IMSA VP Challenge at Circuit of the Americas race at the Circuits of The Americas in Austin, Texas on March 1, 2025. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
The sun rose over Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, March 1, signaling not only a high-octane NASCAR weekend, but also a dramatic double-header from the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Across two fiercely contested 45-minute sprint races, teams in LMP3 (P3), GT Daytona X (GTDX), and Grand Sport X (GSX) delivered twist-filled action that left spectators and competitors buzzing.
Race 1
What began as a scriptwriting act from Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports quickly turned into a cautionary tale. Oscar Tunjo (No. 31 Duqueine D08) assumed control early, having started from pole after a strong qualifying performance. His teammate, Valentino Catalano (No. 30), shadowed him closely and snatched the lead with just over six minutes remaining. Then came a calamitous twist: both Tunjo and Catalano ran out of fuel entering the final lap, leaving them stranded on track and gifting the lead to Jonathan Woolridge (No. 54 Ligier JS P320) .
Despite starting the race more than a minute behind, Woolridge inherited the white flag and blitzed to the checkered, securing an unlikely overall victory, his second career win in the series. Brian Thienes finished second in class and claimed the Bronze Cup in P3; Mirco Schultis rounded out the podium. The misfortunes of Gebhardt’s pair reshaped the standings: Catalano retained the P3 points lead but saw Woolridge close the gap significantly.
In GTDX, Jake Walker leveraged a perfect getaway from pole to snatch his first class victory, seizing the lead when Adam Adelson spun in the Esses approximately halfway through the race. Meanwhile, Kiko Porto continued his dominant GSX season, leading from pole and breezing home to his third consecutive victory in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2.
| Pos | Driver | Number | Team | Laps | Total Time |
| 1 | Jonathan Woolridge | 54 | MLT Motorsports | 29 | 46:44.289 |
| 2 | Jake Walker | 6 | Turner Motorsport | 29 | 46:44.718 |
| 3 | AJ Muss | 66 | AF Corse | 29 | 47:00.125 |
| 4 | Adam Adelson | 24 | Wright Motorsports | 29 | 47:02.706 |
| 5 | Matias Perez Companc | 50 | AF Corse | 29 | 47:25.186 |
| 6 | Samantha Tan | 38 | ST Racing | 29 | 47:25.308 |
| 7 | Brian Thienes | 77 | Forte Racing | 29 | 47:29.915 |
| 8 | Marc Austin | 11 | Lone Star Racing | 29 | 47:39.058 |
| 9 | Kyle Washington | 32 | GMG Racing | 29 | 47:49.178 |
| 10 | Vincent Barletta | 95 | Turner Motorsport | 29 | 48:21.883 |
| 11 | Dave Musial | 99 | Conquest Racing | 29 | 48:26.855 |
| 12 | Mirco Schultis | 70 | Mishumotors | 28 | 46:59.617 |
| 13 | Matthew Dicken | 36 | RAFA Racing | 28 | 47:38.365 |
| 14 | Kiko Porto | 8 | RAFA Racing | 28 | 48:07.838 |
| 15 | Valentino Catalano | 30 | GEBHARDT Intralogistics Motorsports | 27 | 42:27.077 |
| 16 | Oscar Tunjo | 31 | GEBHARDT Intralogistics Motorsports | 27 | 42:28.422 |
| 17 | Steven Clemons | 76 | BSI Racing | 27 | 46:52.218 |
| 18 | Ian Porter | 68 | RAFA Racing | 27 | 46:53.726 |
| 19 | Patrick Wilmot | 12 | Swish Motorsports | 27 | 47:06.915 |
| 20 | Justin Di Benedetto | 4 | Di Benedetto Racing | 27 | 47:37.938 |
| 21 | Angus Rogers | 5 | KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering | 27 | 48:07.432 |
| 22 | Frank DePew | 72 | Rebel Rock Racing | 27 | 48:22.365 |
| 23 | Chris Walsh | 10 | Carrus Callas Raceteam | 15 | 39:01.237 |
| 24 | Roland Krainz | 19 | Auto Technic Racing | 1 | 2:54.226 |
| 25 | Dave Musial Jr. | 20 | Conquest Racing | 0 | Not Running |
Race 2
Temperatures cooled under COTA’s, but the action stayed intense. Valentino Catalano redeemed his morning misfortune by launching from pole and leading every lap to dominate the P3 field in his Duqueine D08-Nissan. His margin over Tunjo was a commanding 48.813 seconds. Jonathan Woolridge amassed his third consecutive P3 podium, placing third and inching closer in the championship battle. Brian Thienes again claimed the Bronze Cup in P3, affirming his consistency across both sessions.
In GTDX, Jake Walker completed a clean sweep of the weekend. He stayed resolute up front, managing traffic and maintaining control for a second straight class win, outpacing AJ Muss, who collected another podium. Adam Adelson recovered from a difficult start to finish competitive, though Muss’s consistent results nudged him into the GTDX points lead.
Over in GSX, fortune shifted. Kiko Porto, who had looked unbeatable, suffered a mechanical issue late in the race and was forced off, opening the door for his teammate Ian Porter to claim his first series victory, and the Bronze Cup in class, behind the wheel of the No. 68 Toyota GR Supra GT4. Chris Walsh was elevated to second, Steven Clemons crossed the line second but received a 10-second penalty for track limits, dropping to third.
The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge delivered a masterclass in sprint-race drama at COTA. From audacious fuel gambits to mechanical heartbreaks, unforeseen lead changes, and breakout victories, Saturday’s doubleheader encapsulated the raw unpredictability of motorsport. As the paddock packs up and eyes turn to Mid-Ohio in June, the championship intrigue continues to deepen, and fans were reminded just how thrilling sprint racing can be on the world stage.
| Pos | Driver | Number | Team | Laps | Total Time |
| 1 | Valentino Catalano | 30 | GEBHARDT Intralogistics Motorsports | 29 | 45:12.541 |
| 2 | Oscar Tunjo | 31 | GEBHARDT Intralogistics Motorsports | 29 | 46:01.354 |
| 3 | Jake Walker | 6 | Turner Motorsport | 29 | 46:04.407 |
| 4 | Jonathan Woolridge | 54 | MLT Motorsports | 29 | 46:14.743 |
| 5 | AJ Muss | 66 | AF Corse | 29 | 46:15.166 |
| 6 | Matias Perez Companc | 50 | AF Corse | 29 | 46:33.176 |
| 7 | Samantha Tan | 38 | ST Racing | 29 | 46:33.965 |
| 8 | Kyle Washington | 32 | GMG Racing | 29 | 46:45.019 |
| 9 | Adam Adelson | 24 | Wright Motorsports | 28 | 45:25.689 |
| 10 | Brian Thienes | 77 | Forte Racing | 28 | 45:28.141 |
| 11 | Vincent Barletta | 95 | Turner Motorsport | 28 | 45:46.812 |
| 12 | Marc Austin | 11 | Lone Star Racing | 28 | 46:04.138 |
| 13 | Matthew Dicken | 36 | RAFA Racing | 27 | 45:33.960 |
| 14 | Ian Porter | 68 | RAFA Racing | 27 | 45:55.967 |
| 15 | Chris Walsh | 10 | Carrus Callas Raceteam | 27 | 46:05.074 |
| 16 | Steven Clemons | 76 | BSI Racing | 27 | 46:06.794 |
| 17 | Patrick Wilmot | 12 | Swish Motorsports | 27 | 46:23.053 |
| 18 | Roland Krainz | 19 | Auto Technic Racing | 26 | 45:14.027 |
| 19 | Justin Di Benedetto | 4 | Di Benedetto Racing | 26 | 45:24.575 |
| 20 | Angus Rogers | 5 | KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering | 26 | 45:32.005 |
| 21 | Frank DePew | 72 | Rebel Rock Racing | 26 | 45:33.324 |
| 22 | Kiko Porto | 8 | RAFA Racing | 23 | 39:19.848 |
Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas is the premier destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the United States. Set on 1,500 acres in the rolling hills just outside downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music since 2012. At its heart is a 3.41-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world's most exacting competitors while providing a thrilling spectacle for audiences.
The 20-turn, counterclockwise circuit takes advantage of the naturally undulating landscape, including an intimidating 133-foot hill at Turn 1 that must be seen in person to be believed. It is home to Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, NASCAR EchoPark Texas Grand Prix, and MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, and has played host to ESPN's X Games, the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge and more.
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