Double Podium Finish for Hyundai at VIRginia International Raceway

Hyundai Motor America earned two positions on the podium at the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix this weekend. The current IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) Drivers’ Championship leaders Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker captured a second-place result followed by Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) teammates Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi in third. With the podium finish at the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix, the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driver pairing of Wickens and Gottsacker continue to sit atop the TCR Drivers’ Championship standings by 50 points. The pair had to fight their way through the field in the early part of the race after starting at the back of the grid following a post-qualifying penalty, while both their BHA teammates – Michael Lewis in the No. 1 entry and Wilkins in the No. 98 had stints in the lead. Among the early leaders – in just their second race event with the Elantra N TCR – was the Victor Gonzalez Racing Team.
 
As multiple Safety Car periods shuffled the running order, it was Wickens and Filippi who led the charge to catch the leaders in the second half of the race. However, when a final incident left the result to be decided by a single-lap sprint at the end of the two-hour event, Wickens was unable to mount a final challenge, though the points for second preserved his and Gottsacker’s points lead. Seven Elantra N TCRs competed at VIRginia International Raceway under the Hyundai banner and all seven entries earned a top-ten finish at the drop of the checkered flag.

The IMPC season continues with two events remaining on the calendar as the field next heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, which will host as the series’ second four-hour endurance event on the schedule – the IMSA Battle on the Bricks on Saturday, September 16th.

  • Top Finishing Hyundai: Second place for the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker
  • Top Qualifying Hyundai: Second place for the No. 1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Michael Lewis and Taylor Hagler

Hyundai Finishing Results

PositionDriversTeamCar
2R. Wickens / H. GottsackerBryan Herta Autosport#33 Elantra N TCR
3M. Wilkins / M. FilippiBryan Herta Autosport#98 Elantra N TCR
4V. Gonzalez / T. GonzalezVictor Gonzalez Racing Team#99 Elantra N TCR
5T. Hagler / M. LewisBryan Herta Autosport#1 Elantra N TCR
6T. Maxson / B. Ortizvan der Steur Racing#91 Elantra N TCR
8S. McNulty / J. DeilyDeily Motorsports#70 Elantra N TCR
9J. Wisely / C. BighamDeily Motorsports#74 Elantra N TCR

IMSA TCR Manufacturer Standings

PositionManufacturerTotal Points
1Audi2570
2Hyundai2560
3Alfa Romeo2450
4Honda2420
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