Fort Lauderdale, Fla., (Aug. 23, 2022) – WeatherTech Racing drivers Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill) and Jules Gounon (France) are headed to Virginia International Raceway for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge to run Aug. 26-28.
Coming off two races where the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG with Mercedes-Benz of Billings, Montana support was competitive and led laps only to have the effort not show up on the finishing order, the duo of MacNeil and Gounon are looking to change that at VIR this weekend. The 3.27-mile, 17-turn, rolling terrain natural road course with its high-speed corners is a welcome layout for the WeatherTech Mercedes-AMG car with its downforce design.
“VIR is one of those tracks that we have done well at in the past, finishing on the podium (2021 and 2019) but haven’t been able to get on that top step,” MacNeil said. “We had a good run going at Road America driving from last to first then back down to last at the checker. I hope our luck this weekend will go our way and we get to the front and stay there.”
For Gounon it will be another new circuit in the USA for him.
“I have never raced at VIR before,” Gounon said. “My first thoughts looking at the layout and on the SIM is that it is AMAZING. I have been on iRacing trying to learn it. This track is why I like racing in the USA so much. There is really no room for error, if you go off it is grass that leads you to the tire barriers. I think the track will suite our WeatherTech Mercedes, especially the fast, uphill esses. Again, I will look to Cooper and the team’s experience to help me to get up to speed quickly.”
The IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Michelin GT Challenge will be televised on Peacock starting at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. The race can be heard streaming on IMSA.com, RadioLeMans.com and SiriusXM Radio (XM 207; Web/App 992).