VIR announces fun event

Fans Can Win a Chance to 'Race the Racers' at VIR 400

Alton, Va. (September 8) -- Did you ever watch the stars of the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series -- drivers like Scott Pruett, Max Papis, Andy Wallace, Butch Leitzinger, Elliott Forbes-Robinson and Hurley Haywood -- battling wheel-to-wheel over mere millimeters of pavement and say to yourself, "That doesn't look so tough. I could do that!"

Well, VIRginia International Raceway is going to give you a chance to find out if you have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with some of the world's top drivers.

On Friday, October 7, as part of the Rolex Sports Car Series VIR 400 weekend, VIR will host the inaugural VIR 400 Celebrity Pro/Am Kart Enduro, in which 10 lucky fans will be able to win a chance to race against some of the series' best.

Here's how it works: All fans who purchase an advance ticket to the event by 6:00 pm ET on Wednesday, September 28, will have their names entered into a lottery. On September 29, 10 names will be drawn and those selected will be invited to participate in the race.

The race will take place on VIR's Plantation Valley Kart Track, a paved 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide circuit with 30 feet of elevation change located adjacent to the historic 3.27-mile VIR track. There will be 10 teams, with four drivers per team. Each team will be comprised of a Rolex Series driver, a media celebrity, a staff member from VIR, Grand-Am or an event or series sponsor and a lucky fan. Each driver will get eight laps in one of 10 identically-prepared 200cc Zip karts, and each driver's fastest lap will be scored. Each team's four fastest laps will be compiled and the team with the lowest cumulative time will be declared the winner. Trophies will be awarded to the top three teams, and all fan participants will receive a CD of event photos immediately following the race.

"The VIR 400 Celebrity Pro/Am Kart Enduro is going to be a lot of fun," said VIR general manager Cal Frye. "It's a way to give our fans something that is unobtainable at any price; the chance not only to meet their favorite drivers, but to actually get to race with and against them on equal footing. The Plantation Valley Kart Track is a very good karting facility, and will provide a perfect setting for the big showdown. We plan to make this an annual event, so the winning team will have a year's worth of bragging rights to enjoy, plus the winning fan participant will receive a free three-day pass to the following year's VIR 400 and a guaranteed slot in the second annual VIR 400 Celebrity Pro/Am Kart Enduro."

The VIR 400 weekend will not only include a 400km race for the Rolex Sports Car Series' Daytona Prototype and GT classes, but also the 200-mile season finale for the popular Grand-Am Cup series for high-performance sports cars, coupes and sedans straight from the dealer showroom floor and racing from the Porsche Club of America.

Advance three-day Super Tickets for the VIR 400 are priced at $50. At the gate, three-day Super Tickets will be priced at $60. Also, single-day tickets will be available for Friday ($15, gate only), Saturday ($25, gate only) and Sunday ($40 advance/$50 gate). VIR is a family-friendly facility, where children 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Spectator camping is available. Visit www.virclub.com for advance ticket sales.

VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., and just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit (designed to be operated as two autonomous, full-service courses), VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America's first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park; the VIR Gallery, which is a sales showroom for high-end collector and racing cars; the VIR Safety and Security Institute, which provides specialized training for U.S. Government and military groups; The Lodge at VIR, a 27-room hotel overlooking the track; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse.

VIR made history from 1957 to 1974 and is doing so again. The renovated original circuit has 17 challenging turns and 130 feet of elevation change. In addition to spectator events, the track is also available to rent for testing, driving schools and club days.

For more information, visit the track's website at www.virclub.com or contact VIR at 434-822-7700. For more information on the Grand American Road Racing Association, visit their website at www.grandamerican.com.

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