SOUTHLAKE, Texas – A strong field is set for the Sportscar Vintage Racing Ass’n Vintage Race of Champions Charity Pro-Am presented by Chopard Watch this Saturday at Virginia Int’l Raceway.

Indianapolis 500 veteran Donnie Beechler and sports car aces Chris Dyson and Mike Skeen have confirmed their entries, bringing the field to 14 professionals and amateurs.

“The VROC Charity Pro-Am Presented by Chopard Watch will be a great race,” said SVRA CEO Tony Parella. “This field of legendary drivers is reminiscent of the original IROC series. Many competed in IROC, including Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Labonte, and both of them became champions of that iconic series. We will crown four new champions this Saturday.”

The VROC Charity Pro-Am at VIR is the final event and has attracted 14 racers with four in AP, and 10 for BP.  Race winners are awarded the same number of points as there are entries in their class. The winner will score four points in AP, and 10 in BP. Other finishers will score one less point for each descending position in the running order.

Willy T. Ribbs, who leads the AP title chase, can ensure he is the professional champion with a runner-up finish. His co-driver, Ed Sevadjian, can nail down the amateur crown with a third-place finish. In BP, Jim Caudle is the clear favorite to take top honors, requiring a third-place to close the deal. As for the professionals, Davy Jones leads by three markers and the third step on the podium will also ensure him the title. In the unlikely event of a tie, the competitor with the most race wins will be awarded the championship trophy.

Chopard, the Swiss artisan of luxury timepieces, and the official watch of SVRA, will present an SVRA-branded watch to the champions of AP and BP, both professional and amateur, at VIR.

Dyson will pull double-duty at VIR. He currently races in the top TA class in the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli which shares the track with SVRA this weekend. He was TA Rookie of the Year last season, winning at Road Atlanta and posting four podium finishes on the way to third in the championship. He’ll be back at in TA this weekend.

Dyson began his motorsport career as a teenager, racing karts on dirt ovals and from there to SCCA club racing with a Spec Racer Ford before launching his professional career in 2001 in Grand-Am. He claimed five overall wins in the Rolex Series in 2002, finishing runner-up in the championship. Competing in the American Le Mans Series from 2002 through 2011, Dyson won the LMP 675 title in 2003 and the LMP1 championship in 2011.  His racing CV includes three 24 Hours of Le Mans starts. Alongside his Trans-Am road racing program Dyson also competes in USAC, racing in Silver Crown, sprint cars and midgets on dirt and pavement.

Beechler is a four-time starter in the Indianapolis 500 and drove for the great A.J. Foyt in his final appearance in the race. He had 36 career starts in Indy car races, finishing on the podium twice. Beechler is a long-time midget and sprint car driver competing in the USAC Silver Crown series and at prestigious events such as the Chili Bowl midget car classic. Beechler was inducted into the Springfield, Illinois Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

Skeen began racing in karts and later stepped up to win the 2008 NASA SpecE30 national championship. By 2011 he was driving full-time in Pirelli World Challenge GT and continued there through 2015. During that time, he scored several race wins and frequently appeared on the podium. In 2014 he finished second in the championship, scoring three wins and five pole positions.

In 2017 Skeen competed in the Blancpain Endurance Series as well as continuing part-time with PWC. He has been racing in IMSA GTD since 2016. A versatile driver, Skeen has competed in NASCAR, FIA World Endurance, and the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar series. He also achieved class wins in the 2012 SCORE Baja 1000 and the 2014 Pikes Peak Hill Climb where he was awarded Rookie of the Year.

DALLAS, Texas – AIM Vasser Sullivan has announced the addition of driver Parker Chase for the Motul Petit Le Mans on Oct. 9-12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

“AIM Vasser Sullivan is pleased to announce that Parker (Chase) will be driving for our team during the Petit Le Mans race,” said AIM Vasser Sullivan co-owner Jimmy Vasser. “Parker is a young, up and coming driver, and we look forward to helping him develop his career.”

AIM Vasser Sullivan campaigns two identically prepared Lexus RC F GT3s in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Chase joins Jack Hawksworth and Richard Heistand behind the wheel of the No. 14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus. Last weekend, Hawksworth and Heistand, concluded the inaugural IMSA GTD Sprint Cup Manufacturer and Team Championship with a second-place finish.

Chase joins AIM Vasser Sullivan after most recently competing for Starworks Motorsports. As a result of Chase’s departure and the departure of a sponsor, Starworks has withdrawn from the Motul Petit Le Mans.

“Without a doubt, this has been a challenging season, and sometimes it’s better to regroup and focus on the future,” said Starworks Motorsports team owner Peter Baron. “Multiple things outside our control set us up for failure since day one. I’m very proud of how we operated and wouldn’t change a thing we did as a team.

“What we can do moving forward is change what we have control over and prepare ourselves for a better year ahead,” added Baron. “We’ve been working on our 2020 plans for some time, and look forward to getting the final players and pieces in place. We are happy for Parker to get this opportunity with another program and wish him the best.”

Chase, 18, a native of New Braunfels, Texas, is one of North America’s up and coming sports cars drivers. He began racing in Karts at the age of 10 winning multiple championships, is the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Rookie of the Year and the 2018 World Challenge SprintX Pro/AM Champion.

“I’m really excited to be joining AIM Vasser Sullivan for the Petit Le Mans,” said Chase. “The team has had great success in their first year in IMSA, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this leads. I really want to thank Sulli (James Sulli Sullivan), Jimmy (Vasser) and Andrew (Bordin) for this opportunity.”

NORWICH, Conn. – Hall of Fame modified driver Bob Potter died Wednesday after a medical emergency and subsequent automobile accident. He was 78.

According to the Norwich Police Department, Potter suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel on Tuesday around 4 p.m. and lost control of his pickup truck, making a sharp turn before hitting a school bus and multiple other vehicles.

Potter was transported to William W. Backus Hospital with life-threatening injuries before passing away the following day.

Potter was a five-time SK Modified champion (1988, ’91, ’92, ’94, ’95) and 24-time SK Modified winner at Stafford Speedway, ranking seventh all-time on the track’s SK Modified division win list. His last victory at Stafford came in 1999.

He also took down six track titles at New London-Waterford Speedbowl during his career, with three modified championships (1976, ’80, ’83) and three SK Modified championships (1986, ’87, ’89).

A 94-time Waterford feature winner, Potter is second on that facility’s all-time win list in modifieds (59) and fifth all-time in SK Modified wins at Waterford.

Potter retired from full-time driving in 1999, but had been the pilot of the Stafford two-seater modified since 2012. He stepped away from that post in June due to an impending medical procedure.

“All of us at Stafford Speedway are saddened by the loss of a great friend and mentor in Bob Potter,” Stafford Speedway officials said in a statement. “For more than six decades, Bob was a true representative of the sport. The Stafford Speedway racing community has lost a great hero. A five-time SK Modified champion, with 24 overall wins at Stafford, his passion for racing is unsurpassed.

“In his retirement from competitive racing, Bob gave back to the racing community, as he continued as the driver of the two-seater modified at Stafford, always looking to give the fans a good ride. Bob was always looking at the big picture and enjoyed sharing ideas. It is without a doubt that we will miss Bob, but his legacy as a champion and love for racing and life will serve as an inspiration.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dale, son Bob Jr., daughters Debbie and Ginny, and all his family and friends.”

Potter was a 2007 inductee into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame and a 2016 inductee into the Norwich Sports Hall of Fame.

THOMASVILLE, N.C. – Ten-time Bowman Gray Stadium modified champion and two-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion Burt Myers will compete in the Musket 250 on Saturday in his championship-winning FURY Race Cars entry.

This weekend will mark Myers’ second appearance in the Musket 250 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Tony Eury Jr. will join Myers for this event as his crew chief.

“’The Magic Mile’ has always been on my racing bucket list and I’m excited to be returning for a second time with a top-notch team behind me,” said Myers. “We performed well at last year’s race; we hope to perform even better this year with the championship car and a veteran team.”

While Myers is best-known at his home track at Bowman Gray Stadium for driving the No. 1 car, he will be racing the No. 4 car at the Musket 250, a family number for more than 70 years!

Burt’s grandfather Billy, his father Gary, Burt himself and his brother Jason have all raced with the No. 4.

CitruSafe is entering its 10th season as a sponsor for Burt Myers.

“It’s an honor to be able to sponsor Burt Myers Racing,” said Tommy Lancaster, COO of Bryson Industries, the makers of CitruSafe Cleaners. “We’re excited to be on board as Burt makes a second appearance at the Musket 250 this weekend.”

ALTON, Va. — With three rounds remaining in the Trans-Am Championship presented by Pirelli, the series heads south to Virginia Int’al Raceway Sept. 20-22 with a robust 47-car field.

Similar to Trans-Am, the Virginia circuit is one that runs deep with history, and has also enjoyed a modern day resurgence. The 3.27-mile, 17-turn circuit has played host to Trans-Am annually since 2013, and VIR results often come with weighty title implications.

As a joint weekend with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Ass’n, the Trans-Am racing lineup will feature two 100-mile races on Saturday; the ultra-competitive TA2 powered by AEM race followed by  the multi-class (TA, SuperGT and GT) Trans Am feature that will culminate the weekend.

Ernie Francis Jr., enters the VIR round with a 16-point lead over Chris Dyson. Francis’ strong performances have helped him grow his advantage as he aims for a VIR redemption after having a tough VIR race visit in 2018.

“We are trying to go to VIR with consistency, earning solid points on our way to a great finish,” said Francis. “We’ve had bad luck in the past at VIR, but we’ve been running strong. I love the elevation changes at VIR especially the uphill esses where the TA cars go flat out. We are looking forward to another fun weekend of racing there with Trans-Am.”

Amongst those challenging Francis for the win will be the points-runner-up Dyson, third-place holder Amy Ruman and Watkins Glen podium finisher Tomy Drissi.

Dyson’s mid-season performance was the best of his TA career in the CD Racing-prepared entry, taking two back-to-back victories followed by a strong podium finish at Mid-Ohio. Mechanical bugs kept him off the podium at Road America, with Francis emerging with rapid race pace to claim the victory at Watkins Glen.

Third place in points, Ruman suffered mechanical issues in the last round at Watkins Glen that sent her to the pits early. Her Ruman Racing team used the one-week break to make changes to the car and look for a resurgence to the top of the podium at VIR.

“Regrettably, we lost crucial points at this critical time in the season with only three remaining races,” said Ruman. “We had some mechanical issues that I didn’t think would clear up, so I decided to park it early to save what I could. The team has been working diligently over the past few days to get us ready for VIR.”

Despite missing three rounds in the middle of the season with a calf injury, Drissi finished the race at the Glen snapping at the rear of Championship challenger Dyson. The Burtin Racing pilot will again expect to be up with the pace at VIR.

”I can’t wait to get back in the car,” stated Drissi. “I thought we had a really good race going at Watkins Glen and it was great to be back on the podium. Looking forward to being at VIR this weekend – there are a lot of fans that show up for this event. This is a roller coaster of a ride at this track for drivers. High speed, high risk – very challenging track, very fast. The ascending esses are nuts, very crazy. I will really be putting the pressure on hard and hoping for good results in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Camaro. I know Burtin Racing will have a great car for me.”

The VIR round is also expected to bring the action when it comes to the ultra-competitive TA2 powered by AEM Electronics race.

Marc Miller arrives at VIR 41 points ahead of defending TA2 champion Rafa Matos. The Stevens-Miller Racing driver’s chase for the top step ended early at Watkins Glen after racing contact from another driver sent his Challenger into the wall. Miller recovered from the incident with a point-earning finish, but not enough to keep the Watkins Glen victor, Matos, from closing the gap in standings.

“We had great pace at Watkins Glen and hope to keep improving our car and finish strong in the final three races,” Miller said. “Little known fact is that I grew up and starting karting about an hour away from VIR, all before the track was rebuilt many years ago. I wanted to race lay down enduro karts when I was young initially, and had heard great stories of the old VIR circuit but it had been buried in decay for years. I am thankful that the track had been brought back to a shining example of road racing in the U.S. and fast forward to only a few years ago when I scored an exciting IMSA Pilot Challenge GS class victory here. We hope to be able to put our Prefix Dodge Challenger back on the top step here as well.”

Matos’ season started out strong with two back-to-back victories at Sebring Int’l Raceway and Road Atlanta, but some bad luck kept him far from a podium finish at Lime Rock, Detroit and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His fortunes turned around at Mid-Ohio with a pole start and third-place finished followed by two more consecutive victories. The end of season run now has him on the hunt to defend his title.

Scott Lagasse Jr. is another driver in lockstep with Miller. Last season, Lagasse captured his first TA2 class victory of his career at VIR and is fresh off a podium finish at Watkins Glen coming into VIR.

VIRGINIA WATER, England – Rory McIlroy made six bogeys and a double bogey in his last 11 holes to shoot 4-over 76 at the BMW PGA Championship, leaving the world No. 2 already 11 strokes off the first-round lead held by Matt Wallace on Thursday.

McIlroy's round fell apart after his birdie at No. 5 that followed an eagle at No. 4, as he shot 42 in his back nine in glorious conditions at Wentworth.

One over for his round arriving at the 17th tee, he pulled his drive and wound up making a double-bogey 7. Another wayward drive led to a bogey at the 18th and he didn't talk to reporters after his round.

Wallace didn't drop a shot in his 65, also making eagle at No. 4 to add to birdies at Nos. 1, 5 and 6. The Englishman rolled in two more birdies coming home.

"I played the first seven or eight holes as good as I possibly could and showed my all-round game by grinding out the last few holes," Wallace said.

Henrik Stenson was a stroke behind Wallace after a round of 66 that included an eagle on No. 18 from a putt from off the green that took a horrible early bounce but still found the cup. Fellow Ryder Cup player Jon Rahm joined Stenson in a tie for second place after birdying four of his last five holes.

Paul Casey headed to the par-5 last hole at 6 under, too, but made double-bogey to post a 68.

No. 4-ranked Justin Rose recovered from a knee injury in time to start the tournament, which is staged at the headquarters of the European Tour, and birdied No. 18 for a 67.

It is the first qualifying event for the European team for the 2020 Ryder Cup.

VIRGINIA WATER, England – Ernie Els still has a month and a half before he has to name his four captain’s picks for this year’s Presidents Cup but he said Thursday at Wentworth that the team is starting to come into focus.

Last week’s victory by Chile’s Joaquin Niemann at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier caught the captain’s attention.

“He was on the fringes. [Now] he’s definitely out of the fringe and right into the main part,” he said. “I’ve always loved his game. I played with him at the end of last year at the RSM Classic and he has a great control game. He’s got a nice ball flight. He’s right there [in consideration for a pick].”

Els, who opened with a first-round 68 at the BMW PGA Championship, said he has a pretty good idea of his picks at the moment and doesn’t expect there will be any surprises when he rounds out his team on Nov. 4.

“You might have a debate for one or two of the players but I think there are two guys who are pretty obvious,” Els said. “On paper, again, we are not in the same ballpark [as the U.S. team], but I can assure you these boys are getting ready.”

Australia’s Jason Day finished ninth on the final International points list and would likely be one of Els’ “obvious” picks for the matches that will be played in December at Royal Melbourne.

Mason Greenwood scored his first senior goal for Manchester United in a 1-0 win over Astana in Europa League Group L at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started a mostly young and heavily rotated side against Astana, with Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes, Axel Tuanzebe and Greenwood all getting spots in the XI. Nemanja Matic took the captain's role in the absence of Ashley Young and goalkeeper David De Gea.

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United looked dangerous from the off with Fred clattering the crossbar from distance and Marcus Rashford having a point-blank chance saved by Astana keeper Nenad Eric inside of 10 minutes.

Despite dominating possession and seeing Rashford have another excellent chance saved by Eric, Astana kept a clean sheet in the first half as the teams went to the dressing room locked in a goalless draw.

It was more of the same for United in the second half as they continued to have the majority of the ball and create chances with no end product as the match remained goalless.

Solskjaer brought on Juan Mata for Gomes and Jesse Lingard for Chong -- with both receiving a solid ovation from the home support as they left the pitch -- in search of a winner and three points to start their European campaign.

On a night when youth took center stage, it was fitting that the 17-year-old Greenwood broke the deadlock with an excellent individual effort and finish from the right side to make it 1-0.

The goal made Greenwood the youngest player ever to score for Manchester United in European competition at 17 years, 353 days, beating out the previous record-holder Rashford, who did it at 18 years, 117 days.

"We made it hard for ourselves," said Solskjaer, relieved at least to be leading Group L after Partizan Belgrade and AZ Alkmaar drew 2-2 in Serbia. "It's pleasing, though, that we got three points, got off to a decent start.

"In and around the box he [Greenwood] is one of the best finishers we've got and I'm happy he got his goal. I'm sure he'll go home tonight and be happy with that one."

Diogo Dalot should have doubled the lead just past the 80-minute mark but he somehow fired his close-range shot over the goal from a rebound after Lingard had smashed one off the post from 20 yards out.

"It was a hard game. First half we tried to open the game and to score a fast goal but they had a solid defence," Matic said. "It's good for the [young players] to have the opportunity to play these games. They have to use that, to work hard to get more chances."

Next up for United in the Europa League is an away match against AZ Alkmaar on Oct. 3, while Astana will host Partizan Belgrade on the same day.

The Saudi prince who has taken full control of Premier League club Sheffield United says he would be happy to do business with the family of Osama bin Laden, insisting it "is not a disgraced name or something that I should hide."

Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad won a London court battle with co-owner Kevin McCabe this week over ownership of the northern English team after their business partnership broke down. A judge has ordered McCabe to sell his 50% share of the club to the prince for £5 million ($6 million).

The prince discussed his plans for the future at a news conference on Thursday and spoke about links with a member of the Bin Laden family who was interested in investing in Sheffield United.

"Every family may have one bad person but they are a very respectable family," the prince said at Bramall Lane, the club's home ground. "I have not done business with them in the past but I will be very happy to do business with them. The Bin Laden family is not a disgraced name or something that I should hide."

"When I see the Bin Laden family as a dirty name," he added, "I get really offended."

As leader of terrorist organization al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden oversaw attacks that included the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, as well as the bombing of the USS Cole off Yemen. He and others plotted and executed the 2001 attacks against the United States that led to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

U.S. Navy SEALs killed him in a raid on a house in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011.

The Saudi Binladin Group is a major construction company in Saudi Arabia founded by Osama bin Laden's father, Mohammed. It secured a near-monopoly on mega-expansion projects in Islam's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, throughout the reigns of successive Saudi monarchs, but recently fell on hard times after being implicated in a crane collapse at Mecca that killed over 100 people during hajj in 2015.

Arsenal survived an uncomfortable first half to emerge comfortable 3-0 victors against a wasteful Eintracht Frankfurt side in their Europa League group-stage opener on Thursday.

Positives

Two of Arsenal's youngsters combined for the opener, and the performances of Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka will provide plenty of encouragement for fans and management alike. It was also a welcome return to form for Shkodran Mustafi, who was making his first appearance of the season at the heart of the Gunners defence.

Negatives

The visitors were a huge threat going forward, but had nowhere near enough defensive nous in midfield to keep the game under control. A lack of shape caused the match to stretch early on, and if it weren't for some poor Frankfurt finishing, Arsenal could have found themselves in trouble.

Manager rating out of 10

8 -- Unai Emery chose the right time to bring Mustafi back into the fold, and was rewarded with a solid display, while his continued use of youngsters is really starting to bear fruit.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Emiliano Martinez, 7 -- The Argentine had a busy first half that saw him make a host of decent stops, and surprisingly had a lot less to do in the second as Eintracht failed to make much of an impression as an attacking force.

DF Calum Chambers, 6 -- Arsenal's right-back had a tough first half against the tricky Filip Kostic, but the 24-year-old improved in the second half and forced the Serbian into defensive work that ultimately negated his attacking threat. Booked for holding back Kostic as Eintracht looked to counter.

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DF Shkodran Mustafi, 7 -- Can find himself on the wrong end of flak at times, but this was an assured display on his return to Emery's side. The German will have done his chances of a Premier League return no harm at all here.

DF David Luiz, 6 -- Had his occasional moments of uncertainty against the physical Bas Dost and the clever movement of Andre Silva, but never found himself in a great deal of danger.

DF Sead Kolasinac, 6 -- The Bosnian was the more defensively assured of Arsenal's full-backs, dealing well with the threat of Eintracht wing-back Danny da Costa, but was desperately short of quality with his final ball going forward. Booked for time wasting before being subbed off for Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the final 10 minutes.

MF Granit Xhaka, 6 -- Almost found the net in brilliant fashion with a looping free kick that caught everyone by surprise, but the Gunners' skipper still needs to do more when his side are out of possession.

MF Joe Willock, 8 -- Benefited from a huge deflection to put his side ahead not long before half-time, but deserved his slice of luck thanks to an excellent display of ball carrying and distribution. Unfortunate to be subbed off for Dani Ceballos with 20 minutes to go.

MF Lucas Torreira, 6 -- Fluffed his lines with the goal at his mercy early on, and the Uruguayan doesn't look suited to a midfield role that sees him operate on the right of a three. Needs bodies around him if he's going to be effective in this system.

FW Emile Smith-Rowe, 5 -- Should have scored when put through on goal just after the half-hour mark, and the youngster will be disappointed he couldn't grab his chance in the side with both hands. Moments of naivety and sloppiness in possession fortunately went unpunished. Subbed off for Nicolas Pepe after an hour.

FW Bukayo Saka, 8 -- Good work from the 18-year-old released Willock for Arsenal's opener, before he found space on the edge of the penalty area and fired an excellent finish past Kevin Trapp to make it 2-0. An assist for Arsenal's third was the cherry on top of a superb performance.

FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 6 -- The main man for Arsenal was shackled well by the Eintracht backline, but found the net in the dying embers with a simple finish.

Substitutes

FW Nicolas Pepe, 5 -- The Ivorian failed to make an impression in his half-hour cameo.

MF Dani Ceballos, N/R -- No impact from the Spaniard.

DF Ainsley Maitland-Niles, N/R -- Slotted into the Arsenal defence for the closing stages.