DANVILLE, VA. – VIRginia International Raceway’s Plantation Valley Kart Track has taken delivery of their new Stratos karts and drivers are already enjoying the new machines.

With the added safety of a three-point harness, the new karts also sport a larger, more powerful engine with the convenience of a push-button starter. No more waiting for a track attendant to come pull the starter rope to get going again if you spin and stall out.

The larger, 270cc, 9hp Honda engines provide more power over a wider usable range, increasing the similarity between the karts and larger, more advanced racing machines. Combined with more predictable handling of the newer chassis, these karts promise to give an enhanced experience for guests of Plantation Valley Kart Track.

“We spent a lot of time finding the best choice of karts and best options for VIR,” said Plantation Valley Kart Track manager Michael “Skeeter” Fowlkes. “We know that these karts will make the kart track more enjoyable for our guests and make better racing.”

“That was a blast!” said one of the first drivers on the new karts. “I wish I was a better driver so I could really use them right.”

The Plantation Valley Kart Track is open to the public and available for special events such as corporate outings and parties. For more information, call the kart track at 434.822.7700, ext. 350.

VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Virginia. Reopened in 2000, VIR hosts a wide range professional and amateur auto and motorcycle racing and track events, and is well established as “America’s Motorsport Resort.” In addition to its historic 3.27 mile natural-terrain road racing circuit, VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America's first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park and Motorsports Technology Park, which includes the Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research (“VIPER”); the Plantation Valley Kart Track, a 5/8 mile paved natural terrain karting circuit; an expanding variety of on-site lodging (including 45 hotel rooms and the trackside Villas which are for sale); Camp Motorsport for enthusiasts of all ages; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse.

VIR’s next major event is the GT Live/Koni Challenge event, the weekend of October 5-7. With the widest variety of motorsports available, the headliner event will be the Koni Challenge races for high-performance production sports cars, coupes and sedans. With limited modifications, these are the same cars seen on the highways every day. The VIR races will be the finales for the two classes, both featuring a six-hour enduro format. The big engined Grand Sport (GS) racers will take the track in the weekend’s capstone, while the smaller Street Tuner (ST) class attracts the import and hot compact crowd.

GS races feature Porsche, Nissan, BMW, Mustang and Pontiac, while the ST cars attract entries such as Mazda RX-8, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Dodge SRT-4, MINI Cooper S, Acuras and a variety of BMWs. The entire field races on Hoosier tires, further equalizing the competition.

Other attractions of the GT Live weekend include such diverse programs as:
• GT Sim Race: Ride in some of the world’s hottest cars in cars on VIR’s 3.27-mile Full Course.
• Tarzan’s Lap Battle: Drive your own car in on the 1.1-mile Patriot Course in a Time Attack, competing for lap times
• Rally-X: drive your car on VIR’s gravel rally stage roads.
• Karting Zone: race karts on VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track.
• Car and bike shows and fan festivals for Mazda, Nissan/Infiniti, Subaru and Mitsubishi EVO.
• GT Track Attack pitting American tuners against Japanese tuners for cash prizes.
• US Drift Shootout: the best amateur and professional drifters competing on the Patriot Course for cash.
• The best motorcycle stunt riders in the business compete for cash prizes in the invitation-only XDL U.S. Stunt Riding Championship.

For information on the track and other event schedules, call 434-822-7700 or check our web site at www.virclub.com.