The stage is set for an exhilarating weekend of motorsports as the Virtual Sports Car Association (VSCA) returns to action with the Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix. This event, the eighth round of the 2024 VSCA SportsCar Championship, also serves as the season finale for the 2024 VSCA Sprint Cup. Taking place at the renowned Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Virginia, this race promises to deliver intense multi-class racing, where strategy, skill, and endurance will be crucial to success.

The Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix marks the return of competition following a seven-week summer break, with the teams eager to get back on track. Set on the sixth-longest circuit of the season, the 3.27-mile VIR track, with its 17 challenging turns, is sure to test the mettle of all competitors. This will be the second time the series visits VIR, and if history is any indication, the narrow track surface and winding corners will demand the utmost precision from drivers across all four classes: GTP, LMP2, GT PRO, and GT AM.

Championship Battle Heats Up in GTP Class

In the premier GTP class, the competition is fierce as teams vie for both the overall championship and the Sprint Cup title. Leading the charge is the #3 Mayer Simspeed Performance Porsche, which currently tops the series standings with a 175-point lead. The team is riding high after securing their third win of the season at Road America, adding to their dominance by also leading the Sprint Cup standings by 43 points. As the season nears its climax, the #3 Porsche will look to maintain its momentum and fend off challenges from its rivals.

Among those rivals is HAC Racing's #111 Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, sitting second in both championships. This team will be keen to capitalize on any opportunity that arises at VIR, with the hope of snatching the Sprint Cup title from their competitors. Meanwhile, the #51 World Of SimRacing Team Cadillac V-Series.R GTP has been on a remarkable journey up the standings, moving from 11th place after Long Beach to now third, and will be eyeing their second win of the season. Another contender, DS Racing eSports Team, secured their first win at Watkins Glen in June and are also in the mix for the Sprint Cup, trailing the leaders by 171 points.

For the GTP prototypes, navigating VIR’s narrow track while contending with slower traffic from other classes will be a significant challenge. The ability to maneuver through these complexities safely and swiftly will likely be a decisive factor in Saturday's race.

A New LMP2 Class Leader Emerges

The LMP2 class has seen a shift in power after the last race at Road America, with the #46 Rising Panda Racing Dallara P217 taking the championship lead for the first time this season. Their victory at Road America propelled them ahead of the #18 Gowin Racing, who had previously dominated with four wins but have struggled to reach the podium in recent rounds.

Despite losing the overall lead, the #18 Gowin Racing Dallara still holds the top spot in the Sprint Cup standings, with a 112-point advantage over the #46 Rising Panda Racing. As the Sprint Cup finale looms, the battle between these two teams will be one to watch closely. The #86 GSE Racing eSports Dallara, sitting third in the overall championship with one win at Watkins Glen, also remains a contender, though they face a 204-point deficit.

Last year’s race at VIR demonstrated the importance of track position, with the LMP2 class winners, Albrecht Motorsports, completing 89 laps, while the car leading the most laps finished second. This precedent underscores the importance of strategy and execution, as teams will need to carefully navigate traffic and manage their tires and fuel to maximize their performance.

GT PRO Class Ready for Tight Competition Ahead

The GT PRO class is set for a closely contested race at VIR, following a shakeup in the standings after Road America. The #84 Fischer Motorsport Porsche, which led the championship earlier in the season, now finds itself trailing its teammates in the #44 Porsche by 29 points. Kinetic Racing, the 2022 GT champions, have been steadily climbing the ranks with strong finishes in recent races, positioning themselves third in the standings, just 68 points off the lead.

As the Sprint Cup finale approaches, the #44 Fischer Motorsport Porsche holds a 73-point lead, but with Kinetic Racing and the #69 North Sim Racing Porsche both within striking distance, the title is far from decided. Last year’s VIR winners, the #84 Fischer Motorsport Porsche, will be eager to bounce back after a series of disappointing finishes, aiming to reclaim their dominance in the class.

Adding to the intrigue, RPM Racing has introduced a new element to the competition, replacing their #911 Porsche with a brand-new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. How this switch will impact their performance remains to be seen, but it certainly adds another layer of excitement to the GT PRO class showdown.

A Tightrope Walk to the Finish in GT AM

The GT AM class has been defined by consistent performance from the #5 Screeching Moose Motorsports Mercedes, which has led the championship since the season opener at Daytona. With four wins in the first four races, the Canadian team seemed unstoppable until Digital Chicane began to assert their dominance. The #80 Digital Chicane Ferrari, fresh off a victory at Road America, now trails the #5 Mercedes by 263 points in the series championship, while the #93 Ferrari, also from Digital Chicane, won the previous two rounds at COTA and Watkins Glen.

In the Sprint Cup championship, the gap is much tighter. The #80 Ferrari is just 49 points behind the #5 Mercedes, setting up a thrilling finale at VIR. The GT AM class will also see three new Ford Mustang GT3s joining the grid, as Trading Paints Racing and Vulture Motorsports have both switched from Ferrari to Ford. However, the biggest shock came from Full Send Racing, who announced their switch from Mercedes to Ford, only to later reveal their departure from the series, leaving a void in the paddock.

Event Schedule and Broadcast Information

The Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix weekend begins with two free practice sessions on Thursday and Friday, giving teams the chance to fine-tune their setups for Saturday's race. On race day, track activities will kick off at 14:40 GMT with a final warmup session, followed by a drivers' meeting at 15:20 GMT. Qualifying is scheduled for 15:50 GMT, with the race set to begin shortly thereafter at 16:00 GMT.

Fans can catch all the action live on Green Flag TV, which will broadcast the race flag to flag, starting with the qualifying session at 15:50 GMT. With the Sprint Cup championships on the line and the series championship battles heating up, the Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix promises to be a must-watch event for motorsports enthusiasts.

As the VSCA SportsCar Championship heads into the final stretch of the season, the stakes could not be higher. Teams will need to balance aggression with caution, as one mistake could prove costly in the tightly contested battles across all classes. With clear weather predicted, the stage is set for a thrilling race at VIR, where champions could be made, and dreams dashed in the blink of an eye.

Official Virginia Sports Car Grand Prix Entry List

Ovr	No.	Car	Team
1.	1	Porsche 963 GTP	Grizzly Motorsports
2.	3	Porsche 963 GTP	Mayer Simspeed Performance
3.	4	Porsche 963 GTP	Fischer Motorsport
4.	5	Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo	Screeching Moose Motorsports
5.	6	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	Torque Freak Racing
6.	10	Acura ARX-06 GTP	NGC Esports Team By Rubis Gás
7.	11	Dallara P217	Vision 1 Motorsports
8.	12	BMW M4 GT3	Delta Racing
9.	14	Dallara P217	Fischer Motorsport
10.	15	Cadillac V-Series.R GTP	Composite Performance
11.	16	Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo	Dangler Performance
12.	016	Ford Mustang GT3	Vulture Motorsports
13.	017	Ford Mustang GT3	Vulture Motorsports
14.	18	Dallara P217	Gowin Racing
15.	19	Porsche 963 GTP	Trading Paints Racing
16.	21	Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3	GSE Racing eSports
17.	29	Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo	Firestorm Motorsport
18.	34	Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo	Mayer Simspeed Performance
19.	42	Cadillac V-Series.R GTP	DS Racing eSports Team
20.	44	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	Fischer Motorsport
21.	46	Dallara P217	Rising Panda Racing
22.	048	Dallara P217	SCOWRS Esses Racing
23.	50	Acura ARX-06 GTP	Bravo Snow Schatten
24.	51	Cadillac V-Series.R GTP	World Of SimRacing Team
25.	55	Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3	RaceTech Competition
26.	67	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	Kinetic Racing
27.	69	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	North Sim Racing
28.	80	Ferrari 296 GT3	Digital Chicane
29.	83	Ferrari 296 GT3	Off in the Esses Racing
30.	84	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	Fischer Motorsport
31.	86	Dallara P217	GSE Racing eSports
32.	88	Cadillac V-Series.R GTP	DS Racing eSports Team
33.	93	Ferrari 296 GT3	Digital Chicane
34.	111	Cadillac V-Series.R GTP	HAC Racing
35.	112	Dallara P217	Rusty Spatulas Racing
36.	116	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	Vulture Motorsports
37.	119	Ford Mustang GT3	Trading Paints Racing
38.	123	Dallara P217	Tri-State Racing
39.	151	BMW M4 GT3	World Of SimRacing Team
40.	216	Dallara P217	Vulture Motorsports
41.	312	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo	Real Pixel Motorsport
42.	321	Dallara P217	Tri-State Racing
43.	515	Ford Mustang GT3	Wolf Motorsport Simracing
44.	555	Ferrari 296 GT3	DS Racing eSports Team
45.	911	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	RPM Racing
46.	992	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	DS Racing eSports Team