Virginia International Raceway

History

The track originally opened August 3, 1957, and was created by a group of men using a bulldozer. The track had been closed from 1974 prior to its reopening in March 2000. The track was reopened in 2000 by New Yorker Harvey Siegel and Connie Nyholm using a "country club" model. Memberships to the track are sold. Each member of the VIR Club receives track time on member days, tickets to all spectator events, and other benefits. VIR's membership model has since been followed by other racetracks across the United States.

There have been at least four deaths in track history, with three fatalities coming since the reopening of the facility. The most recent death was that of 14-year-old Toriano Wilson in a US Rookie Cup motorcycle race in August 2008.

The track hosted the SCCA National Sports Car Championship from its opening in 1957 until the series' demise in 1964. The IMSA GT Championship visited VIR in 1971 and 1972. After its re-opening, the AMA Superbike Championship held races at VIR from 2001 until 2010 on the North Course. The Rolex Sports Car Series utilized the Full Course from 2002 through 2011. The American Le Mans Series used the Full Course configuration for its inaugural event at VIR in September 2012 where a new track record was set by Klaus Graf driving the Muscle Milk LMP1 car.

Driving a Maserati 450S, Carroll Shelby won the feature race on the track’s inaugural weekend in August 1957. The list of other well-known drivers who raced at VIR during its first incarnation includes Briggs Cunningham, Walt Hansgen, Roger Penske, Mark Donohue, Richard Petty, Bob Holbert, Augie Pabst, Curtis Turner, Dick Thompson, Peter Revson, Wendell Scott, Bob Tullius, Janet Guthrie, Skip Barber, Ricky Rudd, Gene Felton, Denise McCluggage, Hurley Haywood, Brock Yates, Don Yenko, Lance Reventlow, Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones.

The track hosts many events throughout the year, including the annual Gold Cup Historic Race as well as AMA races, ChampCar Endurance Series, SCCA, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, NASCAR test days, and local car club events. Various driving training classes are available on the paved and unpaved (off-road) courses. The site also hosts a go kart track.

Since 2014, VIR has hosted a GT only race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Track description

VIR offers six track configurations, of which two can be run simultaneously. The "Full Course" is 3.270 mi in length while the "Patriot Course" stretches for 1.100 mi entirely inside the Full Course. The "North Course" is 2.250 mi long and the "South Course" covers a distance of 1.650 mi. Both consist of a portion of the "Full Course" and short connecting sections that connect to portions of the "Patriot Course" to produce the two courses that can run simultaneously. There is a second pit complex that is used only when running the "South Course". The longest configuration, "Grand East Course", is 4.200 mi long, and combines most of the "Full Course" and most of the "Patriot Course" by means of two of the short sections of connecting track used to make the "South Course" and "North Course". There is also another, seldom run, long configuration called the "Grand West Course" that uses the other two short connecting sections between the "Full Course" and the "Patriot Course." Car and Driver magazine has an annual test of fast cars called "The Lightning Lap" using the "Grand West Course". Since the Patriot course is contained completely inside the Full Course, they can be run simultaneously.

The "Full Course" is the most common configuration. One of the most notable sections of the course, second only to "Oak Tree" (T11), are the "Climbing Esses" which consist of an initial left up-hill (T7), followed by a right which crests at the apex then dropping slightly into a left (T8) which again crests at the apex dropping slightly, and then up into a final right (T9). The complexity and difficulty of this section is multiplied by the incredible entry speed because of a straight section leading into the Climbing Esses. This is followed by a cresting blind left hand turn (T10), "South Bend", that finishes in a steep downward slope. Another signature section is the "Roller Coaster" (T14) which is a scaled-down mirror image to the famed "Corkscrew" at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

There are two main straights on the track. The front straight is approximately 3000 ft long while the back straight is approximately 4000 ft long. While the back straight is 33% longer, the front straight is where higher speeds are reached since "Hog Pen" (T17) leads onto it and is a much faster corner than "Oak Tree" (T11), which leads onto the longer back straight. There is 130 ft of elevation change throughout the course.

Some of the raceway's other named curves include "Oak Tree", "Horse Shoe", "NASCAR Bend" (because NASCAR drivers Richard Petty, David Pearson and Wendell Scott had difficulties there during a 1966 Trans Am race), "Snake", "Spiral", "Fish Hook", and "The Bitch".

Layout configurations

| File:Virginia International Raceway - Full Course.svg | Full Course (1957–1974, 2000–present) 3.270 mi layout with 17 turns | File:Virginia International Raceway - Grand East Course.svg | Grand East Course 4.200 mi layout with 25 turns | File:Virginia International Raceway - Grand West Course.svg | Grand West Course 4.100 mi layout with 28 turns | File:Virginia International Raceway - North Course.svg | North Course 2.250 mi layout with 17 turns | File:Virginia International Raceway - South Course.svg | South Course 1.650 mi layout with 12 turns | File:Virginia International Raceway - Patriot Course.svg | Patriot Course 1.100 mi layout with 12 turns

Events

; Current

• April: SCCA Super Tour VIR Spring Sprints
• June: IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Porsche Sprint Challenge North America
• July: GT World Challenge America, GT4 America Series, TC America Series, Toyota Gazoo Racing Cup North America
• August: IMSA SportsCar Championship Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, MotoAmerica MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia, Michelin Pilot Challenge Virginia Is Racing for Lovers Grand Prix, IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Global MX-5 Cup, Mustang Challenge North America, ChampCar Endurance Series
• September: Trans-Am Series VIR SpeedTour, Formula Regional Americas Championship, Formula 4 United States Championship, Sportscar Vintage Racing Association
• December: ChampCar Endurance Series

; Former

• American Le Mans Series
  • Oak Tree Grand Prix (2012–2013)
• Atlantic Championship Series (2014–2019)
• F1600 Championship Series (2014–2019)
• F2000 Championship Series (2014–2019)
• Ferrari Challenge North America (2007, 2021)
• Formula BMW Americas (2009)
• Formula Lites (2015)
• GT America Series (2021–2025)
• GT World Challenge America (2002, 2008, 2010, 2017–2025)
• GT4 America Series (2019–2025)
• IMSA GT Championship (1971–1972)
• IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge (2012, 2015–2020)
• IMSA Prototype Challenge (2012, 2014–2015, 2018–2022)
• Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America (2013–2023)
• NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
  • Biscuitville 125 (2013–2016)
• Porsche Carrera Cup North America (2021)
• Radical Cup World Finals (2025)
• Rolex Sports Car Series
  • Bosch Engineering 250 at VIR (2002–2011)
• SCCA National Championship Runoffs (2019, 2022–2023)
• SCCA National Sports Car Championship (1957–1964)
• TC America Series (2019–2025)
• Star Mazda Championship (2007, 2009)
• USF2000 Championship (2012)
• USF Juniors (2022–2024)

Lap records

As of November 2025, the fastest official race lap records at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) are listed as:

Testing

The track is frequently used for test sessions by NASCAR teams. The teams use the road course to test their road course cars for the Watkins Glen International and Sonoma Raceway races. Since the track is not currently active on the principal NASCAR circuit (Trucks, Xfinity and Cup), a practice session is not charged against their allotment.

The track is also used by various manufacturers in testing of new or updated vehicles.

Celebrities at VIR

Several celebrities have visited VIR. In 2010, part of a special episode of the British television show Top Gear was filmed at the raceway and aired later that year as a part of season 16.

Country music superstar Reba McEntire visited the raceway in 2012 when her son took part in the race.

In early October 2013 actor Patrick Dempsey, a star of Grey's Anatomy, and former athlete and reality-TV star Caitlyn Jenner raced at the track.

Video games and simulators

All six configurations are featured in racing simulators Automobilista and rFactor 2.

VIR is featured in Forza Motorsport 6 as part of the Porsche Expansion Pack released on March 1, 2016. The track is featured with all six of its layouts, as well as daytime, nighttime, dry, and wet conditions. It is also featured in Forza Motorsport 7, released in October 2017.

It is also in the game iRacing as part of the base content. It only has 5 layouts, lacking the Grand East Course layout.

VIR's North Course is featured in the video games Supercar Challenge and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli.

All layouts of VIR were scratch built as a mod for Kunos Simulazioni's racing simulation Assetto Corsa.

Notes

References

References

1. England, Nick. "The Story of VIR". VIR History Pages.
2. Wolf, Jason. (19 August 2008). "VIR crash claims teenager". Danville Register-Bee.
3. (16 January 2012). "ALMS adds VIR to 2012 event schedule". [[American Le Mans Series]].
4. Holaday, Chris, England, Nick & Allen, Phil (2003). Virginia International Raceway. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia. {{ISBN. 978-0738515168
5. (October 2015). "Lightning Lap 2015: The Year's Hottest Performance Cars Attack VIR!". Car and Driver.
6. "Virginia - Motor Sport Magazine".
7. (1 September 2002). "Virginia 500 Miles 2002".
8. (12 October 2021). "2021 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - IMSA Prototype Challenge - Race Official Results (3 Hours)". [[IMSA.
9. (24 August 2014). "United SportsCar Championship Virginia - Prototype Challenge 2014".
10. (25 August 2014). "2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR - Official Race Results". [[IMSA.
11. "Formula Atlantic Track Records".
12. (30 April 2017). "Formula Atlantic - Virginia International Raceway - Race 2".
13. (25 April 2009). "2009 Virginia Grand-Am".
14. (7 October 2023). "2023 Trans Am Championship Presented by Pirelli - Virginia International Raceway - Oct. 5th - 8th - TA XGT SGT GT - Round 12 - Official Race Results".
15. (27 August 2019). "2019 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - Lamborghini Super Trofeo - Race 1 Official Results (50 Minutes)". [[IMSA.
16. (28 July 2019). "2019 F3 Americas - VIRginia International Raceway - Round 10 Official Race Result".
17. (18 June 2022). "2022 ViRginia International Raceway - FANATEC GT World Challenge America powered by aws - Race 1 - Classification - Final".
18. (12 October 2021). "2021 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - Porsche Carrera Cup North America - Race 2 Official Results (45 Minutes)". [[IMSA.
19. (26 April 2009). "Round Two - Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear BOSCH 250 - Virginia International Raceway - Alton, Virginia - April 23-26, 2009 - Race Results".
20. (8 November 2025). "2025 Radical World Finals - WF Heat 2 Official Results (30 Minutes)".
21. (29 March 2021). "2021 Ferrari Challenge North America - Trofeo Pirelli VIR - Race 2 Official Results (30 Minutes)".
22. (24 August 2024). "2024 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - NASCAR Classic Presented By Petty's Garage - Race 1 Results (12 Laps)". [[IMSA.
23. (8 October 2023). "2023 Trans Am Championship Presented by Pirelli - Virginia International Raceway - Oct. 5th - 8th - The Big Machine Spiked Coolers TA2 Series - Round 12 - Official Race Results".
24. (19 July 2025). "2025 McLaren Trophy America Round 5 & 6 - Virginia International Raceway - Provisional Results (1 Hours 30 Minutes)".
25. (14 September 2012). "USF2000 Grand Prix of Virginia - Virginia International Raceway / 3.27 miles / September 12 - 15, 2012 / Alton, Virginia - Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda - Final Race Report - Round 13".
26. (5 October 2003). "Virginia 400 Kilometres 2003".
27. (8 June 2014). "2014 F2000 Championship Series - Virginia International Raceway - Race 2 Result".
28. (18 June 2022). "2022 ViRginia International Raceway - GT America - Race 1 - Classification - Final".
29. (27 August 2019). "2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge - Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix - Race Official Results (2 Hours)". [[IMSA.
30. (20 September 2025). "2025 FRA Rd 17-18/F4US Rd 14-15/JFC Rd 10-11 - VIRginia International Raceway - F4US Round 14 Race - Provisional Race Results".
31. (29 April 2018). "Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car 2018 » Virginia International Raceway Round 4 Results".
32. (4 June 2023). "Virginia International Raceway - June 2–4, 2023 / Alton, VA - USF Juniors Race 3 Results - Official".
33. (23 August 2025). "2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - Mustang Challenge - Race 1 Provisional Results (45 Minutes)". [[IMSA.
34. (26 April 2009). "2009 Formula BMW Americas Virginia (Race 2)".
35. (7 June 2014). "2014 F1600 Championship Series - Virginia International Raceway - Race 1 Result".
36. (28 August 2024). "2024 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR - Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented By Michelin - Race 2 Official Results (45 Minutes)". [[IMSA.
37. (17 June 2023). "2023 Toyota GR Cup North America - Virginia - Race 1 Results".
38. (21 April 1968). "SCCA National Virginia - Classes: ASR+BSR+CSR 1968".
39. (30 April 1967). "SCCA National Virginia - Classes: AP+BP 1967".
40. (29 August 2015). "2015 K&N Biscuitville 125 - VIR North Course - Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda - Official Race Report - Round 11". [[IMSA.
41. (25 July 2015). "Formula Lites Rounds 5&6 - Official Race Results Round #6".
42. (22 May 2021). "2021 MotoAmerica Championship at Virginia - HONOS Superbike - Race 1 Results".
43. (2 August 2025). "2025 MotoAmerica Championship of Virginia - Motovation Supersport - Race 1 Results".
44. (21 May 2022). "2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia - Twins Cup - Race 2 Results".
45. (6 May 2018). "2018 MotoAmerica Championship of Virginia - Liqui Moly Junior Cup - Race 2 Results".
46. "Blackstock, Buford Join Roush Performance for 2012".
47. Rosenbaum, Heather. (4 October 2013). "Patrick Dempsey and Bruce Jenner Race at VIR". Wset.