ALTON, Va. (29 August 2022) – Looking forward to the fast uphill esses and the blind bends at the end of the back straightway, Round 3 Racing (R3R) drivers are ready to get back into action at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend. The weekend is the eighth World Racing League powered by Hagerty (WRL) event of the season, and marks a return to action following a two-month hiatus from the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta weekend, where the team scored three wins.
Having had a winning outing last year at VIR with the No. 701 Porsche Cayman, the team is looking forward to getting back to action this weekend.
No. 401 TEAM HAGERTY MOTORSPORTS BMW M4 GT4 (GTO)
Brad McCall, Sarah Montgomery, and Cole Loftsgard will search for redemption heading into the weekend. Last year at VIR, the team was behind the wheel of the No. 702 Porsche Boxster but fell into issues that forced them into the garage both days of the race weekend.
The team has been proving themselves on Fridays during qualifying, with four straight pole awards going into this weekend. The Hagerty BMW team is focused on repeating the results after a win at Road Atlanta in July.
Currently, the No. 401 team is sitting sixth in the National Championship Points Standings, just one point behind fifth place. R3R has three race weekends remaining in the season, with outings at VIR, Sebring International Raceway, and Circuit of the Americas.
“I am beyond ready to get back in the seat of a race car,” Montgomery said. “Last year at VIR, we did not have any good luck, so I’m hoping to have a better showing there this year. We have our new BMW (vs. the Cayman last year), fast teammates, and the crew to help us get to the top step!”
No. 609 TEAM SENTINEL BMW M4 GT4 (GTO)
Teaming up once again, James Candelaria, Brian Ghidinelli, and Ron Hugate will pilot the No. 609 Sentinel BMW. The team ran into some mechanical issues last year, forcing them to retire early from both races in the No. 601 Porsche Cayman.
Candelaria and Hugate are both veterans of the Virginia track, but this will be Ghidinelli’s first time visiting with Round 3 Racing. The three last teamed up at Road Atlanta, earning a top-five finish on Saturday. Candelaria, Ghidinelli, and Hugate have shown promising speed in previous races and hope it translates to VIR.
The No. 609 team sits ninth in National Championship Points Standings in the GTO category.
“I’ve been to VIR many times, it’s one of my favorite tracks,” said Hugate. “The esses are as close as you can come to both heaven and hell on this Earth. When you hit them ‘just right’, there is nothing like it. When you hit them ‘just wrong’, hold on for dear life. We have three excellent and experienced drivers and the right car for this track. I am optimistic about our chances.”
No. 701 TEAM COOPER TIRES PORSCHE CAYMAN (GP1)
The No. 701 Cooper Tires team welcomes newcomer Ayla Agren this weekend. Agren will be joining Loni Unser and Zack Ping behind the wheel. The No. 701 won at VIR last year, so the trio will target another run to the top step of the podium again this weekend.
Unser is the remaining factor from last year’s No. 701 team. Ping has brought tremendous speed to the car, but this will be his first time attempting the 3.27-mile track. Agren will be back in action at VIR for the first time since she ran F1600 in 2014. Agren has qualified on pole and has had three top-five finishes at VIR.
The No. 701 Cooper Tires team is tied for third in National Championship Points Standings, making them the closest to the National Title for R3R.
“I am super excited to be back at VIR for new challenges and this time in the Porsche Cayman No. 701 with Round 3 Racing,” said Agren. “It will be quite different from last time I was there, so I’m going to soak up as much as I can from my teammates Loni and Zack, keep it clean and have a great weekend all together. I can not thank all involved enough for this opportunity – and can’t wait for the weekend to start!”
No. 605 TEAM HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB PORSCHE BOXSTER (GP3)
Behind the wheel of the No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster is Buz McCall, Dennis Neel, Carter Pease, and Hannah Grisham. Neel and Pease were both in the Boxter last year when mechanical gremlins set the effort back.
The current Hagerty Drivers Club team is coming off a double-win weekend at Road Atlanta. Pease made late race passes for both days for the lead, bringing the car to the top step. All four drivers bring the expertise of the track to the team.
The No. 605 is fourth in the National Championship Points Standings.
“I am really excited to race at VIR, and I think our 605 car will be strong,” said Neel. “Last year, we should have been on the podium both days, but challenges ultimately prevented that from happening. I think our 605 team learned a lot about what it means to be patient on this course that rolls through the hills of southern Virginia. Our goal is to continue to keep pressure on the championship race and make up for last year’s adventure with the ultimate goal of standing at the top of those green steps this weekend.”
The Virginia International Raceway weekend will start on Friday, September 2, with practice and qualifying before heading into the double-header weekend on Saturday. Live streaming will be available on WRL’s Youtube or follow along on our social media channels.
