HPD Trackside --Pirelli World Challenge RealTime Acura VIR Race 1

The SprintX format is new to the GT series in 2017, and sees the normal GT cars run a 60-minute race, during which each entry is required to make a mid-race pit stop as well as a driver change. This marked the first competition outing in the format for the RealTime Racing Acura NSXs and it showed the perils that are inherent any time a team must change drivers in the middle of a race.

The #93 Acura NSX suffered early-race damage on Saturday, forcing the car to the garage after just 11 of the 32 laps. Wilkins started strongly on Sunday, coming from the 20th spot to threaten the top 10 before a mishap during a driver change dropped the team back in the order.

“The left-side shoulder belt got stuck somehow on my Hans Device, so I couldn’t get out,” explained Wilkins. “That slowed us down, and then when Peter got in, the right shoulder belt got a bit caught up, so the shoulder belts weren’t doing us any favors today.”