ALTON, Vir., (June 15, 2022) – The Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS journeys to VIRginia International Raceway this weekend for rounds five and six of the thirteen-race championship. The Wright Motorsports father and son-in-law driving duo of Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen soak up all of the benefits of the homefield advantage in the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R, as Luck and his family hail from Richmond, Virginia.
“It’s always fun when we have a home race week,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Not only does the strong sense of familiarity and confidence help, but the Luck family always comes out to support and cheer us on at this event. The enthusiasm they bring is contagious, and we’re feeling good about having a strong performance at one of our favorite tracks.”
Luck has had great success at the 17-turn, 3.27-mile road course. In 2021, the Virginian dominated the double-header weekend with back-to-back wins in the GT America powered by AWS series in front of his home crowd. Heylen also had a strong run at the circuit last year in GT World Challenge America, scoring a pair of second-place finishes with then co-driver Fred Poordad. The pair competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend, and alongside fellow Wright Motorsports alumni Max Root, earned a notable fifth-place finish at the famed event.
This year, Luck has advanced up from GT America to the GT World Challenge America, the headlining series for SRO America. The advancement moved Luck from a single-driver sprint format to longer races in which he now shares the driving duties with co-driver and son-in-law, Heylen. The pair each split the driving duties over the course of each 90-minute race. Rules require Luck start the first race with Heylen taking over during the mandatory pit stop. Race one will begin on Saturday, June 18 at 2:15 PM ET, airing live on YouTube.com/GTWorld. Luck and Heylen will switch the driving order for race two, with Heylen starting and Luck closing out the event. Race two will begin on Sunday, June 19 at 1:15 PM ET, also airing live on the GT World YouTube page.
The team will be looking to rebound from a challenging weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park, where the group finished tenth and six, a rare departure from the consistent podium finishes the squad is known for. High temperatures will likely be a hindrance to deal with during the weekend, as is usually the case at VIRginia International Raceway in June. However, the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R excels at the beautiful, wooded circuit, and Wright Motorsports will be the team to watch.
Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I can’t wait to get to VIR. We are looking forward to recovering from the struggles we had at New Orleans and certainly know the track well and can’t wait to compete again.
Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
VIR! It’s a home race for Charlie and the family. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the schedule, and a fun track run by the best people. I hope we can keep building on Charlie’s momentum, as he keeps getting more and more comfortable in the car. It’ll be another hot race weekend, but NOLA’s warm and muggy temperatures could be considered preparation for this week!
SCHEDULE // ALL TIMES U.S. Eastern
Friday, June 17
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Practice 1
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM Practice 2
Saturday, June 18
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM Qualifying 1
9:20 AM – 9:35 AM Qualifying 2
2:15 PM – 3:45 PM Race 1
Sunday, June 19
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Autograph Session
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Grid Walk
1:15 PM – 2:45 PM Race 2
Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.
