Preliminarily, 17 entries are set to compete in a pair of sprint races for the VP Racing Fuels SportsCar Championship as part of the Michelin Pilot Challenge weekend at Mid-Ohio.

Eight P3 entries and nine GSX cars are scheduled to take to the Lexington, Ohio circuit, with several notable changes to the entry list heading into the weekend.

In the P3 class, Riley Technologies returns to LMP3 competition after spending several seasons in the category during its tenure in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Slade Stewart will pilot the No. 29 Ligier JS P320 for the team this weekend.

During its most recent LMP3 campaign in 2023, Riley earned four class victories, including a win in the 12 Hours of Sebring, and captured the teams’ championship with Gar Robinson competing full-time. While LMP3 was removed from the WeatherTech Championship following that season, Riley’s fleet of prototypes remained active, with several finding new life in Historic Sportscar Racing competition.

Other changes include new driver lineups for both Toney Driver Development entries. Lincoln Day rejoins the team in the No. 95 Ligier JS P325 after missing Rounds 3 and 4 at Circuit of The Americas, while Trans-Am and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor Gian Buffomante will make his VP Racing Fuels SportsCar Championship debut in the sister No. 30 entry.

Class championship leader Oscar Tunjo enters the weekend looking to extend his advantage atop the P3 Sprint standings over Danny Soufi. The driver of the No. 1 Gebhardt Motorsport USA Duqueine D09 holds a 210-point lead after sweeping both races at Daytona and recording a pair of podium finishes at COTA.

The GSX class also sees several changes. Family-owned Di Benedetto Racing returns after missing the COTA rounds, with Justin Di Benedetto back behind the wheel of the No. 4 Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS. Di Benedetto enjoyed a strong season-opening weekend at Daytona, earning podium finishes in both races.

Also returning after competing only at Daytona are the No. 25 CSM Porsche 718 GT4 RS CS of Ismaeel Ellahi, the No. 98 PANAM Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Cecília Rabelo, and a renumbered Kingpin Racing entry, with Rob Walker set to drive the No. 53 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2.

Not listed on the official entry list but announced by the team on social media is the No. 58 Ford Mustang GT4 for Ray Mason. Mason, who was originally scheduled to compete in Sunday’s four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race, will instead shift his focus to the VP Racing Fuels SportsCar Championship for the season’s final six races, allowing IMSA veteran Mike Skeen to join Evan Slater in the No. 59 Mustang GT4 for the remainder of the Michelin Pilot Challenge season.

RAFA Racing’s Westin Workman will look to continue his dominant start to the season in the No. 8 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 after sweeping all four GSX races contested thus far at Daytona and Sebring.

Race 1 of the weekend is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at 12:45 p.m. ET, followed by Race 2 on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. ET. Both races will stream live on Peacock in the United States and globally on IMSA’s official YouTube channel and IMSA.tv.

 

Image Courtesy to IMSA