ALTON, Vir., (June 15, 2023) – As the SRO America starts back up its season, Wright Motorsports will rev back up its efforts in the two top GT3-based series. Wright continues to lead the Fanatec GT World Challenge America championship fight as the Porsche customer racing team heads into rounds seven and eight at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The GT America powered by AWS series will host rounds nine and ten of the 18-race championship, officially hitting the halfway point in the season. Based in the wooded fields of Alton, Virginia, the 3.27, 17-turn course will be the beautiful backdrop as the pair of Wright Porsches compete in the two sets of championships June 26-18.
“We’re ready to resume the 2023 SRO America championships,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We had a brief break for Le Mans, where four Wright drivers went overseas to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Le Mans Cup. While they didn’t get the results they were hoping for, Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen are more motivated than ever to push for strong results this week. Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer are also on a great roll, and we’re ready to continue to make gains in the championships.”
In GT World Challenge America, Wright Motorsports is riding strong momentum through the season, having recently secured four podiums in the two previous rounds at Circuit of the Americas. The No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R race car of Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen celebrated their first double-podium weekend of the year, while the No. 120 Porsche of Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer swept both victories. The team holds a 46-point lead over CrowdStrike by Riley and TRG the Racers Group, both of whom are tied for second place. Adelson and Skeer lead the Pro/Am driver points, with a 36-point lead over George Kurtz, Colin Braun, and Derek Deboer. Luck and Heylen sit close behind in sixth place in what continues to be a tight championship fight. The weekend will host a pair of 90-minute races on Saturday, June 17 at 3:10 PM ET, and Sunday, June 18 at 3:15 PM ET.
Adam Adelson has been making his own way in the GT America championship. The young driver stands fifth in the championship standings, having missed the first two opening rounds of the season. He olds four top-five finishes in six races, recently closing out the previous round at Circuit of the Americas in second place. This weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, he’ll compete in a pair of 40-minute races, competing against 23 other entries for top honors in the bronze-only series. Race one will take place on Saturday, June 17 at 1:00 PM ET, followed by race two at 8:45 AM ET on Sunday, June 18.
All races will air live on Youtube.com/GTworld.
DRIVER QUOTES
Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to compete in two Le Mans Cup this past week, which are 55 minute pro/am events. I learned an awful lot and had an absolute blast. An eight-mile track and 33 corners, taking about four minutes per lap, is an incredible experience.
I’m really excited about coming back to VIR, which is my home track. We’ve had lots of success here over the years. Jan and I are ready to work hard and make the best possible result happen.
Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I’m happy to be back at one of my favorite tracks of the season. VIR is such a fun track with a good mix of high and low-speed corners and good passing zones. The goal is to come away from this weekend with as many points as possible to continue our bid for the championship. It’s also Charlie’s home track which makes it extra special.
Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R
We’ve had such an amazing year so far, I think it’s safe to say that
the results have far exceeded our expectations. We’re firing on all
cylinders, the teamwork and camaraderie are incredible at Wright, and I feel like we’re getting better with each passing day. VIR is my
favorite track in North America, and I think our 991.2 GT3 R can be a real weapon around here. However, if there’s anything we’ve learned this season, it’s that the competition is stiff and many of our
competitors are working just as hard as we are, so it’s time to put
our heads down and give it our all, just as we have been since the
start of the season.
Elliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R
Few places rival VIR for the feeling inside of the race car and having it after the Le Mans break is perfect. Adam and I have used this last month wisely and feel prepared for the weekend and the challenges we may face. Ultimately, we know Wright Motorsports is going to give us the right car for the job, and we just need to keep executing as we have been on previous weekends.
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.
