Ferrari Opens VIR SprintX Weekend With Two Wins

Alton, Va. (23 April 2018) –The third round of World-Challenge SprintX competition was staged on Virginia International Raceway’s dynamic 3.27-mile circuit set in rural Virginia on Saturday. The hour-long contest was held in picture-perfect conditions and featured three classes of competition, with Ferrari drivers scoring wins in two of the three to continue to develop momentum in the ten-race SprintX championship.     GT SX Pro–Pro   Factory Ferrari driver Toni Vilander opened the hour-long race behind the wheel of the no. 61  R. Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 488 GT3 from sixth on the grid, but was able to make a strong move forward before turning the car over to Miguel Molina. Making just his third career SprintX race start, Molina held the Pro-Pro class advantage all the way to the checkered flag as the no. 61 squad grew its championship points tally with a third victory of the season.   “It was a good team effort,” said Vilander. "We lost some power with the BOP changes before the weekend,  so we were not good in qualifying.  I was in the middle fo the action in the beginning of the race but I saw that other cars were losing the grip with their tires and the team told me to go for it and push forward.  I pushed really hard and we pitted at the last minute and it worked out perfectly. Miguel pushed really hard, and hopefully we can be strong again tomorrow after getting third for the grid.”   GT SX Pro - Am   Wei Lu and Jeff Segal finished fifth in the Pro-Am class with the no. 31 Ferrari Of Vancouver Ferrari 488 GT3 after Lu raced in the opening half of the event before turning the controls over to Segal for the finish. The duo entered the weekend just four points out of the championship lead and will look to make up ground in Sunday’s race two.   GT SX Am   Caeser Bacarella once again made the transition from Ferrari Challenge to World Challenge look seamless on board a Ferrari 488 GT3. The Miami-based racer claimed his third victory on the trot with co-driver Martin Fuentes on Saturday in the no. 07 Ferrari 488 GT3  Squadra Corse Garage Italia. The win helps the duo grow their championship advantage as they look to sweep the weekend with another victory on Sunday.