VIRginia International Raceway to Host IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The Michelin GT Challenge Race Will Be Held at VIRginia International Raceway Aug.28
Alton, Va. – VIRginia International Raceway will host the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge Race on Sunday, Aug. 28. The Michelin GT Challenge Race is the featured race in three days of racing activities all hosted at VIR. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is a sportscar racing series based in the United States and Canada, organized by the International Motor Sports Association.
The 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 hours and 45-minute race includes the “climbing esses,” a section of the course considered by many race drivers as one of the most intimidating in North America.
“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. “The Michelin GT Challenge Race features some of the best drivers and the most advanced cars around. It promises to be a great weekend here at VIR.”
Race weekend begins bright and early Friday morning with testing, qualifying, car corrals, team chats, tech talks and more. In addition to the Michelin GT Challenge Race, the weekend will feature races from several support series including the Mazda MX-5 Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Prototype Challenge and the Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix, part of the Michelin Pilot Challenge series. A detailed scheduled with daily events can be found here.
The Michelin GT Challenge, the featured race of the weekend, will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday and will be broadcast nationally on both USA and Peacock. Miss Virginia USA, Kailee Horvath, will be in attendance to help kick off the festivities. Dan Marshall contestant on American Idol, will sing the national anthem. Marshall will also perform a free concert Saturday, Aug. 27 at Oak Tree Tavern from 7 to 9 p.m.
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, Michelin Hot Laps in which fans can ride around the Patriot Course with a driver, a Driver-Fan Forum, autograph sessions and more. The go-kart track will also be open all weekend for fans to feed their inner adrenaline junkies.
Tickets are available online at https://virnow.com/calendar/category/series/imsa-weathertech-sportscar-championship-2022/ or onsite at the VIR box office and kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult.
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 & 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. For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook or Twitter.