Catalano conquers Daytona in VP Challenge season opener
In a thrilling season opener at Daytona International Speedway, Valentino Catalano secured victory in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, leading a competitive field across three distinct classes.
Red race car at Daytona
In the Le Mans Prototype 3 (P3) class, Catalano dominated from pole position in the No. 30 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08, maintaining the lead for most of the 26-lap race. His teammate Markus Pommer finished second on track but was relegated to third after receiving a 10-second penalty for a false start. Brady Golan claimed second place in the No. 80 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P320.
The debut of the Grand Touring Daytona X (GTDX) class saw Adam Adelson secure a commanding victory in the No. 24 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), leading all 26 laps with a 30-second margin. AJ Muss recovered from a qualifying penalty to finish second in his AF Corse Ferrari, followed by teammate Matias Perez Companc.
The Grand Sport X (GSX) class provided last-lap drama when Kiko Porto in the No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 claimed an unexpected win. Porto inherited the lead when Steven Clemons' car slowed unexpectedly in the final turns. Gregory Liefooghe finished second in the Ford Mustang GT4, with Patrick Wilmot completing the podium in a BMW M4 GT4.
The weekend's second 45-minute race is scheduled for Sunday at 1:20 p.m. ET, available on Peacock in the U.S. and YouTube.com/IMSAOfficial internationally.