VIRginia International Raceway to Host IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Featuring the Michelin GT Challenge Race Aug. 25-27
Alton, Va. – VIRginia International Raceway will host the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, featuring the headlining Michelin GT Challenge race, the weekend of Friday Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 27. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is a sportscar racing series based in the United States and Canada, organized by the International Motor Sports Association.
Things kick off bright and early the morning of Friday, Aug. 25 with practice, qualifying, car corrals, team chats, tech talks and more. The weekend will feature races from several support series including the Mazda MX-5 Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, VP Challenge and the Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix, part of the Michelin Pilot Challenge series. The featured race of the weekend, the Michelin GT Challenge Race, will take place on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. on VIR’s historic full course. It will be broadcast nationally on both USA and Peacock.
“VIR is one of the most challenging road courses in the country, so it’s always fun to see these incredible drivers experiencing the elevation changes and sharp turns,” said Connie Nyholm, owner of VIR. “This series features some of the best drivers and the most advanced cars around. It promises to be a great weekend here at VIR.”
The Michelin GT Challenge race will take place on VIR’s historic full course, which is 3.27 miles with 17 turns and 130 feet of elevation changes, with drivers topping speeds of 190 miles per hour. The two-hour and 45-minute race includes the “climbing esses,” a section of the course considered by many race drivers as one of the most challenging in North America.
Kate Clatterbuck, Miss Virginia Volunteer 2022, will be in attendance to help kick off the festivities. Dan Marshall contestant on American Idol, will sing the national anthem. The race’s Grand Marshal will be Alwin Springer, author of Racing with Porsche in North America, co-founder of ANDIAL Road and Racing, former CEO of Porsche North America Motorsport and current Porsche consultant.
In addition to non-stop, high-speed racing, fan activities will take place throughout the weekend including car corrals with Porsche, Corvette and BMW CCA. There will be fan walks on Pit Road Saturday and Sunday as well as a Fan Forum Saturday from 2 to 2:30 p.m. featuring drivers Antonio Garcia, Patrick Pilet, Roman De Angelis, and Bill Auberlen. An autograph session will be held Sunday from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. The kart track will also be open throughout the weekend for visitors to feed their inner adrenaline junkie. Fans who are camping during the weekend are encouraged to participate in the Coca-Cola Camping Contest for their chance to win camping gear and prizes valued at $1500! Details and entry form can be found here.
Tickets are available online here or onsite at the VIR box office and kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Complete schedule details can be found here.
About the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is a North American auto racing sanctioning body based in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is owned by NASCAR. IMSA is the sanctioning body of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, a sportscar racing series based in the United States and Canada. The championship features two styles of cars – Prototype, which showcases the latest automotive technology and are uniquely designed for the racetrack, and Grand Touring,
which is based on road-going production models.
About VIRginia International Raceway
VIRginia International Raceway is one of America’s premier road courses, offering professional and amateur racing for modern and vintage classes while providing contemporary resort amenities. A prominent test facility for the automotive industry, VIR has the distinction of being named one of the top six courses in North America by Car and Driver Magazine, and southern roots and hospitality make it one of the friendliest. Conveniently located at the Virginia/North Carolina border, VIR is centrally located in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic with 15 million people within 150 miles. For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook or Twitter.
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