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Amanda Kenney 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Big Money: VIRginia International Raceway Receives  $50,500 in Grant Funding to Support Marketing and  Asset Development in Southern Virginia 

Three grants awarded to VIRginia International Raceway will help the 2023 Virginia  Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA) “Attraction of the Year” drive even more visitation and regional spending in and around Danville, Pittsylvania, and  Halifax Counties – further reinforcing Virginia’s long-held position as a top state for tourism. 

ALTON, Va. (June 3, 2024) – In May, VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) was awarded $50,500 from three separate tourism grant programs. They will soon receive $22,500 from the Virginia  Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program (MLP), $18,000 from the Virginia Special  Events & Festivals Program, and $10,000 from the inaugural Visit SoSi Regional tourism grant program. 

Two of these grants will be used for further asset development and special event support, mostly around the flagship IMSA Michelin GT Challenge & Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix, a  three-day action-packed event that draws tens of thousands of visitors across state lines each year. The third grant will be used to promote new corporate retreat and team-building capabilities that further leverage the historic nearly 1,300-acre property and cross-promote the capabilities of several different local businesses that operate out of the award-winning onsite business park. 

“Many people are surprised to learn just how much there is here at VIR. Of course, our historic track is our greatest asset. It has only increased in popularity as it has drawn attention from not just our loyal in-person road racing fan base, but also from the next generation of racers. The track and its famous turns have made their way into nearly every major racing video game over the last few years,” Marketing Director Mike Rose said. “But what folks don’t always realize, is that there is so much more here. We have side-by-sides, karting, drifting, a full-service racing school, an onsite tavern with impeccable fare, 45 45-lodging rooms, and 12 villas right here on the property. We routinely have executives visiting the track as fans and then stopping in to tell  us, ‘You know, this would be a really great place to hold a corporate event or leadership retreat.’  

“We knew they were right. So, we’ve worked with our partners to combine facility rentals,  lodging, and team building offerings,” CEO and Co-Founder Connie Nyholm added. “We started building custom programs to meet the needs of corporate and non-profit customers that want to get their leadership teams away from the board room and out into exciting new situations where they can think, connect, problem solve, and do something really out of the ordinary all together.  It’s bringing a new kind of visitor to the track, introducing more people to the sport, and providing something worth leaving home for in this post-pandemic work environment. It’s very exciting.” 

In the fall of 2023, the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association recognized VIRginia  International Raceway as their “2023 Attraction of the Year.” Over the last few years, VIR has been actively involved with helping the City of Danville, and Pittsylvania and Halifax Counties collaborate and cross-promote tourism to drive economic growth across the region.  

“Across the Commonwealth, the tourism industry recognizes the importance of having inventive strategies to showcase all that Virginia has to offer,” Governor Glen Youngkin said in the press release announcing the state awards. “These [VTC] grants will support those efforts and help  draw thousands of additional visitors to the Commonwealth to experience everything that makes  Virginia so special.” 

For its part, VIR expects to bring more than one-quarter million visitors to the Visit SoSi region this summer many of who are coming for its two biggest upcoming spectator events. SRO GT World  Challenge is July 19-21 and IMSA Michelin GT Challenge & Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand  Prix is August 23-25. Tickets are on sale at VIRnow.com 

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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. 

About the Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism  

The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism is responsible for leading the city of  Danville’s tourism efforts by branding and promoting the city and Pittsylvania County to differentiate it from other regional competitors through advertising, promotions, trade events, and visitor experience initiatives to stimulate economic growth for the region. To learn more about the  Visit SoSi brand and regional attractions, visit https://www.visitsosi.com/. 

About Virginia Tourism Corporation 

Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most iconic and recognizable travel brands in the world. Using that powerful brand equity, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is charged with promoting the  Commonwealth as a premier travel destination by showcasing all there is to love in a Virginia vacation. The dollars spent by travelers fuel the economy, provide jobs for Virginians, and improve communities across the state. Simply put, tourism helps make Virginia a great place to  live, work, and vacation. Learn more at virginia.org.