Wright Motorsports and the Heart of Racing will both start Saturday’s Michelin GT Challenge at VIR from the back of the grid after failing post-qualifying scrutineering.
The #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Trent Hindman, had initially qualified third in Friday’s session, but post-race checks revealed that the Porsche ‘failed to meet minimum ride height’ requirements, according to IMSA.
This means the car will now start the race from eighteenth position, at the very back of the grid.
The penalty for Wright Motorsports promoted the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 of Ross Gunn and Roman de Angelis to third place, but the team’s second car has also been placed at the back of the grid for a post-qualifying infringement.
The #27 Aston Martin, driven by Ian James and Alex Riberas, was found to have its rear wing ‘out of tolerance to the homologation per 4.7.1 of the GTD technical regulations.’
James and Riberas will therefore start seventeenth, ahead of Wright Motorsports but behind the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.