Virginia International Raceway
 Grand West Course track map |
|
| Location | Alton, Virginia, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°33′42″N 79°12′17″W / 36.56167°N 79.20472°WCoordinates: 36°33′42″N 79°12′17″W / 36.56167°N 79.20472°W |
| Opened | August 3, 1957 |
| Architect | Sports Car Enterprises, Inc. |
| Major events | American Le Mans Series |
| Full Course | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.27 mi (5.26 km) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Grand West Course | |
| Length | 4.10 mi (6.60 km) |
| Turns | 28 |
| Grand East Course | |
| Length | 4.20 mi (6.76 km) |
| Turns | 25 |
| North Course | |
| Length | 2.25 mi (3.62 km) |
| Turns | 17 |
| South Course | |
| Length | 1.65 mi (2.66 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Patriot Course | |
| Length | 1.10 mi (1.77 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
Virginia International Raceway (commonly known as "VIR") is a road course located in the community of Alton, near Danville, Virginia. It is less than a half-mile from the North Carolina/Virginia border just outside Milton, North Carolina on the banks of the Dan River. VIR hosts amateur and professional automobile and motorcycle events, driving schools, club days, and private test rentals.
Contents |
[edit] Track description
VIR offers six track configurations, of which 2 can be run simultaneously. The "Full Course" is 3.27 miles in length while the "Patriot Course" stretches for 1.1 miles entirely inside the Full Course. The "North Course" is 2.25 miles long and the "South Course" covers a distance of 1.65 miles. 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 4.2 miles 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."
Some of the raceway's named curves include "Oak Tree", "Roller Coaster", "Hog Pen", "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".
[edit] Configurations
-
Grand East Course
-
Grand West Course
-
Full Course
-
North Course
-
South Course
-
Patriot Course
[edit] History
The track originally opened in 1957 and had been closed from 1974 prior to its reopening in March 2000.[1] The track was reopened in 2000 by New Yorker Harvey Siegel using a "country club" model. Memberships to the track are sold. Each member of the VIR Club receives track time on member day, 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.[2]
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 will begin racing on the Grand West Course in 2012.[3]
[edit] 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 Infineon Raceway races. Since the track is not currently active on the NASCAR circuit, a practice session is not charged against their allotment.
The track is also used by various manufacturers in testing of new or updated vehicles.
[edit] Video games
VIR's North Course is featured in the video games Supercar Challenge and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli. All six configurations are featured in iRacing.
[edit] References
- ^ England, Nick. "The Story of VIR". VIR History Pages. http://www.virhistory.com/vir.html. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ Wolf, Jason (19 August 2008). "VIR crash claims teenager". Danville Register-Bee. http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/vir_crash_claims_teenager/5719/. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
- ^ "ALMS adds VIR to 2012 event schedule". American Le Mans Series. http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news%7C16465. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Virginia International Raceway |
|
|||||||||||
|
||||||||
