Lamborghini factory driver Sandy Mitchell is within striking distance of the GTD Pro standings summit in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after helping secure a second successive victory for Pfaff Motorsports at VIRginia International Raceway.
Following a historic victory at Road America – the first-ever endurance race win for the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 anywhere in the world – Mitchell and team-mate Andrea Caldarelli continued their sublime form by taking victory in the weekend’s Michelin GT Challenge.
With momentum on their side following their maiden triumph, Mitchell and Caldarelli hit the ground running, with Caldarelli overcoming the opposition to claim the Motul Pole Award as the fastest qualifier on Saturday.
That result set the scene for a sensational Sunday in Virginia, as former British GT title winner Mitchell delivered a faultless performance throughout the 160-minute contest.
Converting pole position into the race lead when the lights went out, Scotsman Mitchell and Italian team-mate Caldarelli led for virtually the entire race before ultimately taking the chequered flag 1.517 seconds clear of their nearest rivals.
The back-to-back victories for Mitchell, Caldarelli and the entire Pfaff Motorsports team have moved the pairing to third in the GTD Pro Class Championship with just two races remaining.
Sandy Mitchell: “Everything went really well this weekend. The track seemed to suit the strengths of our car, a bit like Laguna Seca, so from the moment we rolled onto the track we had a good car.
“We’ve been learning a lot over the last couple of races. Obviously, we had a really good race at Road America and I think we carried that momentum into Free Practice 1 here, where we were on the pace straight away.
“That allowed us to focus on all the other things that are important, like pit stops and in- and out-laps, and focus on how to win a race, not just how to be fast.”
Will Fewkes, Fewkes Huff Management Co-Founder: “Winning one race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is an incredible achievement, but to record back-to-back victories is a testament to the hard work that everyone has been putting in.
“Sandy’s ability to hone and develop a race car is second to none and, alongside everyone at Pfaff, Andrea and Lamborghini, he is starting to reap the rewards of the Temerario GT3 programme. We’re excited to see them carry this momentum into the next event.”
Rob Huff, Fewkes Huff Management Co-Founder: “This was another incredible performance by Sandy and the Pfaff team. From the moment they hit the track on Saturday, it was clear to see that they were operating in the peak performance window with the car.
“To then go on and convert pole position into a race victory is a credit to the work they’ve put in recently. Sandy is establishing himself as one of the series’ leading lights, something we’ve always known, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the year goes.”
Mitchell will return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship action next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the championship heads towards the business end of the season.
