Virginia and North Carolina Governors Place Friendly Wager for VIRginia International Raceway’s
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Race Weekend, Aug. 25-27

Bordering States to Go Head-to- Head During the Biscuitville Grand Prix Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
Danville, Virginia – Aug. 21, 2017 – VIRginia International Raceway is hosting the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Aug. 25-27, and this year the track’s two bordering Governors are joining in on the competition. As one of America’s premier road courses, VIR is conveniently located at the Virginia and North Carolina state line.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper are taking part in a friendly wager for the race weekend, betting on two drivers who hail from their home states. The showdown will take place in the two-hour Biscuitville Grand Prix IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race Saturday afternoon. Gov. McAuliffe has James Clay from Blacksburg and the No. 84 BMW to represent Virginia, while Gov. Cooper has selected Ocean Isle, North Carolina-native Chad McCumbee and the No. 25 Mazda MX-5 to race for the Tar Heel State.

The rules are simple: whichever car finishes higher, the No. 84 BMW or No. 25 MX-5, in Saturday’s race will determine the winner of the wager, giving bragging rights for its respective state. As part of the fun, the winner will also receive either North Carolina or “Virginia’s Finest” agriculture products.

“I look forward to watching Virginia’s own James Clay fly past the competition at VIR in his BMW,” said Gov. McAuliffe. “However, in the unlikely case of a North Carolina upset, I will be happy to share ‘Virginia’s Finest’ agricultural products with Gov. Cooper. As a leading agricultural producer on the East Coast, we have plenty of our world-famous peanuts, ham, and craft beer to share with our neighbors to the south, no matter the outcome of the race.”

Racing has such a rich history in North Carolina, being the birth place of NASCAR, and I can’t wait for Chad McCumbee to showcase the amazing talent we have in our state during the Biscuitville Grand Prix,” said Gov. Cooper. “I’m confident North Carolina will pull out the win and will gladly wager some North Carolina peanuts and Cheerwine® – a great race-day snack – with Gov. McAuliffe. This will be a fun event for both states, and I look forward to seeing the results come Saturday!

The race weekend will feature the headlining Michelin GT Challenge taking place Sunday, as well as other support series including the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and F4 U.S. Championship by Honda. The festivities also include testing, qualifying, car corrals, driver autograph sessions, Michelin hot lap ride alongs, a skydiver performance, Monster Energy BMX demonstration shows and more. Additionally, guests can take advantage of VIR’s amenities such as karting, shooting sports and dining at the Oak Tree Tavern throughout the three-day event.

“We couldn’t be happier to have the support of both Governors for the Biscuitville Grand Prix IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, and provide a fun way for the two states to compete,” said Connie Nyholm, owner and CEO of VIR. “This race weekend will be one for the books and we can’t wait to welcome fans from Virginia, North Carolina and afar!”

Advanced tickets for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race weekend are $40 for Friday-only, $45 for Saturday-only, $55 for Sunday-only, $65 for a two-day Saturday and Sunday ticket, and $75 for a three-day ticket. All tickets will be an additional $10 if purchased at the gate. Children 16 and under are admitted free of charge with a paying adult and parking is also free. Active military are admitted free of charge and veterans receive a 50 percent discount with valid military ID. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.VIRnow.com or call (434) 822-TIKS.

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 & Driver Magazine, and southern roots and hospitality make it one of the friendliest. Conveniently located at the Virginia/North Carolina border, VIR is just a short two-hour trip from Richmond and about an hour and 15 minutes from both the Piedmont-Triad and Raleigh-Durham International Airports.

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, such as lodging, dining, a spa, and exclusive driver’s club, karting, off-road racing, shooting sports, skid pad and more. VIR’s hospitality amenities also make the property an unparalleled venue for corporate retreats, team building, special events and other group experiences. For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook or Twitter.

About IMSA
The International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the IMSA Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda, as well as four one-make series:
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama; Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama; Ferrari Challenge North America; and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. IMSA – a company within the NASCAR family – is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. For more information, visit www.IMSA.com, www.twitter.com/IMSA or  www.facebook.com/IMSA.

About Biscuitville FRESH SOUTHERN ®
Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, Biscuitville FRESH SOUTHERN® is a family-owned company that offers guests an authentic Southern-inspired dining experience. Known as the “Home of the Biscuit Window Since 1966™”, Biscuitville offers genuine Southern hospitality and makes food the old-fashioned way. Biscuitville uses fresh, authentic ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible. The company was founded in 1966 when owner Maurice Jennings opened two pizza restaurants in Burlington. After several years, the company added signature, made-from- scratch biscuits to its menu that were so well received, business boomed and the Biscuitville brand evolved. In 2014, the company expanded its lunch menu to include fresh-made sandwiches and sides, now available at all Triad locations. Today, Biscuitville employs over 1,000 people and operates 54 restaurants in North Carolina and Virginia. Biscuitville serves breakfast all day from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers a lunch menu from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. at all Triad locations. For more information, visit Biscuitville.com.