Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama passed the halfway point of its 2024 championship season this weekend, running four races at the scenic VIRginia International Raceway.
While some drivers strengthened their control in class, others continued to find their stride and take turns in the spotlight with three events remaining.
Porsche GT3 Cup
While Jared Thomas exhibited another flawless performance at VIR, taking both 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am and overall victories for JTR Motorsports Engineering, it was Ashley Freiberg who dominated the conversation on both Saturday and Sunday.
It was only last week that Freiberg struck a deal with Kellymoss that allowed her to continue campaigning this year in Sprint Challenge.
With her new team, Freiberg proved her worth at VIR by passing nearly 40 cars across the two races. She was forced to start from the back of the pack in Race 1 after a qualifying penalty, and in Race 2, she was knocked from fourth on the first lap to nearly last. However, she powered her Porsche to the front in both instances to clinch two third-place finishes in class and even third overall on Sunday to conclude the weekend.
Freiberg maintains third in the 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am championship standings, which are led by Thomas over Paul Bocuse who finished runner-up in both races at VIR.
In the 992 GT3 Cup Masters class, Mark Boden also found the top step of the podium twice for Fall-Line Motorsports. Boden kept leader Joel Johnson in his sights on Saturday and made the race-winning pass with less than 10 minutes on the clock.
On Sunday, though, Boden faced less pressure as Johnson’s contact with Freiberg at the start forced him to retire his Porsche after Lap 1. Tim Kezman finished on the Masters podium in both events, while John Gilliland wrapped up the top-three on Sunday.
Lastly in the 991 GT3 Cup class, the fight was wide open as Charlie Peter – winner of the last three of four rounds – was not on the grid at VIR.
In search of his first victory since the opening rounds at Sebring International Raceway in March, Niels Meissner was eager to lead the charge and did so in both rounds. However, Meissner was only credited for the Race 2 victory after being penalized in Race 1 for early contact with eventual winner Tony Malito.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
As he’s already done at two events in 2024, Ian Porter sailed to this third Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport weekend sweep with Rafa Racing by JDX.
Despite the dominating statistics, Porter’s reign continues to be challenged by Nick Shaeffer and Caroline Candas, both of whom finished second and third, respectively, in both races this weekend.
The pair kept Porter within their reach after mid-race restarts but resolved themselves to battling for the runner-up spot as Porter found his rhythm and drove off in clean air.
In Race 2, however, Shaeffer – who bids adieu to the series next month ahead of a two-year mission trip to Ecuador – was forced to defend versus Candas for numerous laps before the checkered flag, only coming out .330 seconds on top.
The Cayman GT4 Clubsport Masters class victories were split between Kelly Moss teammates William Peluchiwski on Saturday and Matt Joffe on Sunday.
Peluchiwski earned his first victory of the year after championship leader Michael Clark fell victim to a first-lap spin off track.
Meanwhile, it was Matt Joffe’s second win of 2024 as he and his crew continue a partial season effort for Joffe’s Porsche.
It was a double-podium weekend for both drivers while Clark recovered to finish runner-up on Sunday, and Jason Golan finished third place the day prior.
Coming up next
From East Coast to West Coast, Porsche Sprint Challenge wastes no time getting back on track.
The USA West series prepares for its next doubleheader of the year at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Northern California on June 21 – 23.
It’s another short turnaround for the North America series’ return to Watkins Glen International on July 5 – 7.
Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama Official Results:
Porsche GT3 Cup – Race 1 and Race 2
