“ GONE RACING AT VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY “

by Mike Slenski

The weather was overcast as I headed from Bedford to the Virginia International Raceway between Danville and South Boston, Virginia. The threat of rain was in the forecast all day but Crista Walker, the VIR media director, told me they race rain or shine unlike the NASCAR circuit. This was my first trip to a road course event. The ride was an easy one from Bedford south on Route 29 and east on Route 58 to Route 62 to Milton, North Carolina and then back north into Virginia. Access was easy at the gate on the five lane roadway and I headed to theNorth Paddock area where all the haulers, cars, crews, pits, control center and primary track buildings were located. As I passed through the rolling hills where the 3.25 mile track was located, I moved over the track on the cross over bridge. There were camping areas on the left and a sea of vehicles, tents, and chairs along the inside of the track where race fans had claimed their precious territory for a close up view of the racing action. As I got closer to the paddock area, parking lots were full of cars, RV’s and huge hospitality tents of auto racing manufactures and car sponsors. As my friend Jim Carroll would say about a special event like this, it was a happening. It had some of the feel and excitement of the festival-like atmosphere surrounding the NASCAR races that I attended in Martinsville, Charlotte and Bristol but there was a level of tranquility and focus on the cars and drivers that permeated everywhere. Fans have easy access to the pits and cars and drivers unlike the greater restrictions and access at a NASCARevent. There were the obligatory beautiful girls in tank tops and short mini-skirts representing the tire manufacturers and VIR. The girls had a perfect combination of good looks, perfect physiques and engaging smiles that begged you to take a picture with them as a great souvenir to show your buddies. Parking was easy and the VIR parking staff was courteous and helpful.

There are few things that seemed to be a prerequisite for fans:folding lawn chairs, a big lens camera, smart phones for shooting pictures and following the race on line and insulated can holders to keep your beverages cool as you moved about the track. There were golf carts and small motorized two and four-wheeled vehicles everywhere. The sprawling track layout and its many vantage points are made available via walking or these aforementioned motorized vehicles. Bring comfortable walking shoes and comfortable clothes to move about. I brought my ear plugs but honestly I seldom needed them. I would recommend some sound protection for the younger onesthough. You could easily talk to your friends and other race fans when the cars were on the other end of the race track. There were monitors set-up throughout the grounds that allowed you to see the racing action when it was not in front of you. There were four racing events scheduled for the entire day and the two major events featured the Grand Am-BoschEngineering 200 Continental Tire Challenge Race with GS and ST class cars racing at the same time in the Continental Tire 200 race. The second major event was the Bosch EngineeringGrand-Am 250 Rolex Series Race for GT type and Daytona Prototype cars. The two types of cars started the race in a staggered basis but eventually came together as the race event evolved. They were reset in their original groupings throughout the race after cautions. The first race went off at 11:15am and this two-hour event was an endurance event with an obligatory driver change in the middle of the race. These high powered Grand Sport and Street Tuner type cars made for some exciting racing as they wove their way through various types of turns and two long straight-aways. I had a rooting interest in the Freedom Autosport team’s # 25  and # 26 cars since I was a passenger in the #25 car driven by Tom Long when he blasted us around the track during media day. We went 125 mph downthe straightaway in front of the pits and the start/finish line only to have the brakes stood on as we entered turn one. My two lap ride gave me an appreciation as to the driving skill and stamina needed to navigate the Virginia International Raceway track. The two Freedom Autosport cars finished the Bosch Engineering Continental Tire 200 race in third and fourth place and I was excited for the team and their drivers. Ryan Eversley/Karl Thomason won the ST race in their #75 Compass 360 Racing Honda Civic Si. The GS Class winner was Jack Roush Jr/Billy Johnson in the #61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang. Sponsors in the GS and ST Class included Lucas Oil,Turner Motorsport, Kinetic Racing and VW Driver Gear, Mazda and Kia in ST series. There were Mustang and Chevy auto club members and auto parts manufacturers and racing technical gear sponsors all decked out in their logoed shirts and hats. The majority of the fans were men ages 25-55 but there were plenty of husbands and wives and boyfriends and girl friends in attendance. I saw plenty of father and son and father and daughter combinations as well since VIR offers free admission to young people fifteen and under with a paying adult. There were bleachers situated at key viewing areas around the track and there was an abundance of picnic tables in most areas as well under shaded views for a race day picnic. Speaking of food and eating, racing venues are also judged by what is available to eat. If you were not one of the lucky invitees to the sponsor hospitality tents set up for customers and supporters of cars, race or track sponsors, there were some interesting food selections to enjoy. I am a sucker for a goodhotdog  and I’ve had plenty of those bright red Jesse Jones franks at Martinsville but I found a 2 lb foot long hot dog at a no-name stand just outside the North Paddock area. Add chili, onions and mustard and it was a meal that any hungry man would die for and the best I ever ate. They had angus burgers and polish sausage with peppers and onions as well. It was a lot of food for a fair price. You could top that off with a cup offresh-squeezed lemonade. Man, I was in racing fan food heaven.

Back to the racing, the Continental Tire 200 ended under dry conditions and all the fanfare for the top finishing drivers was completed with a light drizzle falling.

Then the skies opened up and the rain came to VIR as predicted. The second event of the day was set for a 3:05pm start and the Bosch Engineering 250 Rolex Series Race, a two hour and forty-five minute race began in a pouring rain with special rain tires on the cars. It was interesting to watch as these high-powered Daytona Prototype and GT class cars made their way around the VIR track, throwing a spray of water into the air behind them. I wondered how they could see well enough to maneuver through the turns and down the straight-aways of VIR. They managed to get it done though and only a few of them made their way into the grass off the track. The Chip Ganassi Racing Team has dominated this series so far this year and a $25,000 bounty was set up for any team beating the dynamic driver combination of Scott Pruett and Memo  Rojas. The skies cleared as the race progressed and the track dried from a totally wet surface towards the latter stages of the race. The number one car of the Chip Ganassi Racing team took over as the race proceeded but was beaten by Number 9 Action Express Porsche of Terry Borcheller/J. France and JoaoBarbosa by a margin of .270 seconds. The GT Class winner was Bill Lester and Jordon Taylor in the Number 88 AutohausMotorsports Chevrolet Camaro.

I admit that I didn’t stay for the final two racing events of the day but I experienced my first road racing course event at Virginia International Raceway and had a great day going to the races. I would recommend that you gather up the family one of these racing weekends this summer or fall and head to VIR for a perfect outing in the countryside of Virginia. You can plan a whole weekend or just go for the day. Its close by so it doesn’t take a lot of gas to get there. There is plenty of space to set up a tent and chairs, have a family picnic, bring your favorite beverages and food or enjoy great track cuisine.  You can camp, bring your motor home or call for accommodations at the track hotel. Begin your journey in becoming a road course race fan or just enjoy a special weekend in a great family atmosphere at Virginia International Raceway.