Corey Lewis says he will not look back, he will be on the attack when he hits the track at VIR(Virginia International Raceway) in August

VIRginia International Raceway Prepares for Season’s Largest, Most Exciting Race, the Michelin GT Challenge IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Aug. 26-28

Chuck Durham on Friday with Corey Lewis:
Andy had a real good steak sandwich at the WOB and enjoyed talking to Corey…This guy is a class act he has to be special to be sponsored by Monster Drink, they only go for the best of the best…

In 2 years Corey has won 12 of 14 races and 2 world championships…Growing up in Nazareth Pennsylvania he came to know the Andretti family… Corey’s dad coached Marco Andretti’s basketball team and Michael Andretti coached Corey from the time he raced go carts until the present…

Corey has considered doing road racing for NASCAR and maybe going with open wheel Indy cars….Whatever he does, I get the feeling he will very successful…

Corey said his favorite track is VIR and he has been very successful winning the last 3 years at the young age of 23…Corey has also raced the Rolex 24 a grueling 24-hour race that is very tough, just to finish….

Corey’s schedule is so tight he is usually only home about 3 days a month…Just in case you are wondering, it takes 1.5 to 2 million dollars a year to run the Lamborghini race car…They are not cheap luckily he has never had a major wreck, just spinouts….

Corey Lewis with Chuck Durham of GreensboroSports.com on Friday in Greensboro and it is on to the VIR/Virginia International Raceway in August, for Corey….
(Photos to follow)

VIRginia International Raceway Prepares for Season’s Largest, Most Exciting Race, the Michelin GT Challenge IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Aug. 26-28
Corey Lewis Bio – Lewis began go-kart acing at just eight years old and quickly made his way up the racing ladder, earning regional and national championships. He currently competes in three series: the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.

Race Tickets – Advanced tickets for the Michelin GT Challenge 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. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.virnow.com or call (434) 822-TIKS.

VIRginia International Raceway Prepares for Season’s Largest, Most Exciting Race, the Michelin GT Challenge IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Aug. 26-28

Race Weekend Packed with Exhilarating Fun for All Ages

Danville, Virginia – The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America, will once again return to VIRginia International Raceway this August for a family-friendly weekend of high-end sports car racing. It kicks off Friday, Aug. 26 with practice, qualifying and multiple support series races. It all culminates with the Michelin GT Challenge race Sunday, Aug. 28.

VIR is the only track in the greater Mid-Atlantic area and the 10th stop of only 12 tracks nationwide selected to host the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2016. The race weekend will feature GT Le Mans and GT Daytona classes, serving as the only IMSA race of the year featuring only GT cars.

The Michelin GT Challenge, brought to VIR by title sponsor and global technology leader, Michelin, will take place on VIR’s historic full course. It is 3.27 miles with 17 turns and 130 feet of elevation changes. Drivers reach top speeds of 190 miles per hour during the nearly three-hour race that includes the “climbing esses,” a section of the course considered by many race drivers as one of the most challenging and intimidating in North America.

“VIR is the ultimate venue for racing production-based cars from the world’s top manufacturers,” said Sarah Robinson, motorsports marketing manager at Michelin North America. “Its unique circuits are a top choice not only for racing, but also for Michelin street tire testing and more. Fans won’t want to miss the exhilarating competition in this GT-only race weekend.”

The GTLM class is the only class featuring open tire competition and is widely recognized as the most competitive in North America. Based upon manufacturers’ top production models, it includes factory-backed teams from Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari, Ford and BMW, all of which have chosen Michelin as their technical partner. The GTD class, which features a Pro-Am format, includes Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Dodge, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche. These cars are fielded by leading sports car race teams and driven by a mix of top professionals and accomplished sportsman racers.

“This is an amazing road course and we are pleased to be returning for another season of elite racing,” said David Pettit, vice president of marketing for IMSA. “VIR is easily one of the most challenging courses in North America, with its elevation changes and 17 turns. We’re really looking forward to a great race that everyone is sure to enjoy.”

In addition to the Michelin GT Challenge, the weekend will feature several other GT support series, including:
· Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge is sanctioned by IMSA and the races include both the Grand Sport (GS) and Street Tuner (ST) classes. The racecars tend to have fewer modifications than other series, most similar to the types of cars you’d find in dealer showrooms everywhere.
· Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America is the world’s fastest one-make series. It is returning to the North American circuit for its third year where point leaders will also be invited to participate in the Super Trofeo World Final later in the year. The VIR race weekend includes rounds seven and eight.
· Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama is entering its 12th season in 2016. Semi- and aspiring professional drivers compete in one of the largest of Porsche’s 20 single-make Cup Challenge series in the world.
· Mazda MX 5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires features some of the best up-and-coming drivers taking on established road racing veterans. It all adds up to the most intense fender-to-fender road racing in North America.

Beyond the action on the track, race weekend festivities offer guests the chance to take advantage of VIR’s many onsite amenities, such as karting and dining at the Oak Tree Tavern. The three-day event will also include testing, qualifying, car corrals, driver autograph sessions, Made on Michelin hot laps, a skydiver performance, concert and more. Guests can come for a single day, multiple days throughout the weekend or even camp onsite on the expansive countryside property located at the border of Virginia and North Carolina.

“We’re so honored to once again be the only Mid-Atlantic stop for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the most prestigious sports car racing series in the country,” said Connie Nyholm, VIR owner and CEO. “Along with the supporting series, the Michelin GT Challenge gives fans a weekend they won’t forget. We can’t wait to show everyone all VIR has to offer.”

Advanced tickets for the Michelin GT Challenge 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.

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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 & 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, an exclusive driver’s club, karting, off-road racing, shooting sports, skid pad and more. 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 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the Mazda Prototype Lites Presented by Cooper Tires, as well as four single-make series: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama; Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama; Ferrari Challenge North America; and Lamborghini Blancpain 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, Twitter or Facebook.

About Michelin North America
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, Earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs more than 22,650 and operates 20 major manufacturing plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.