven and finished sixth in race two.

Luca Mars is leading the championship standings in the GSX category. Mars pilots the No. 59 Kohr Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 with five podium results, of which three are victories. He started race one at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the third position and finished second with the retirement of Jesse Lazare. Mars finished fifth in the tricky conditions on Sunday but still leads the title chase by 190 points.

The GSX podium for round seven of the 2024 VP Racing Sportscar Challenge at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Standing on the top step in his series debut is the winner, Jack Polito, from Polito Racing. On the left is the class points leader and runner-up, Lucas Mars. The final position on the rostrum is occupied by the third-place finisher, Josh Green, who drives the No. 78 Mercedes-AMG GT GT4 for Thaze Competition.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	P3	Steven Aghakhani	Ligier JS P320	30	-
2	P3	Jonathan Woolridge	Ligier JS P320	30	-
3	P3	Alex Kirby	Ligier JS P320	30	-
4	P3	Ryan Phinny	Ligier JS P320	30	-
5	P3	Brian Thienes	Ligier JS P320	30	-
6	P3	Jordan Menzin	Ligier JS P320	30	-
7	P3	George Staikos	Ligier JS P320	30	-
8	P3	Jagger Jones	Duqueine D08	30	Penalty
9	GSX	Jack Polito	Ford Mustang GT4	28	-
10	GSX	Luca Mars	Ford Mustang GT4	28	-
11	GSX	Josh Green	Mercedes-AMG GT GT4	28	-
12	GSX	Moisey Uretsky	Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS	28	-
13	GSX	Patrick Wilmot	BMW M4 GT4	28	-
14	GSX	Scott Blind	Aston Martin Vantage GT4	28	-
15	GSX	Angus Rogers	Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS	28	-
16	GSX	Michael Dayton	BMW M4 GT4	28	-
17	GSX	Sean Quinlan	Ford Mustang GT4	28	-
18	GSX	Frank DePew	Aston Martin Vantage AMR	28	-
19	GSX	Eddie Killeen	Mercedes-AMG GT GT4	22	Did Not Finish
20	GSX	Jesse Lazare	McLaren Artura GT4	16	Did Not Finish

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	P3	Jagger Jones	Duqueine D08	22	-
2	P3	Steven Aghakhani	Ligier JS P320	22	-
3	P3	Alex Kirby	Ligier JS P320	22	-
4	P3	Brian Thienes	Ligier JS P320	22	-
5	P3	Ryan Phinny	Ligier JS P320	22	-
6	P3	Jonathan Woolridge	Ligier JS P320	22	-
7	P3	George Staikos	Ligier JS P320	22	-
8	P3	Jordan Menzin	Ligier JS P320	21	-
9	GSX	Josh Green	Mercedes-AMG GT GT4	21	-
10	GSX	Jesse Lazare	McLaren Artura GT4	21	-
11	GSX	Patrick Wilmot	BMW M4 GT4	21	-
12	GSX	Scott Blind	Aston Martin Vantage GT4	21	-
13	GSX	Luca Mars	Ford Mustang GT4	21	-
14	GSX	Angus Rogers	Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS	21	-
15	GSX	Jack Polito	Ford Mustang GT4	21	-
16	GSX	Sean Quinlan	Ford Mustang GT4	21	-
17	GSX	Frank DePew	Aston Martin Vantage AMR	21	-
18	GSX	Michael Dayton	BMW M4 GT4	20	-
-	GSX	Moisey Uretsky	Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS	-	Did Not Start
-	GSX	Eddie Killeen	Mercedes-AMG GT GT4	-	Did Not Start

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