Robby Foley will line up for the final sprint of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Virginia International Raceway, his #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO sitting only three points shy of the leaders in the GTD standings.
Foley, joined on Friday by Patrick Gallagher, has been a mainstay at VIR, logging eight starts and collecting a class win at the track in 2020, a pole position in 2021 and three podiums over the years. This season, the duo has returned home with two podiums and four top‑five finishes in seven races, including a runner‑up finish at the Long Beach sprint.
“Virginia International Raceway feels like a benchmark for drivers,” Foley said on a recent media call. “Each lap demands new edge‑taking, and the variety of corners forces us to set the car differently from turn to turn.”
Turning the Tide at VIR
Caught in a four‑car war behind the curtains of the IMSA table, Foley and Gallagher hope the third‑place lead will turn into a championship victory with a surge of aggression in the remaining rounds. After finishing solidly in the top four all season, the pair want the extra spark needed to break the winless streak.
He added that winning every weekend is the goal, but “a few second‑place finishes and a handful of podiums” would satisfy his quest for a title, given the “tight” competition.
Season‑Long Consistency, Short‑Term Aggression
Foley outlines the debate at Turner Motorsport: should the team lean into a more aggressive strategy or maintain steadiness? “There’s an internal debate on how we play the races,” he said, noting that the crew has consistently stayed in the conversation without “big up‑and‑down” swings.
He points out the chaotic nature of GTD races, where “dirty air” and abrupt restarts often dictate results. “Knowing that restarts are fraught, we have to decide whether to zig or zag, and that requires flawless execution,” Foley explained.
Rivalry with Winward Racing and Heart of Racing
The squad also respects Winward Racing’s Philip Ellis and Russell Ward, who currently sit a two‑point cushion in the standings. Their “benchmark pace” and “exemplary pit strategy” have kept the competition sharp. The duo also acknowledged Dudu Barrichello’s Heart of Racing team leading the overall points by 26, driven by its “high‑level operation” and strong driver familiarity.
“Their core group of drivers knows the car inside out, just as we do,” Foley said. “We pick our moments, head for the right side of the chaos, and let the decisions roll.”
Looking Forward to the Finale
With the championship tightened, Foley’s focus remains on accumulating points through consistency while injecting aggression where the margin offers payoff. “We’ll keep ourselves in the top‑five race, but we’ll turn the wick up when the odds swing in our favor,” he told Motorsport.com, underscoring the fine balance between cautious yet bold racing to secure an end‑of‑season title.
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