IMSA: Sheena Monk displays strong pace despite late-race setback

"Kudos to the Gradient Racing guys for getting our JG Wentworth car back out! We gained some valuable bronze points" - Sheena Monk showed strong pace at VIR and was challenging for a top-5 finish before a late-race repair for toe-link, though the team's strategic return to the track helped them in the Bob Akin Award standings.

Photo credits: Micheal L. Levitt

Gradient Racing driver Sheena Monk impressed at Virginia International Raceway as she continued her development in the highly competitive IMSA GTD class. Qualifying in 11th, just over a second away from pole position, Monk enjoyed an excellent opening stint behind the wheel of her Acura NSX GT3. Teammate Stevan McAleer was also running well and challenging for a top-5 finish, before a late-race repair for toe-link damage saw the team finish in 13th position.

Following an excellent performance in the previous round at Road America, Monk was looking to build upon her first podium finish of the season. A dramatic final five minutes saw teammate Stevan McAleer use his experience to negotiate an action-packed leading group of GTD drivers to secure a landmark result for Gradient Racing.

As a result, the team sat eighth in the standings heading into the 2-hour 40-minute contest at Virginia International Raceway. Driving alongside Katherine Legge in 2023, Monk secured a top-10 finish at the challenging circuit and was aiming to build upon the momentum that she had built with McAleer this time around.

On-track action at Virginia International Raceway began on Friday with the first of two free practice sessions. It was an excellent start to the weekend for the Gradient Racing team as they set the third fastest time in GTD, with McAleer clocking the overall quickest time in sector three. A 12th place result followed in free practice two on Saturday morning, with Monk the fastest of the two Gradient Racing drivers as she continued to gain confidence.

Qualifying took place on Saturday afternoon with Monk looking to carry forward the encouraging pace from practice into one-lap speed. The Gradient Racing driver started the session on the front foot and was immediately challenging in the top half of the field. At the end of the fifteen-minute session, Monk had set the 11th fastest time in GTD but just over a second away from overall pole position with her speed in sector three particularly impressive.

”Our car showed decent pace, I was happy to get a little bit of a power increase [through a pre-race Balance of Performance adjustment] and I felt like it was fair", Monk commented. "It put us, you know, in the fight at least. Not any crazy advantage over anybody else, but at least we were right there with them.

Photo credits: Jake Galstad

Following her strong qualifying effort, Monk lined up 11th on the start for the start of the race. Sheena made a clean start and although losing out to Manny Franco, she remained in top-10 contention. Her early race pace was strong and this allowed her to pass the Winward Racing Mercedes AMG of Russell Ward on lap two. Monk was comfortably running with competitive silver graded drivers and racing smartly to ensure Ward remained behind.

As her stint progressed, she was racing in a train of cars fighting for sixth position and this underlined her improved performance. By lap 19, Monk was inside the top-10 after re-passing Franco with the Conquest Racing team also receiving a penalty.

Three laps later, Sheena was the highest bronze rated driver in the field as she overtook Brendan Iribe while continuing to gain confidence at Virginia International Raceway. Following this overtake, a number of teams made their initial pit stops with Monk bringing the Acura NSX to the attention of the Gradient Racing crew on lap 25.

Stevan McAleer now got behind the wheel and ran in ninth position within GTD as the pit cycle was completed. McAleer’s speed was also competitive as he ran behind championship leader Philip Ellis, with both drivers making sizeable inroads on the drivers ahead.

Also running in a group battling for sixth position, McAleer made his first overtake on lap 52 as his superior tyre management skills came into play. Firstly overtaking Parker Thompson, he then passed Adam Adelson as the drivers closed in on their second pit stops.

Misfortune then struck as contact from a competitor caused toe-link damage which forced the team to go behind the wall to make repairs - and therefore a chance of a good finish was lost.

With a little over half an hour remaining, the Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 suffered engine failure and this was a key moment for Gradient Racing. Both teams were in the running for the prestigious Bob Akin award for the highest placed team in the overall championship with a bronze rated driver.

A smart call from Gradient Racing, coupled with good work from the mechanics to repair the car, saw McAleer rejoin the race with just enough time to pass the Inception Racing machine. McAleer set a number of fast lap times and was able to pass the stricken McLaren to take the checkered flag in 13th position within GTD, second among the teams eligible for the Bob Akin award.

Photo credits: Jake Galstad

"I felt like I drove a pretty good race", Sheena Monk commented. "Handed the car over to Stevan. I thought we were in a position to fight. But he had some seriously unnecessary contact with a Porsche. It eventually broke a toe link on the left rear wheel."

"That put us down a bunch of laps, but kudos to the Gradient Racing guys for getting our JG Wentworth car back out! We gained some valuable bronze points.”

Although it was not the overall finish the Gradient Racing team were aiming for, both Monk and McAleer displayed improved performances which will give them confidence heading into the final two endurance races of the season.

The strategy call to return to the track in the closing stages could also be important in the overall Bob Akin Award classification with the battle for the class title set to be decided at the final round. The next round of the championship will be the 6 Hours of Indianapolis which takes place on the weekend of September 21st/22nd.