The Heart of Racing Michelin Pilot Challenge Event Recap | 2026 VIRginia International Raceway
No. 26 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage Information
Driver Lineup: Hannah Grisham, Hannah Greenemeier
Class: GS
Started: 4th - Hannah Greenemeier (1:53.729-seconds)
Finished: 9th
Laps: 58/58
Laps Led: 5
Team Notes
Greenemeier qualified the No. 26 Aston Martin Vantage fourth and quickly moved into third as the 42-car field took the green flag.
The Colorado native continued her charge in the opening laps, moving into second and settling into podium contention.
Greenemeier held second until pitting on lap 21 for a driver change, four sticker tires and VP Racing fuel. A strong strategy call from atop the pit stand put the No. 26 Vantage into the lead on strategy.
Grisham returned to pit lane on lap 34 to top off on fuel and take fresh left-side tires. She worked her way back into third and was poised to cycle forward as the leaders made their stops when the second caution of the race came out.
On the ensuing restart, contact and aggressive racing in front of Grisham forced the No. 26 back through the field to eighth, despite Grisham having spent much of the race in podium contention.
Chatting with the drivers…
Hannah Grisham: “Hannah (Greenemeier) had a really strong opening stint, and we had strong pit stops all race. The team crushed it with the tire changes and fueling, and both our strategy and pace were super strong. We were virtually leading the race on our strategy when a full course yellow came out with 11 minutes to go. Unfortunately, on the restart, everything went downhill. Not only did the black-flagged car in front of me seem to build a gap to the leaders, but we ended up getting hit in turn one as well. Thankfully, the damage to the car was minimal, but we lost five positions. I think we were one of the fastest teams out there today. It looked like we were going to get a podium until right at the end. We’ll take what we learned this weekend and head to Indy.”
Hannah Greenemeier: “Overall, not the result we were looking for at the end of the day. The car had great pace for both (Hannah) Grisham and me during the race. Unfortunately, some not-so-great decisions by competitors knocked us back a bit. The team deserved the podium result we were on track to get. It’s frustrating to see everyone’s hard work not be represented in the final result. Hopefully, in the next couple of races, we aren’t the ball in the pinball machine and can be respected by everyone. Thank you to everyone on The Heart of Racing for the opportunity and all their hard work.”
Season Standings
Race 8 of 10: VIRginia International Raceway
Highest Season Finish: 6th (Watkins Glen International)
Completed Laps: 600/610
Provisional Championship Point Standings: 8th
Upcoming Race
The Hannahs will return to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition September 18–20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the penultimate round of the 2026 season. Grisham and Greenemeier will look to close out the weekend with a strong result as the No. 26 team enters the final stretch of the championship.
