The Vehicles Earth

By Tarek Ramchani

The Sports Car Club of America has unveiled the provisional calendar for the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge season.

10 meetings are planned with the season opener taking place on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida and the finale on the streets of Houston, Texas. Three events are yet to be announced. All seven of the other races are run as support events to the IndyCar Series. The series is a successful mix between exotic GT cars and less powerful touring cars divided into three classes.

GMG Racing - Audi R8 LMS

Team GMG Racing entered with an Audi R8 LMS in the top GT class this season, and they are expected to come back. The team acquired three older specification Audi R8 LMS cars, and we hope to see them all next season. In many races the R8 LMS was able to match the speed of the factory Volvos and Cadillacs. The car is slightly different from its original FIA GT3 specification to meets the SCCA rules of the World Challenge series.

GMG Racing official website

Don Istook - Audi TT RS

Another Audi team is also expected to return. The Arc Audi Racing Program which is run by Don Istook, the Audi American legend is set to return. Don Istook is planning to move from a single Audi TT RS effort to a two car team next season. Unlike the Audi R8 LMS, the TT RS is being entered in the second class, the GTS class. Don Istook’s effort is the only TT RS currently racing in North America.

Don Istook Motorsport Audi TT RS on Facebook


Provisional Pirelli World Challenge calendar:

March 22–24, Streets of St. Petersburg (with IndyCar). St. Petersburg, Fla. (GT, GTS)
April 19–21, Streets of Long Beach (with IndyCar/ALMS). Long Beach, Calif.
 (GT, GTS)
May TBD, (GT, GTS, Touring Car, Touring Car B-Spec)
May 31–June 2, Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, (with IndyCar). Detroit, Mich. (GT, GTS)
June TBD, (TC, TCB)
July TBD, (GT, GTS, TC, TCB)
July 12–14, Streets of Toronto, (with IndyCar). Toronto, Ont. Can. (GT, GTS)
August 2–4, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (with IndyCar). Lexington, Ohio (GT, GTS, TC, TCB)
August 23–25, Sonoma Raceway (with IndyCar). Sonoma, Calif. (GT, GTS, TC, TCB)
Oct. 4–6, Streets of Houston (with IndyCar). Houston, Texas (GT, GTS, TC, TCB)

More information:
SCCA Pirelli World Challenge website