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Hyundai Motor America earned two positions on the podium at the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix last weekend. The current IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) Drivers’ Championship leaders Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker captured a second-place result followed by Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) teammates Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi in third.
With the podium finish at the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix, the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driver pairing of Wickens and Gottsacker continue to sit atop the TCR Drivers’ Championship standings by 50 points.
The pair had to fight their way through the field in the early part of the race after starting at the back of the grid following a post-qualifying penalty, while both their BHA teammates – Michael Lewis in the No. 1 entry and Wilkins in the No. 98 had stints in the lead. Among the early leaders – in just their second race event with the Elantra N TCR – was the Victor Gonzalez Racing Team.
As multiple Safety Car periods shuffled the running order, it was Wickens and Filippi who led the charge to catch the leaders in the second half of the race. However, when a final incident left the result to be decided by a single-lap sprint at the end of the two-hour event, Wickens was unable to mount a final challenge, though the points for second preserved his and Gottsacker’s points lead. Seven Elantra N TCRs competed at VIRginia International Raceway under the Hyundai banner and all seven entries earned a top-ten finish at the drop of the checkered flag.
The IMPC season continues with two events remaining on the calendar as the field next heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, which will host as the series’ second four-hour endurance event on the schedule – the IMSA Battle on the Bricks on Saturday, September 16th.
- Top Finishing Hyundai: Second place for the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker
- Top Qualifying Hyundai: Second place for the No. 1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR driven by Michael Lewis and Taylor Hagler
Hyundai Finishing Results
| Position | Drivers | Team | Car |
| 2 | R. Wickens / H. Gottsacker | Bryan Herta Autosport | #33 Elantra N TCR |
| 3 | M. Wilkins / M. Filippi | Bryan Herta Autosport | #98 Elantra N TCR |
| 4 | V. Gonzalez / T. Gonzalez | Victor Gonzalez Racing Team | #99 Elantra N TCR |
| 5 | T. Hagler / M. Lewis | Bryan Herta Autosport | #1 Elantra N TCR |
| 6 | T. Maxson / B. Ortiz | van der Steur Racing | #91 Elantra N TCR |
| 8 | S. McNulty / J. Deily | Deily Motorsports | #70 Elantra N TCR |
| 9 | J. Wisely / C. Bigham | Deily Motorsports | #74 Elantra N TCR |
Hyundai Championship Standings
| Position | Drivers | Team | Car | Total Points |
| 1 | R. Wickens / H. Gottsacker | Bryan Herta Autosport | #33 Elantra N TCR | 2410 |
| 3 | M. Wilkins / M. Filippi | Bryan Herta Autosport | #98 Elantra N TCR | 2300 |
| 5 | T. Maxson | van der Steur Racing | #91 Elantra N TCR | 2060 |
| 7 | M. Lewis / T. Hagler | Bryan Herta Autosport | #1 Elantra N TCR | 1920 |
| 9 | V. Gonzalez | Victor Gonzalez Racing Team | #99 Elantra N TCR | 1850 |
| 11 | B. Ortiz | van der Steur Racing | #91 Elantra N TCR | 1780 |
| 17 | J. Deily | Deily Motorsports | #70 Elantra N TCR | 1250 |
| 18 | C. Bigham | Deily Motorsports | #74 Elantra N TCR | 1140 |
| 23 | J. Wisely | Deily Motorsports | #74 Elantra N TCR | 790 |
| 24 | S. McNulty | Deily Motorsports | #70 Elantra N TCR | 420 |
IMSA TCR Manufacturer Standings
| Position | Manufacturer | Total Points |
| 1 | Audi | 2570 |
| 2 | Hyundai | 2560 |
| 3 | Alfa Romeo | 2450 |
| 4 | Honda | 2420 |
