It is crunch time for the 4 Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.R with two long-distances left in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season
The six-hour Battle on the Bricks is next up this weekend from Indianapolis Motor Speedway with championship hopes and potential race wins on the minds of the GTD PRO and GTD entries.

Corvettes will be in the thick of multiple season-long championship battles in the fourth of five races in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup with another long-distance victory on the minds of the quartet of teams. All will attempt to give the Corvette Racing program a first win at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indy road course and kiss the yard of bricks in the process.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO)

• No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio Garcia/Alexander Sims
• No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Nicky Catsburg

The long-awaited first win of the season for Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims at VIR couldn’t have come at a much better time for the GTD PRO championship picture.
With the overall victory in the GT-only race, Garcia, Sims and the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team increased their lead by 53 points in the Drivers and Teams standings with 770 points remaining in the season.
The duo finished on the podium for the fifth time this season tied for the most in class but the first time in three races.

That also extended Chevrolet’s lead in the Manufacturer’s Championship to 81 points. It would be the Bowtie’s 15th IMSA Manufacturers Championship and first in GTD PRO.
Garcia is seeking to become a six-time IMSA Drivers champion and Sims is hoping for his second but first in GT racing.
The pair was third in last year’s race, and Garcia set the fastest GTD PRO race lap.

Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg have contributed to the Manufacturer’s points haul this season and are coming off their second podium of the season with a third-place at VIR. Milner raced twice at IMS last year and was third in GT World Challenge America’s Pro class
Catsburg, coming off a stunning drive and third-place finish alongside Sims and Scott McLaughlin at the Suzuka 1000K for Corvette team Johor Motorsports Racing.

AWA Racing (GTD)

AWA’s No. 13 Corvette is hoping for a second long-distance victory with three of the four drivers who won the Rolex 24 At Daytona in GTD to start the season.
Matt Bell, Orey Fidani and Lars Kern have been excellent in the IMSA endurance races this year as they contended for additional race wins at Sebring and Watkins Glen they were in podium position inside the final three hours at Sebring and the last hour at Watkins Glen.

Fidani and AWA are in the proverbial drivers’ seat in the season-long Bob Akin Award standings heading into Indianapolis.
Going to the highest point-scoring Bronze driver in GTD, the prize at the end of the season is a trip to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, which Fidani and AWA earned last year.
DXDT Racing (GTD)

DXDT Racing’s endurance lineup of Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell and Salih Yoluc will try and fulfill the potential of the first-year IMSA team at Indianapolis. Like fellow Corvette GTD customer team AWA, the DXDT squad was in contention for race wins at Sebring and Watkins Glen with late-race mechanical issues preventing potential podium finishes.

Udell has been a constant in the DXDT long-distance and sprint programs this year, having teamed with Robert Wickens for the shorter races.
The DXDT Corvette qualified second and contended for the victory at The Glen until the race was inside the final 15 minutes.

This will be the first of two races at Indianapolis inside a month for DXDT Racing with the team entering a Pro-Am Corvette in the Indianapolis Eight Hours for GT World Challenge America and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
The Corvette Racing program reached a significant milestone earlier this month with its 150th all-time victory.
To date, six different entrants have recorded victories for Corvette Racing across six championships around the world.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports leads the victory count with 129, a total that includes the current GT3 era plus its 25 years as the factory team for Corvette Racing.
Pratt Miller-run Corvettes have won 117 races in IMSA and 12 in the FIA World Endurance Championship including nine at Le Mans.
Additional victories have come from DXDT Racing (14 wins), Johor Motorsports Racing (three wins), TF Sport and Chouest Povoledo Racing (two wins apiece) and AWA (one win).

The Battle on the Bricks from IMS is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sep 19 - Sep 21
The race will air live on NBC from 3 to 6 p.m. ET with live streaming on Peacock in the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S. from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET IMSA Radio will provide the audio call at IMSA.com, XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It felt really nice to really break through with how the last year or year-and-a-half has been going. I mean, we were very close to victory many times, but at some points we were kind of lacking that last part of the race we needed to. So to win that race I was so happy that we managed to do that and came up with a win at the last race.

“From now on, definitely the championship is the new target. And also winning at Indianapolis which is one of the few races that I haven’t won either.
So I’m looking forward to next weekend and let’s see how we compare to every other manufacturer and how competitive we are.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It would be mega for our championship if we could get another result as we did at VIR. But we have to treat this race as every other race with equal points on offer. We’ll approach it the same way: try and maximize what we can with our Corvette, nail the strategy and minimize mistakes. We didn’t have great pace last year in the dry but we’ll see how it goes this time

. We’ll try and make sure we have a clean solid weekend again. That’s what we’ve tried to do every time so we’ll try and stick to that plan. Hopefully things break our way again this time and we can take a healthy points lead into Petit Le Mans.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I got to race twice at Indianapolis last year and looking forward to another endurance round this week. We showed good pace in the No. 4 Corvette a year ago. Nicky put it on pole and we looked good early before some contact in the traffic.
That’s part of these Endurance Cup races with large fields and slow corners like we see at Indianapolis. This is the only track on the schedule where we haven’t won as a team, so that’s a big goal along with bringing home good points in the Manufacturers Championship.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It was my first time racing the Corvette at Indianapolis and the results were quite mixed. We did achieve pole position but had some unlucky breaks in the race and some damage in traffic that cost us a good result. Hopefully our pace is similar but our luck is much better this time around.
It was great for both Pratt Miller Corvettes to have strong runs at VIR. Let’s hope we can continue this at Indianapolis.”

AWA PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“The Indianapolis event in 2024 was one of our strongest performances as a team, so we are aiming to build on that for our return this year. It’s one of the most intense races of the season when you look at the amount of cars on the grid versus size of track itself, so anything can happen! We just need to keep our car free of scratches and out of trouble, while continuing to do the job we’ve been doing all year and we will be in the fight for the win.”

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“We’ve had some good results and strong momentum in the recent sprint races, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the endurance rounds for the last couple of events this season. It’s always special to come back to Indianapolis and we know we can deliver a great outcome here.
We’re pushing as hard as we can for that Bob Akin award and it feels like we’re firing on all cylinders at the moment, and IMS is the perfect place to show what we can do as a team.”

LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I’m really looking forward to being back in our #13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R this weekend. We have had a very competitive package all year long and I truly can’t wait to jump back in. I’m hoping to be able to put in a lot of laps, not only because every lap is enjoyable, but it obviously helps to dial back in.
We are leading the Akin standings, so it’s our main goal to extend this lead and go back to France for 2026 again.”

DXDT RACING PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“The environment within this team is really nice. They’re going those extra miles to find those small, incremental changes. We’re testing at every track just to try to make sure we are as prepped as possible. They haven’t had the rub of the green, unfortunately. We had a great run at Sebring and Watkins but fell 15 minutes short both times. Even in the sprint events the pace has looked great.
For one reason or another in the pits, out of the pits the team hasn’t gotten there yet. They all deserve a lot more for the effort they are putting in. I’m going into Indy confident that we can deliver a good result. I just want to get onto my first IMSA podium, maybe with my first IMSA win and the teams, and my first win in America.”

ALEC UDELL, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“We go into this race one mechanic down and everyone’s heart is with Colten (Rybuck) as he continues to recover from a scary accident in testing recently. At Indy, it’s back to the endurance lineup with Charlie and Salih. All season we’ve had strong performance in the DXDT Corvette.
We’re more than ready to capitalize on that and turn it into a result for the team. Most importantly, though, we keep in mind that the safety of everyone on the team and our competitors is paramount. I’m looking forward to welcoming Colten back at the track whenever the time is right.”

SALIH YOLUC, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It was nice to get some laps in the DXDT Corvette at Road Atlanta. I think it helped me a lot not just for that race but also Indianapolis coming up as well. A six-hour endurance race at this track with this many cars will be very chaotic but also very exciting. The team has been very close to getting its first IMSA podium over the last several races. I hope I get to be part of that this weekend.”

Also :

DXDT Racing program manager Bryan Sellers said the team is aiming to “strengthen and improve” its operations in the IMSA and SRO America paddocks rather than expand next year, with its programs likely to be determined by customer desires.

The David Askew-owned team, which currently runs a single GTD class Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, also competes in the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS with a Pro-Am class Corvette and is currently in the midst of filling out its driver lineups and, by extension, its race programs for 2026.

“We want to continue to try and continue to provide a good environment for customer growth,” Sellers stated “We’re not looking to expand. We’re looking to strengthen and improve where we are currently.
“Ideally, we would continue on with a similar-looking program to what we have right now. We have availability on both sides.
The budget is always a factor in all the programs.”

While DXDT is targeting a similar program next year, Sellers noted the team is examining the possibility of competing in VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, with GT3 cars having been made eligible for the IMSA-sanctioned support series for the first time this year.
“There’s a lot of synergy that comes from running multiple cars in the same series, and for us, that would be a step to be able to run cars [in SRO America] and run cars in IMSA together,” said Sellers. “So we’re hopeful to find some clients in those areas.

“We are looking to come back [to SRO America]. We are looking at VP Challenge and seeing where all those pieces fit, and it’s pretty much driven by what the customer would want. If they want to go to VP Challenge, then that’s what we’ll do.”
Sportscar365 understands that a move to VP Racing Challenge would not come at the expense of its current GTD program, which appears set to continue next year, although its driver lineup remains unconfirmed.

“We will stay undoubtedly with Corvette next year,” added Sellers. “It’s been a great relationship and partnership for us.
“As this season’s progressed, we’ve really taken a step forward, not just in operating, but in performance.
Starting to really unlock some characteristics in the car that have shown some speed for us, especially from mid-season onwards.

“We’re excited about continuing on with them and that relationship.”
DXDT “Would Love” To Continue With Wickens; Budgets To Guide Driver Lineups

As previously reported by Sportscar365, Robert Wickens is aiming for a full-season GTD seat with DXDT, a sentiment which was echoed by Sellers, although nothing is confirmed at this stage.
Wickens competed in the sprint rounds this year alongside Alec Udell, with Corvette factory driver Tommy Milner driving in the latter’s stead at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“I think it’s no secret that we’d love to continue our relationship with Robby and the Bosch and the hand control system,” said Sellers.
“It’s been a very unique program for us and for everybody involved, and it’s been extremely rewarding to see all of these things progress. We have a lot of interest in being able to continue on in those environments.

“We do want Robbie to continue on. Our plans would be for him to continue on with us in GTD.
We are very unaware of what the partnership of that would be like. It’s budget-dependent.
“If you were to ask us what our pie-in-the-sky would look like, it would be we find a way to have partners fund the car, and Robbie is the person in it and with a driver of our choice, but we’re just not there.

“Alec has been a great team member and a great teammate, and we would love nothing more than to find a way for him to work into our plans for next season. If we find ourselves in the position where we have the budget to pick and choose who it is, he is undoubtedly on our list of people.”

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports driver Antonio Garcia said he & co-driver Alexander Sims need to be “prepared” to counter-attack in the event their closest championship rivals “roll the dice” in the final two races of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

Garcia and Sims hold a narrow 53-point lead over DragonSpeed driver Albert Costa and a 191-point gap over AO Racing’s Laurin Heinrich and Klaus Bachler in GTD Pro heading into this weekend’s six-hour Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The drivers of the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R are coming off a long-awaited first class win in more than a year in last month’s Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway, which slightly extended the gap on second-place finisher Costa.
“It felt really nice to really break through with how the last year or year-and-a-half has been going,” said Garcia.

“We were very close to victory many times, but at some points we were kind of lacking that last part of the race we needed to.
“So to win that race, I was so happy that we managed to do that and came up with a win at the last race.
“From now on, definitely the championship is the new target. And also winning at Indianapolis, which is one of the few races that I haven’t won either.

“I’m looking forward to next weekend and let’s see how we compare to every other manufacturer and how competitive we are.”
When asked by Sportscar365 on how he and the team are approaching the final two races of the season, knowing what’s at stake with the championship, Garcia admitted it’s a “difficult” compromise between winning and scoring points.

“Obviously, the last few races we’ve been always trying to cover different strategies coming from especially the 77 (Porsche) or the 81 (Ferrari).
“So you cannot really afford to lose a race because you did what seemed to be the right strategy, and then the other two guys you’re fighting against in the championship end up winning.

“That’s the difficult part of the championship now.
“Indy probably won’t be as critical. I don’t think people will roll the dice as much as they would at Petit Le Mans, but that’s the classic end of the season here.

“When people are probably not feeling very competitive or not in contention and at some point they roll the dice and they kind of put everybody under pressure, I think we really need to be very prepared to counter that.
“Or if it’s something we can do like we did at VIR and be the first one to really make the move. It paid out there and I’m sure we can always do that and still go for the win.”

As Garcia mentioned, the 45-year-old Spaniard also has one eye on becoming a winner at the Brickyard this weekend, a race that has alluded him from his resume.
“Ever since my first time I raced there in Grand-Am, I really loved it and loved to be there, even if we were going the other way around!” he said.

“But I really, really liked it. So it’s a shame I’ve never been able to win there, but I had a lot of fun.
“Even last year was a fun race between all of us with all the changing weather conditions we had.
“It’s a six-hour race, so there’s also a ton of strategy playing out. In order to be in a superb place at the end of the race instead of a regular two-and-a-half hour race, you need to work it out a little bit differently.

“Last year at some point we looked really well and then the strategy didn’t go our way where we had to do an extra stop compared to the rest.
“At the end of the day we came up third so let’s see how this race unfolds.
“Obviously, we have to be smart and not just go for the win and maybe make mistakes on strategy or on track.

Again, it’s a very long race, but it’s going to be difficult. Traffic is very tricky there, and you just need to play it smart and be up there in the last hour or half-an-hour.
“It would mean a lot to us if we come up with a win, as it would mean that we are even in a better position for the championship.”