Brabham endures Virginia heat to win TA Class event at VIR

If the competition thought Matthew Brabham running two 100-mile races on a scorching-hot September afternoon in Virginia was going to give them a chance to battle with the No. 16 GYMWEED Ford Mustang in Sunday’s Trans Am Series by Pirelli event at VIR, they were sadly mistaken.

The Indianapolis native, fresh off finishing runner-up to Helio Meza in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series event at the same racetrack, hopped into his Chris Dyson Racing machine and led wire-to-wire, picking up his ninth Trans Am win of 2026.

“Nothing that a GYMSODA can’t fix,” Brabham said after climbing out of the No. 16 GYMWEED Ford Mustang. “I’m going to have one of those and maybe an ice-cold beer, as well, I’ve definitely earned it after today.”

Sunday’s triumph, the 17th for Brabham in the Trans Am Series by Pirelli, moves him into the top 10 on the series’ all-time wins list, tied with Willy T. Ribbs and Dorsey Schroeder.

With Martin Ragginger and Paul Menard fighting against themselves for second at the end of the 31-lap contest, Brabham was able to sneak away to lead of 2.176s when the checkered flag dropped on Sunday.

“All the boys and girls that work on our race team, they gave me a fantastic car in that race, I mean this is the best car balance-wise and development-wise I think we’ve had, and these guys were breathing down our necks,” Brabham added. “Paul [Menard] and Martin [Ragginger] did a really good job out there.”

Brabham, by running both the TA Class and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series event at VIR was looking to become just the second driver to sweep both events in a single weekend. However, he’ll have to make another CUBE 3 TA2 Series start to make that happen.

“That was a tough day for me, didn’t quite get both wins, but second and a first isn’t too bad, so I’m pretty happy.”

Martin Ragginger brought his No. 7 Top Liner Chevrolet Camaro home in the runner-up position on Sunday after prevailing in a tight battle with Paul Menard in the race’s closing laps. Menard finishing third will significantly dampen the chances of a title for the multi-time Trans Am champion heading into the final race at Circuit of The Americas.

Chris Dyson finished the race on an island all by himself, in fourth, with David Pintaric rounding out the top five. Amy Ruman spent most of the race fighting for a top-five spot with Pintaric, but ran into a mechanical issue late in the going.

TA Class Race Results:

1. #16 Matthew Brabham
2. #7 Martin Ragginger (-2.176)
3. #3 Paul Menard (-2.486)
4. #20 Chris Dyson (-29.674)
5. #57 David Pintaric (-1:05.178)
6. #4 Jon DeGaynor (-1:24.642)
7. #8 Tomy Drissi (-1:42.473)
8. #23 Amy Ruman (-4 Laps)

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Chris Coffey (No. 97 Traffic Grafix / NAI Racing / GTE Engineering Ferrari 458 Challenge) looked well in line to return to the top step of the podium in the SGT Class this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, until a late-race off-course excursion and flat tire cost him the class win on Sunday.

Coffey got off the racetrack as the leaders in the TA Class were moving through to put the No. 97 a lap down, costing him several positions on the racetrack. Austen Dinger (No. 88 Dinger Excavation Chevrolet Corvette) took advantage, taking his first SGT Class victory in just his second career start.

Jesse Schmidt finished in the second position, just over 21 seconds behind Dinger. Zach Arnold, winner of both parts of the Watkins Glen doubleheader and last time out at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, finished third. Chris Coffey fell to fourth.

Lee Saunders, a three-time SGT Class winner at VIR, finished eighth in-class after crashing hard into the tire barriers in the early portion of the event, forcing him to retire with severe damage to the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper.

SGT Class Race Results:

1. #88 Austen Dinger
2. #91 Jesse Schmidt
3. #72 Zach Arnold
4. #97 Chris Coffey
5. #82 Ray Mason
6. #30 Dana Blackhurst
7. #60 Tim Gray
8. #84 Lee Saunders
9. #15 Milton Grant

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Gavin Gleitsman, a regular in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, made his debut on Sunday in the Trans Am Series by Pirelli’s GT Class, driving the No. 51 Exron Capital / Image FX Howe HR6, and went to Victory Lane, beating out Brion Gluck in the No. 47 Freedom Coffee / Gallant Few / 6XD Factory5 Daytona 65 by more than a lap.

It’s the first victory of any kind for Gleitsman in the Trans Am Series by Pirelli.

The Naperville, Illinois-native was able to out-run Brion Gluck by more than a lap in Sunday’s 31-lap event. Gluck, driving the No. 47 Freedom Coffee / Gallant Few / 6XD Factory5 Daytona 65 R matched a career-best of second place from Indianapolis earlier this year.

GT Class Race Results:

1. #51 Gavin Gleitsman
2. #47 Brion Gluck

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Brent Goforth (No. 99 Big Dog Foundation Piers Chevrolet Camaro) is back on the top step of the podium in the Trans Am Series by Pirelli’s GT1 Challenge, winning Sunday’s event at VIRginia International Raceway.

Goforth finished the event 16th overall of the 21 cars entered, but beat out Ryan McManus, making his return to the Trans Am Series by Pirelli for the first time since 20222, when the No. 07 McManus Agency Chevrolet Camaro didn’t take the green flag. It’s the third victory in four GT1 Challenge starts this year for Goforth.

GT1 Challenge Race Results:

1. #99 Brent Goforth
2. #07 Ryan McManus