Saturday at the WISKO Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway
- Jonathon Ziegelman and KMW Motorsports Win Inaugural HSR Global GT Race - Mike Banz Scores Three Wins in Two Days, Including HSR Classic RS Cup Debut- WISKO Grand Prix a Radical Cup North America and HSR Partnership SuccessHistoric Sportscar Racing (HSR) launched two new racing series and solidified a partnership with another one in a full day of racing action in the WISKO Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway on Saturday.
The Memorial Day Weekend WISKO Grand Prix marks the debut of both the HSR Global GT series for recently retired GT race cars and the HSR Classic RS Cup, which rekindles the 1970's IROC (International Race of Champions) and Porsche 911 RS/RSR era.
This weekend's race is also a first-time partnership with the Radical Cup North America, the popular sport prototype series that is sharing the VIR track and racing with various HSR classes all weekend.
The WISKO Grand Prix is the first time that HSR has competed on Memorial Day Weekend, which has long been regarded as the premier weekend of auto racing competition in the United States and beyond. Sunday's final day of racing at VIR will be run on the same day as the 100th Indianapolis 500, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and the famous Monaco Grand Prix in Europe.
Global GT features modern GT-spec race cars from the last 10 to 15 years that are a few seasons removed from their competitive prime in professional racing series. Porsche's proved to be the unsurprising race car of choice for this weekend's opener.
Driving his 2008 No. 911 Porsche 997 GT3 prepared by KMW Motorsports, Jonathon Ziegelman took the lead at the start of the Global GT race and held it to the finish. Rob Trollinger finished second in his 2012 No. 94 Porsche 997 GT3 while Ryan Harrold was third in his 2009 No. 101 Porsche 997 GT3.
Round 2 of the inaugural HSR Global GT race weekend is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at VIR at 3:40 p.m.
The Classic RS Cup is a throwback to the golden era of the original IROC Porsche racing series from the 1970s and is also home to other classic 911-based Porsches from that era.
In today's Classic RS Cup debut, 1974 No. 13 Porsche 911 RSR driver Mike Banz added a victory in the late Saturday afternoon sprint to his impressive list of three wins in as many race starts so far this weekend.
Banz scored international class and overall honors in Friday's Bob Woodman Tires International American Challenge race and earlier on Saturday earned his second win of the weekend in the Group 5 HSR WeatherTech sprint race.
Banz shared the Classic RS Cup podium with race runner-up Robert Spence and his 1972 No. 63 Porsche 911/ST. Todd Treffert was third in his 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC.
Round 2 of the inaugural HSR Classic RS Cup race weekend is scheduled to close out the WISKO Grand Prix Sunday afternoon at VIR at 4:10 p.m.
The Radical Cup ran its first race of the weekend that produced four different class winners. Chris Hall scored the overall and Masters Class victories, Rich Thomas was first in 1500, Robert Burgess topped the 1340 division and Tom Gleich took V6 class honors.
Saturday also featured a full slate of HSR WeatherTech sprint races.
In addition to Banz's Group 5 win, John Harrold raced his 1979 Chevron B23 to the Group 7 victory, Jack Finch won Group 8 in his 2002 NASCAR CAT Dodge Charger and Richard Howe scored Group 9 honors in his 1989 Roush/Whistler Mustang.
Sean Brown won Group 3 in his 1975 Ford Escort RS with Group 2 going to Rick Starkweather in his 1972 MGB.
Jacek Mucha doubled up on WeatherTech sprint wins, racing two different Swifts to Group 4 and Group 6 honors.
Saturday's schedule concluded with a 60-minute B.R.M. Chronographes Historic Enduro, the first of two on this weekend's schedule. A full report on today's race will be combined with news from Sunday's second B.R.M. Chronographes Vintage Enduro that is scheduled to start Sunday at 10 a.m.
The featured event on Sunday's schedule is the two-hour WISKO Grand Prix that is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.
