With simply three rounds remaining within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Robby Foley and Turner Motorsport are gearing up for a vital stretch run beginning this weekend at Virginia Worldwide Raceway.
Driving the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO alongside co-driver Patrick Gallagher, Foley arrives on the Michelin GT Problem at VIR sitting third within the GTD class standings. The duo trails second-place Winward Racing’s Philip Ellis and Russell Ward by simply two factors, whereas sitting 26 factors behind championship chief Dudu Barrichello of Coronary heart of Racing.
Foley brings a wealth of expertise to the three.27-mile, 18-turn pure terrain street course. Throughout eight profession WeatherTech begins at VIR, he captured a category victory in 2020, earned two podiums, and secured pole place in 2021. He additionally holds a Michelin Pilot Problem victory and three podiums on the monitor. This season, consistency has stored the #96 crew in prime title competition, netting two podiums and 4 top-five finishes throughout seven begins, highlighted by a runner-up end at Lengthy Seaside in April.
Opening up on a current IMSA media name, Foley shared the problem of returning to Virginia and highlighted what makes the ability a driver favourite.
“I believe VIR is likely one of the highlights of the 12 months for everybody,” Foley mentioned. “It’s such a driver’s monitor. Each lap there, you type of must put it on the sting in several elements of the monitor. But additionally, it’s a singular monitor to set the automotive up simply because you’ve gotten all types of various corners.”
#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, #57 WINWARD RACING Mercedes-AMG GT3: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Reflecting on how the season has unfolded, the New Jersey native famous that regular execution has supplied the muse for his or her championship push.
“It has been a really constant 12 months,” Foley mentioned. “Sitting within the high 5. We’ve not damaged by for a win but, however we have type of at all times been within the combine the place some others have had, for example, extra up and down years. So, the mannequin for us has at all times type of been consistency. I believe the final three races, we are able to flip the wick up a bit bit and attempt to break by for that win. That mentioned, we simply must hold it easy and execute nicely and gather as many factors as potential.”
When requested by Motorsport.com if Turner Motorsport can proceed to trip consistency or must win one of many final three rounds to catapult to the title amid Winward Racing’s current type of back-to-back wins, Foley supplied a considerate response.
“It is type of a debate that we have now internally,” Foley mentioned. “I believe the best way the races play out, we’ve talked about it quite a bit. Will we must be extra aggressive in many alternative points?”
He expanded on the chaotic tactical atmosphere drivers navigate in multi-class GT racing.
“I believe what’s fascinating about GTD and the best way the racing works now’s successfully GTD, despite the fact that you are on the entrance, you by no means actually really feel like you’re,” Foley continued. “You are at all times racing in soiled air. The restarts in GTD are fairly loopy as a result of numerous what occurs again in our class is a bit bit dictated by the GTD Professional vehicles forward and issues like that. So, there’s numerous loopy circumstances that occur within the race, and typically it is best to have zigged, when it is best to have zagged on a restart.”
With the standings tightening, Foley views the championship hunt as a decent four-car battle heading into the ultimate three occasions.
“I suppose to get again to your query, we personally put ourselves within the place to now be within the dialog to struggle for the championship,” he mentioned. “Realistically, it is a four-car race now, and I believe we have now to show up the wick a bit bit and simply be a bit bit extra aggressive now figuring out that we have now a small buffer again to P4, P5 within the championship.”
#96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley, #66 Gradient Racing Ford Mustang GT3: Jake Walker, Corey Lewis
Picture by: Artwork Fleischmann
Foley additionally paid respect to his main championship rivals, acknowledging the usual set by Winward Racing’s duo of Ellis and Ward, the two-time reigning class champions, together with Barrichello and the #27 Coronary heart of Racing outfit.
“And simply to the touch on Winward, I believe they have been the benchmark in our class for the previous few seasons,” Foley mentioned. “They at all times have unbelievable tempo at totally different tracks. The crew executes rather well. We fought them for the championship in 2024, albeit it wasn’t very shut in the long run. We completed second to them. So yeah, Philip and Russell and Indy (Dontje) when he joins for the endurance races, they do an excellent job behind the wheel. Their crew does a superb job in pit lane. So, they’re at all times proper there.
“You might say the identical for the#27 automotive, despite the fact that, with Dudu, they’ve had a couple of totally different teammates with him this 12 months from totally different scheduling clashes, however it’s type of the identical core group of drivers. All of them know that automotive very nicely. The crew operates at a excessive stage. The highest groups are at all times going to be doing a superb job. You simply must be on the suitable facet of the circumstance and make good choices.”
Foley introduced it full circle with the expectations for what’s forward.
“Because the craziness of the racing goes a bit bit up and down, as we have seen previously 12 months, I am curious how the tip of the season will play out in that regard,” Foley mentioned. “I believe for us, we simply must hold ourselves in that high 5 dialog like we have now finished, and yeah, simply in a pair key situations, flip up the wick a bit bit with aggression.
“To reply your query, do we have now to win? After all, you are at all times attempting to win each weekend, however I believe I’d be very proud of a couple of second-place finishes, a bunch of podium trophies, after which huge trophy on the finish of the 12 months. That has eluded our group a couple of occasions; and I’ve completed second in a championship a couple of occasions. It will undoubtedly be an awesome feeling to lastly win one.”
Learn Additionally:
We would like your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Crew
