Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Breaking news

Nissan GT-R NISMO returns to Pirelli World Challenge

Always Evolving/Aim Autosport are bringing a single Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 back to the Pirelli World Challenge in 2017 for the two-driver SprintX events.

#05 Always Evolving Racing Nissan GT-R-GT 3: Bryan Heitkotter

#05 Always Evolving Racing Nissan GT-R-GT 3: Bryan Heitkotter

Melissa Sinclair

#05 Always Evolving Racing Nissan GT-R-GT 3: Bryan Heitkotter
#05 Always Evolving Racing Nissan GT-R-GT 3: Bryan Heitkotter
#66 DragonSpeed Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS GT3: Frankie Montecalvo
#22 Nissan GT Academy Team RJN Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3: Sean Walkinshaw, Ricardo Sanchez
#22 Nissan Gt Academy Team RJN Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3: Sean Walkinshaw, Ricardo Sanchez
Sean Walkinshaw, Ricardo Sanchez, Alex Buncombe, Mitsunori Takaboshi

The GT-R, which has proven to be a crowd favorite, will be driven by former GT Academy winner Ricardo Sanchez and 2015 GTA-class PWC champion Frankie Montecalvo when the SprintX series begins at Virginia International Raceway on April 29.

The GT-R NISMO GT3 last year scored two wins at Utah Motorsports Campus – formerly Miller Motorsports Park – in the hands of Bryan Heitkotter.

Sanchez, who spent the past two seasons racing a Nissan in the Blancpain GT Series in Europe, said: “It’s a completely new chapter for me. I’ve got a whole new set of tracks to learn but the GT-R has been really strong in the U.S. and I’m looking forward to continuing my career in a new country.

“I have been training on most of the tracks in the simulator and I’ve been looking at on-board videos from VIR,” Sanchez said. “I think the GT-R could be really strong there because of the fast corners and the track is really quick.

“I really can’t wait. I know the car well and Frankie knows the tracks – I think we’ll make a great combination.”

Montecalvo won PWC’s GTA class in 2015 with seven victories in DragonSpeed’s Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS, and drove a similar car to a runner-up finish at last year’s Dubai 24 Hours.

He said: “I’ve always been a fan of the GT-R, both as a racecar and the streetcar version, and I’m very, very excited to be working together this year."

PWC’s SprintX Championship began last season with a limited number of races. For 2017, there will be 10 races over the course of five events.

 

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Bentley Boy Abril to race PWC SprintX in USA
Next article Superb SprintX field set for Pirelli World Challenge round

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA