Coming off a Pirelli GT4 America SprintX Am class victory last month at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the combination of Vesko Kosarov and Jeff Burton from Rearden Racing has set their sights on the high-speed VIRginia International Raceway road circuit for another winner’s circle celebration this weekend (April 26-28) in the No. 91 Burton Lumber/Rearden Racing Audi R8 LMS sports car.
The Rearden Racing pair from Salt Lake City have started out the 2019 GT4 America campaign in fine style and hope continue their success at the tricky 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course in the southern Virginia. Kozarov and Burton currently rank second in the GT4 America SprintX West Am point standings.
In addition to his SprintX doubleheader weekend (60-minute features at Saturday and Sunday), Burton will compete in the No. 91 Rearden Racing Audi R8 LMS in the two GT4 Sprint events (50 minute each) scheduled on both days.
“Last week, we had a good test at VIR,” said Burton. “The car is getting better and I’m starting to really enjoy the feel of this car (Audi R8 LMS). As you know, it is a new car to me since COTA. VIR is a great track that really gets the blood pumping, fast, with a lot of technical turns. I’m hoping the weather is good. Our chance will be good especially with Vesko as my partner. Four races this weekend will be awesome, Sprint and Sprintx. It will be physically testing this weekend. Smart driving with no mistakes, that is a formula for success, at least with me.”
Veteran Kozarov, the 2018 Touring Car series champion, brings a wealth of experience to the Rearden Racing team and knows that the VIR track is not an easy one.
“VIR is very challenging,” Kozarov explained. “One of the fastest circuits we run and the esses can be very tricky. We worked hard to improve the Audi R8 during the test last week. If things go well for us, I can see us on the (winner’s) podium again. But the combination of the track and the competition will make it tough in both two races.”
Joining Burton in the GT4 America Sprint races for Rearden Racing this weekend at VIR will be World Challenge newcomer Dmitri Novikov in the No. 80 Rearden Racing BMW M4 GT4 sports car.
The Utah-based racing team led by Lara Tallman has been contender in World Challenge for past six years and continues to field winning machines each year. Tallman expects the trend to endure in 2019.
“We are accustomed to producing winning cars in the World Challenge series with a strong crew and solid, fast race cars,” said Tallman. “We think we have that combination this year again and especially this weekend at VIR. We had an excellent testing session last week at VIR and I believe our drivers can challenge for the race wins. VIR is fast, tough track. But we are ready to go starting with practice runs on Friday.”
In the Touring Car division at VIR, Paul Terry of Filmore, Utah, currently ranks fourth in the TC point standings in the No. 33 Rearden Racing Nissan 370Z TC sports car as Terry comes to VIR this weekend. Terry put in some strong performances in the 2018 TC trail with a second at COTA and a second at Portland. Now he looks to take his Rearden Racing Nissan 370Z to the top of the podium at VIR.
Action at VIR for the Pirelli GT4 America and TC America classes begins Friday with practice runs. The GT4 America SprintX events are scheduled for Saturday at 4:50 p.m. EDT and Sunday at 4:10 p.m. EDT, while the GT4 America Sprint races will begin at 1:05 p.m. EDT Saturday and 10 a.m. EDT Sunday. In the TC category, Saturday’s 40-minute sprint contest is set for 12:10 p.m. EDT with Sunday’s race at 8:55 a.m. EDT.
ABOUT REARDEN RACING: Owned and operated by Lara Tallman and driver Vesko Kozarov, Rearden Racing’s roots date back to the 2000s when Tallman drove in the IMSA ST class. The Utah-based operation consists of several aspects with design, build and service racing cars; offering “arrive and drive” programs in both professional and club racing clients and manufacture and distribute a variety of racing-related parts. On the track, Rearden Racing has been a winner, taking the 2018 Touring Car Championship with Kozarov as well as the prestigious 2017 and 2018 SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge for the GT4 category at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Rearden name comes from the popular Ayn Rand book, “Atlas Shrugged,” a novel about advocacy of reason, individualism, self-made, independent thinkers, inventors, business owners and risktakers.