Summer shake up for Sunoco Challenges as Goodman and Simmons make progress

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Once again, It is all change at the top of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge and Sunoco 240 Challenge standings, with only a few points separating the top of both after an enthralling few weeks of racing.

It is still almost impossible to tell who will come out on top to win those Rolex 24 At Daytona and BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona drives as the thrilling battles to lead the standings continue.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge: Simmons remains in contention

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship drivers continue to remain the focal point of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge. Series leader Clement Novalak returns to the top of the standings thanks to a podium finish in Belgium.

Hot on his heels is rival Ayrton Simmons who had an outstanding weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, taking a win, a podium, and two pole positions, which puts him right back in contention with only one and a half average points separating him and Clement.

A difficult weekend for Johnathan Hoggard has pushed him into third place despite his perfect point-scoring weekend at Donington Park, but a strong trip to Brands Hatch could change that quite quickly. Jonny Cocker, in the British GT Championship, is only two average points behind Johnathan after he finished seventh in GT3 at Spa, with Seb Priaulx fifth after a sixth-place finish in GT4 in the same contest.

Click here for the complete Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings.

Sunoco 240 Challenge: Carey remains on top whilst Goodman jumps to third.

It could not be closer in the Sunoco 240 Challenge where Cian Carey holds onto the lead despite no track action over the last few weeks. However, it remains an extremely tight fight for the top spot as Robbie Dalgleish closed the gap to Cian with only 1.96 average points between the pair after the Mini Challenge Cooper Pro driver stood on each step of the podium in three races at Brands Hatch.

Toby Goodman has vaulted himself into third place after a superb weekend in Kent as well. He took two wins and a third place, as well as a pole position, to move 0.12 average points ahead of Dominik Jackson, who bounced back from a DNF in race one at Oulton Park to take a win and second place in the Radical Challenge Championship, keeping his hopes alive.

Another driver on the move is British GT Championship competitor Kelvin Fletcher. He leaps ahead of Scott McKenna, who has not raced in the previous few weeks. Just five average points cover fifth to 11th in the standings, so a strong weekend for Jerome De Sadeleer, Nathan Harrison, Rob Keogh, James Gornall, or Alastair Barclay will bring them right back into the mix.

Click here for the complete Sunoco 240 Challenge standings.

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and GT4 Pro

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

Jackson and McKenna climb back into contention while Hoggard reasserts control in Sunoco Challenges

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Last month the Sunoco Whelen Challenge and Sunoco 240 Challenge standings had changed drastically, and things are no different this time out.

At this rate, neither contest will have a clear victor until the very end of the season, when two deserving winners will race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona, respectively.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge: Hoggard leapfrogs into lead

A perfect weekend at Donington Park, from an eligible points-scoring point of view, means Johnathan Hoggard climbs from fourth place to the lead of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings. Taking two pole positions and two wins in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, the youngster heads series rival Clement Novalak by almost seven average points.

Meanwhile, another podium finish for Jonny Cocker in GT3 in the British GT Championship keeps him in third place, ensuring that neither Johnathan nor Clement can relax. Just behind him, Seb Priaulx’s GT4 victory keeps the youngster in contention and puts him ahead of Ayrton Simmons, with the leading five starting to pull clear of the rest of the pack.

Click here for the complete Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings

Sunoco 240 Challenge: McKenna races forward while Jackson dominates

With the leading duo of Robbie Dalgleish and Cian Carey not in action over the past few weeks, their close battle atop the Sunoco 240 Challenge standings has not changed, however things are on the move behind.

Dominik Jackson had a fantastic trip to Spa in the Radical Challenge Championship, taking three wins to move up one spot into third place. Scott McKenna, meanwhile, took two victories in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge at Zandvoort to jump from 12th to fourth, narrowly moving ahead of James Gornall, who had a second and fourth in the Mini Challenge UK JCW series at Donington Park.

Click here for the complete Sunoco 240 Challenge standings

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and Silver, and GT4 Pro and Silver

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

All change in Sunoco Challenges as battles heat up into summer stretch

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What a difference one month makes to the top of the standings in the Sunoco Whelen Challenge and Sunoco 240 Challenge. With such variation from week to week it is virtually impossible to tell who might emerge victorious at this stage, but it clearly will be an enthralling battle to the final positions at the end of the year when we’ll find out who wins those coveted drives in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge: Simmons shoots into contention

It is all about the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship drivers at the top of the standings as Ayrton Simmons vaults into second place after taking a win and a third place in the two Sunoco Whelen Challenge eligible races at Silverstone and he closes in on leader Clement Novalak with just eight average points between the pair. The leader in the standings took a win himself, but a sixth-place fin ish has left him vulnerable to his series rival. Jonny Cocker sits in third position after he finished eighth at the challenging three-hour Silverstone 500 during the same weekend, though BRDC F3 driver Johnathan Hoggard is merely fractions of a point behind in fourth.

Click here for the complete Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings.

Clement Novalak takes a win at Silverstone in the BRDC British F3 Championship Jonny Cocker in action in the British GT Championship at Silverstone

Sunoco 240 Challenge: Dalgleish capitalises on Carey’s misfortune

Things could not be closer for the leading drivers in the Sunoco 240 Challenge, where a host of non-finishes has shaken things up a good amount in recent weeks. Toppling then-leader Cian Carey is Robbie Dalgleish who took a win and second place in the Mini Challenge Cooper Pro class at Oulton Park. Carey was in action the same day but a DNF after finishing third in race one has dropped him into second place, albeit with just one point between the pair. Just behind is Alistair Barclay who had a solid weekend at Silverstone with a third and fourth place and keeping a close watch is Jerome De Sadeleer who has not taken to the track since May but will be out at Spa shortly. A good weekend could really put him into contention.

Click here for the complete Sunoco 240 Challenge standings.

Robbie Dalgleish racing in Mini Challenge at Oulton Park Cian Carey races in F3 Cup at Oulton Park

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and GT4 Pro

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

Novolak and Barclay head early running in Sunoco Challenge standings

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With all eligible series having now started their 2019 campaigns, the Sunoco Whelen Challenge and Sunoco 240 Challenge standings are starting to take shape. The BRDC British F3 Championship again heads the way in the former, after Linus Lundqvist won the prestigious drive at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January, while a remarkable five drivers from five different series fill the top places in the Sunoco 240 Challenge.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge: Novolak heads the way

Clement Novolak sits atop the Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings after leaving Oulton Park with a win and a second place finish. However, he is joined on 102.50 average points by Johnathan Hoggard who took a win and a third in Cheshire. Hoggard has taken advantage of the Team Fox five average point boost donation, whereas Novolak is yet to do so, so this could pull the latter clear at a later date.

The first of the British GT Championship runners sits third, as Jonny Cocker finished fourth in race one at Oulton Park but followed up with the victory in race two after excellent work by team-mate Sam De Haan, who is competing in the Sunoco 240 Challenge. Cocker is looking strong with 95.75 average points ahead of this weekend’s races at Snetterton.

Just behind on 80.00 average points is Ayrton Simmons, another BRDC F3 driver, after he scored a second and third place to open the season, though a DNF in race two leaves him a little behind at this stage. Narrowly in fifth with 79.20 average points is the first GT4 competitor in British GT, as Seb Priaulx recorded a pole position and race win alongside Scott Maxwell.

Click here for the complete Sunoco Whelen Challenge standings.

Sunoco 240 Challenge: Barclay fending off host of competitors

Alistair Barclay has the lead in the Sunoco 240 Challenge, but it is a narrow advantage in these early stages of the season. His three wins, three pole positions, and two fastest laps in the Ginetta G40 Cup, as well as his Team Fox five average points donation boost mean he has 138.33 average points.

Close behind, with 131.67 average points, is Cian Carey, racing in F3 Cup this year. Cian has not been outside the top three in the six races so far, taking three wins to boot.

Robbie Dalgleish sits third, with 117.50 average points from the Mini Challenge Cooper Pro driver, hoping to emulate Kyle Reid who claimed the Sunoco-backed drive at Daytona earlier this year. With James Gornall from Mini Challenge JCW on 107.50 and Jerome De Sadeleer from Radical UK Challenge on 105.00, not only are the top five places closely fought, but there are five different championships represented in those places.

However, with those having had two race weekends so far, the standings are likely to change significantly after two more races for the eligible British GT Championship GT3 and GT4 Am drivers, as well as those in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Mini Challenge JCW series this weekend. It will be an exciting battle throughout the year and one well worth keeping an eye on.

Click here for the complete Sunoco 240 Challenge standings.

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen. Sunoco’s 240 Challenge champion will contest Daytona’s 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-supported GT4 car.

The Sunoco Challenges are organised by Sunoco Racing Fuels’ official European distributor, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd.

Sunoco Whelen Challenge-eligible series:

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
British GT Championship – GT3 Pro and GT4 Pro

Sunoco 240 Challenge-eligible series:

British GT Championship – GT3 Am and GT4 Am
F3 Cup
Britcar Endurance
GT Cup Championship
Mini Challenge – JCW and Cooper Pro
Radical UK Challenge
Ginetta GT5 Challenge
Ginetta G40 Cup
Touring Car Trophy / TCR UK

Sunoco Challenge winners Lundquist and Reid impress on Daytona debuts

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Kyle Reid set some impressive time on his Daytona debut in the Roar before the 24

Kyle Reid set some impressive time on his Daytona debut in the Roar before the 24

2019 Sunoco Challenge winners Linus Lundquist and Kyle Reid made their mark on the historic Daytona International Speedway, taking part in the ‘Roar Before The 24’ ahead of the 2018 Rolex 24 Hours and showing impressive speed, despite neither having visited the circuit before.

Sunoco 240 Challenge winner Kyle was the first to hit the track in a BMW M4 GT4, resplendent in a striking blue chrome with Sunoco yellow colour scheme. The 2018 Mini Challenge Cooper Pro champion got up to speed with the 3.0 litre, 431 BHP machine, methodically working through the team’s schedule, building his confidence each time out. In the final session he completed a qualifying run on low fuel with new tyres and was on race pace, a great way to finish the weekend.

The ‘Roar’ also presented BRDC British Formula 3 Champion Linus with his first opportunity to meet the team and acclimatise to his new car, the awesome Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO. He had his first opportunity to sit in the Precision Performance Motorsport-run car on Thursday, hitting the track for his first laps a day later. He wasted no time and very quickly asserted himself as the fastest driver in the car, utilising the advice of former Sunoco Challenge winner and Lamborghini factory driver Phil Keen, who was also testing at the circuit.

The super Swede had his final run in the car on Saturday during the evening test session, allowing him to experience the 31-degree banking for the first time under floodlights. Having completed several trouble-free runs in the car over the four test sessions Linus can be happy with his performance, setting consistently quick times as he worked with the team and his team-mates to dial the car into the circuit.

The 2019 race is a significant one with many milestones being achieved. IMSA is celebrating 50 years of close racing, Anglo American Oils is 20 years old, and the Sunoco Whelen Challenge programme has clocked up ten years.

The drivers now head to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre where they will be attending Autosport International on Thursday 10th January, participating in a press conference at 11:00 on the Anglo-American Oil stand (number 1230) in Hall One. This will be followed by an appearance on the main stage for the drivers and Managing Director Anders Hildebrand, where they will discuss the ‘Roar’ and ten years of the programme at 14:30.

Linus Lundqvist, 2019 Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion:

“It’s an impressive circuit; your body gets really compressed on the high banks and that was quite an unusual but cool feeling! It was also the first time for me using spotters and, while it took me some time to get used to, in the end you start to realise that it’s actually very useful. It’s been an important test for me, trying out the car and track for the first time. All in all, it’s been a good couple of days, and I’ve enjoyed working with the team. I can’t wait to be back for the race in a few weeks’ time.”

 

Kyle Reid, 2019 Sunoco 240 Challenge Champion:

“It has been an amazing experience. It has been a steep learning curve for me with a new car, new team, and a new circuit, but I’m really happy with the way things have gone. The team couldn’t be nicer and the BMW M4 GT4 is a brilliant car to drive. I did some simulator sessions before we came over so I would know what I was letting myself in for which really helped, but it can’t prepare you for your first visit to Daytona because it is just such a special place. This really has been a once in a lifetime trip and this is only the Roar! I can’t wait for the race.”

 

Anders Hildebrand, Anglo American Oil Company Ltd Managing Director:

“Both drivers have performed extremely well. We know Linus is a top-flight driver, but he had to take a step back because the Lamborghini GT3 EVO GTD is much softer, much heavier, and rolls much more, but I must say he has coped really well. He was very quickly on par with other drivers and I think we’ll see him improving his times even more come the race.

“Kyle did really, really well. I always say, ‘you don’t need to prove you’re fast’. The Roar is so you can learn the track, get yourself happy with the team and car, and for Kyle it was a huge step going from a 130bhp Mini Cooper to over 400bhp, with downforce and rear wheel drive in his BMW. He did a qualifying run and was bang on the pace.”

 

What are the Sunoco Challenges?

The Sunoco Challenges provide an accurate assessment and comparison of performances across multiple championships during any given season. Points are awarded for qualifying and race results, including fastest lap, which are then converted into an individual average score for each competing driver over the course of a full campaign.

That means each race weekend offers drivers an equal chance to climb and drop down their respective Sunoco Challenge table. It also ensures that performances are taken into consideration across an entire season while placing less emphasis on one-off or unfair results.

This season’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded drive aboard a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO in the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Sunoco 240 Challenge champion will contest the 240-minute BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona support race held over the same January weekend at the wheel of a Sunoco-liveried BMW M4 GT4 car.

“Super Swede” Lundqvist Joins Precision Performance Motorsports New Lamborghini Huracan GTD Evo For Daytona Rolex 24 Hours

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Christmas Has Come Early For The Young “Super Swede” Joining Precision Performance Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan GTD For Daytona Rolex 24 Hours

Anglo American Oil Company Ltd, distributors for Sunoco Race Fuels, are today delighted to announce that Linus Lundqvist, winner of this season’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge, will be joining Precision Performance Motorsport, for the 24 Hours of Daytona, January 26-27, 2019.

2018 British BRDC F3 Champion Linus Lundqvist will be driving in the all new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in the GT Daytona class.

AAOC Managing Director, Anders Hildebrand explained the reason for the team and class selection, “When the first Sunoco Daytona Challenge was put together by Anglo American Oil Company it was thanks to the support of Jim France who wanted to increase the international awareness of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Today, ten years later it seems ridiculous that the Rolex 24 star-packed grid has not always been a massive international race on the bucket list of every racing driver.

The Sunoco Daytona and Whelen Challenge winners have brought talent, speed and excitement to the race and not disappointed the teams they raced for. 2018 Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner Stuart Middleton bettered Felipe Nasr’s Challenge winners’ previous third place record by taking the chequered flag in second overall – quite a feat!

For the last four years, thanks to support from Sonny Whelen of Whelen Engineering, we have been placing the Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner in the #31 Whelen sponsored Action Express run Cadillac DPi race car. However, with the increasing level of competitiveness in the top class we feel that the pressure imposed on our winner will take out the enjoyment of this, maybe once in a lifetime experience. Sonny and I therefore decided for 2019 that we should place our winner in the GTD (GT3) class which has a mix of PRO and AM drivers and a class that would really make our Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner shine.

Our tenth Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner and 2018 British F3 Champion Linus Lundqvist was amazing in the British F3 Championship. Having followed him and seen him race this season I’m confident that he will do us proud with his race craft and speed. 

I’m extremely pleased that we are going to race with the North Carolina based Lamborghini race team Precision Performance Motorsports. I’ve worked with Team Manager Sunny Voelker previously through the Sunoco 240 Challenge programme and know she runs a very good team. I’m also super confident that Linus will do extremely well behind the wheel of the new Lamborghini GT3 Evo and maybe, maybe we could better Stuart’s last year record by winning the class!”.

Precision Performance Motorsports Team Manager, Sunny Voelker said, “Having a talented young driver like Linus join our Rolex 24 driver line-up is a massive win for PPM and complements our focus on driver development, and of course it’s an honour to campaign the long-standing Sunoco Whelen Challenge program. “.

A delighted Lundqvist added, “I am really excited to have everything confirmed, I can’t wait to get on that plane and fly across the Atlantic to race in the States for the first time. It’s going to be a real adventure! I’m super happy to be given the trust and opportunity to drive the Lamborghini GT3 Evo for Precision Performance Motorsports at Daytona! It will be a lot to learn considering it will be my first endurance race but I’m going to do my best and try to learn and enjoy it as much as possible. I also want to say a special thank you to Sonny Whelen, because without him and Whelen Engineering, this opportunity wouldn’t be possible.  Also, a big thank you to Eva and Anders Hildebrand and everyone at Anglo American Oil Company Ltd. I’m super proud to be one of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge Winners.”

Precision Performance Motorsports Team Overview:

Precision Performance Motorsports has established itself as a leader in the sport on and off the track. 2019 will mark the 16th year of full-time operation. They operate the race team as a business with a focus on accountability and results, while building long-term partnerships with drivers and sponsors through open and honest communication and by learning more about their objectives. PPM previously fielded race cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and K&N Pro Series. Currently PPM fields sports cars in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Pirelli World Challenge and WeatherTech series. PPM provides a comprehensive driver development program, race car rentals, setup, test consultation, and driver coaching. Current inventory includes 4 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evos and 2 Lamborghini GT3.

PPM joins IMSA WeatherTech family with Lamborghini Huracan GT3

With their first successful season of sports car racing behind them, Precision Performance Motorsports (PPM) has made the commitment to take the next step up the ladder with Lamborghini Squadra Corse and will campaign a brand-new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in the GT Daytona class of IMSA’s WeatherTech Championship. The fresh machinery is slated to run both the Endurance and Sprint Championships.

“We had a really great year in 2018, which, in turn, has garnered a lot of positive attention and interest,” says Team Owner, Rick Gdovic. “Naturally, we have to grow our program with that interest. We felt it best to continue putting our energy, focus, and commitment into racing with Lamborghini. We’ll continue with Super Trofeo, as I feel that is one of the best racing platforms in the paddock and with the strong partnership and support of Lamborghini, we’ll also take the step up to WeatherTech and GTD in 2019.”

PPM has been racing for 16 years, primarily in NASCAR ranks, operating out of their 16,000 sq. ft. shop in China Grove, NC; outside of the racing capital of America, Charlotte, NC. 2018 was the team’s first year contesting sports car racing. Their inaugural sports car campaign included 3 overall pole positions, 1 overall win, multiple podiums in the Pro, Pro-Am, and Am classes of Super Trofeo, a GT3 podium in the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge, and a track record at Road America.

“We have a great team made up of some very talented people who have shown we can put together a high quality, competitive race program. I have full confidence with Team Manager, Sunny Voelker at the helm that we can do bigger and better things in 2019 with Lamborghini.” finished Gdovic.

PPM’s driver line-ups for both WeatherTech GTD and Super Trofeo will be announced shortly. PPM has driving and sponsorship opportunities for both Super Trofeo and GTD races for 2019 available.

The first event for IMSA’s WeatherTech Championship is the illustrious 24 Hours of Daytona, January 26-27, 2019. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America kicks off at the breath-taking Barber Motorsports Park April 5-7, 2019.

 

Sunoco Whelen Title Up For Grabs This Weekend!!

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It’s crunch time in the 2019 Sunoco Whelen Challenge, which will be decided at Silverstone on 13th/14th October.

It comes down to one weekend, calculators and what happens in the BRDC British F3 Championship. Will it be Sweden’s young up and coming superstar Linus Lundqvist, or Denmark’s sensational Nicolai Kjaergaard, who was on a mission at Donington last time out as Lundqvist’s charge to Daytona faltered.

Can either of these two young BRDC British F3 stars overall the very slender points advantage enjoyed by British GT3 star, and former Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner Phil Keen?

Keen will be watching from his armchair as his season is over and he is in the clubhouse with 86.17 points.

In previous years, the winner of the Sunoco Whelen Challenge cannot be eligible for the Challenge a second time. In 2018, it has been different. For this year only – past winners, (Keen and British GT3 Champion – Jonny Adam), have competed for the prize again. Keen has exploited this once in a lifetime opportunity to be in with a chance of revisiting Daytona in January 2019.

What Has to Happen???? – It Is All About The Points!!

To stop Phil Keen, the 2015 Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner, securing another sensational prize in the challenge, both L Lundqvist and Kjaergaard must perform and improve their overall season average scores. To do this the following scenarios need to play out.

Linus Lundqvist needs:

1x win plus 3rd place = 175 points

1x pole plus 1x 2nd plus 1x 3rd = 180 points

2x pole plus 1x 4th plus 1x 3rd = 180 points

2x pole plus 1x fastest lap plus 1x 4th 1x 5th = 180 points

2x pole 2x fastest lap plus 2x 5th = 190 points

For Nicolai Kjaergaard to overall Keen & Lundqvist, he would need to do the following over the course of the whole race weekend:

2x pole, 2x fastest laps, 1x 1st 1x 2nd

That would be 265 points for the young Dane to sensationally snatch the Sunoco Whelen Challenge at the last race of the year.

This year’s Sunoco Whelen Challenge champion will win a fully funded race seat at the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona, courtesy of Whelen…….but who will it be????

Sunoco Whelen Challenge Title Up For Grabs This Weekend

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It’s crunch time in the 2019 Sunoco Whelen and 240 Challenges, both of which could be decided in the next 10 days when the remaining contenders compete in BRDC British F3, British GT, Mini Cooper Challenge and Radical UK Challenge events around the UK.

Lundqvist Poised To Seal Daytona Drive At Donington

   

 

Up first it’s the senior competition and a chance for long-time leader Linus Lundqvist to claim the Rolex 24 At Daytona prize drive with a British F3 round to spare. The Swede has been rock solid all season and currently enjoys a 17.89-point lead over former winner Phil Keen who, like Lundqvist, is competing at Donington Park this weekend.

Their respective British GT and F3 title rivals, Jonny Adam and Nicolai Kjaergaard, also retain a chance of winning the Sunoco Whelen Challenge, although both are more than 20 points shy of top spot.

In truth it’s Lundqvist’s competition to lose given both he and Kjaergaard have four races in which to increase (but also decrease) their totals, whereas Keen and Adam – who square off for the British GT3 title this weekend – have only one event with which to improve their scores. All of that will be a foregone conclusion should Lundqvist accumulate the perfect 140 points in both of Donington’s Sunoco Challenge-eligible races before British F3 heads to Silverstone for its season finale on October 13/14.

Whether the coronation waits another three weeks also depends on his rivals’ performances this weekend. Keen and Adam both essentially require perfect scores for pole position, fastest race lap and victory if they’re to apply any pressure on the current leader, while Kjaergaard – who is also aiming to halt Lundqvist’s British F3 title march – must outscore his championship adversary by 71 Sunoco points per race over the remaining four outings. It’s a tall order by anyone’s standards!

Keen’s Retirement Helps Lundqvist Extend Whelen Lead At Brands Hatch

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Linus Lundqvist took a step closer to competing in the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona after extending his Sunoco Whelen Challenge lead at Brands Hatch last weekend.

British F3 and British GT’s joint event at Brands Hatch represented a penultimate opportunity for Phil Keen to cut Linus Lundqvist’s advantage. But, instead, it was the Carlin driver who left Kent with one hand firmly on the senior competition’s trophy after extending his lead to 17.89 points.

It might have been very different for Keen whose retirement prevented the British GT3 Pro from taking advantage of Lundqvist’s winless weekend. Indeed, the Swede also failed to set a fastest lap or claim pole position for either of the two races that count towards the Sunoco Whelen Challenge, which actually reduced his overall score by almost four points.

Nevertheless, his new 98.33 season average now looks beyond Keen’s reach, while Stuart Moseley will be relying on bigger Radical European Masters grids at the championship’s final two rounds if he’s to potentially collect the maximum number of points still available. He’s now 22.44 marks behind Lundqvist in the overall standings.

Further back, Nicolai Kjaergaard is now just 1.31 points behind Moseley in fourth after claiming a British F3 win, third place and two fastest laps at Brands Hatch, while a who’s-who of world GT stars – Jonny Adam, Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorensen and Yelmer Buurman – fill positions five to eight following their latest British GT exploits. Just four points separate the quartet.

British GT4 championship leader Jack Mitchell is best of the championship’s ‘juniors’ in ninth, and British F3 driver Kush Maini completes the top-10.

Lundqvist Ups The Whelen Ante But Whorton-Eales struggles At Snetterton

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A bumper outing for Sunoco Whelen and 240 Challenge-eligible championships at Snetterton last weekend resulted in respective leaders Linus Lundqvist and Kyle Reid maintaining their places at the top of both standings.

Whelen: Lundqvist strengthens his lead

A combination of increasing his overall score and nearest rivals losing ground helped Linus Lundqvist consolidate his Sunoco Whelen Challenge lead at Snetterton where maximum points for a victory, pole position and fastest lap, as well as another podium, helped the BRDC British F3 Championship leader post an improved average score of 102.5.

The Swede began the weekend just one point ahead of nearest rival Phil Keen. However, a solid if unspectacular British GT3 round for the 2015 Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner has seen the gap widen to 10.1. His new overall mark of 92.4 is 6.57 more than a resurgent Nicolai Kjaergaard who increased his average by more than 13 points after claiming a British F3 win, pole, fastest lap and podium.

Radical European Masters’ Stuart Moseley remains fourth after enjoying a weekend off, while British GT3 Pro Yelmer Buurman has dropped 20 points and two places to fifth.

The biggest movers over the weekend were British GT3 Pro team-mates Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen. Race 2 victory and fastest lap helped the latter vault 14 places to seventh, one spot behind his Danish counterpart whose win, pole position, fastest lap and podium gained him 22 positions. However, their new 69.3 and 68.2 averages are still more than 30 points less than Lundqvist’s current table-topping total.

Darren Turner dropped from fifth to eighth, LMP3 Cup’s Brad Smith – who wasn’t in action –  moved up one place to ninth, and Tolman Motorsport team-mates Charlie Fagg and Michael O’Brien became British GT4 Pro’s best placed entries in joint-10th.

Elsewhere, former top-10 drivers Patrik Matthiesen, Jonny Adam and Callum Macleod slipped to 13th, 14thand 24threspectively.

240: Mini Challenge JCW aces falter

A tough weekend at Snetterton saw Mini Challenge JCW front runners Ant Whorton-Eales and Jordan Collard both lose significant ground to Sunoco 240 Challenge pace-setters Kyle Reid and Steve Burgess.

Whorton-Eales went into the weekend third overall and 10.67 points behind Reid, whose exceptional start to this year’s Mini Challenge Cooper campaign has helped him amass a 124-point average. Only a strong weekend would help his JCW counterpart maintain the pressure, but that’s exactly what Whorton-Eales didn’t achieve when a mechanical issue in Race 1 not only resulted in retirement but also 27thon Race 2’s grid. The handful of Sunoco 240 Challenge points scored for finishing seventh came as little comfort after dropping to ninth overall and 38.33 points behind Reid.

JCW championship rival Collard also endured his fair share of tribulations. An administrative error not only cost him pole position but also resulted in starting Race 1 from the back of the grid. Fastest lap in Race 2 limited the damage a little, but – just like Whorton-Eales – his overall 240 score took a sizeable hit after dropping from 91.67 to 68.

Radical Challenge driver Dominic Jackson inherited third at both Mini drivers’ expense, while F3 Cup racer Stuart Wiltshire moved ahead of three British GT Am drivers after Jon Minshaw, Kelvin Fletcher and Lee Mowle all lost ground.

Problems for others actually helped Minshaw move up three places to fifth in spite of his new, lower 79.2 average, while Fletcher also picked up a spot to lie sixth overall.

Robbie Dalgleish (Mini Challenge Cooper) and David Pattison share seventh, the latter jumping up from 22ndafter a first British GT4 victory improved his average by 16.5 points. The pair’s 77-point total is just seven less than Wiltshire’s in fourth.

Whorton-Eales and British GT4 Am Nick Jones complete the top-10, while Mowle dropped to 12thbehind Adam Balon.