VIR is much more than just a racetrack. What was once a working farm and plantation dating back to the early 1800s opened in 1957 as one of the country’s first permanent road racing circuits. VIR hosted automobile and motorcycle racing through 1974, when the track was shuttered due to economic hardships. It lay fallow until 1998, when we discovered it and saw through the shadows of the weed-infested, overgrown facility, envisioning a racing venue that would provide entertainment and recreation for the entire family. What we saw in the 1200-acre site was the possibility to create America’s first true “motorsports resort,” a vacation destination centered around road racing. VIR reopened in 2000 and has received international rave reviews since. Read more about the history of VIR and Road Racing by clicking here.
Today, VIR’s 3.27-mile circuit is exactly like it was in 1957, only widened just a bit with lots of safe run-off room and world-class facilities and amenities. The track now has two cross-overs that allow simultaneous events on the North (2.25-mile) and South (1.65-mile) courses. In 2003, the 1.1-mile Patriot Course was constructed by combining the two cross-overs, and can be used as a stand-alone circuit or combined with the full circuit to create a myriad of configurations, the longest of which is 4.2 miles. An 1840s-era house where the plantation owner’s family once lived has been restored for use as the Plantation Clubhouse, the centerpiece of the VIR Motorsports County Club , whose membership is continually growing. The track is booked nearly year-round for racing, testing, schools, television productions and corporate events.
Also located within the facility are the VIR Raceplex , a motorsports-oriented industrial park; The Lodge at VIR , a hotel overlooking the track; the Paddock Suites and Garages ; the Oak Tree Tavern , a full-service restaurant located within the Plantation Clubhouse; and the Plantation Valley Kart Track , a 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide karting circuit with 30 feet of elevation change.
In 2006 we opened the new Virginia Motorsport Technology Park, which houses VIPER (Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research), a national center for ground vehicle performance research and engineering; JOUSTER (Joint Unmanned Systems Testing Engineering and Research), an innovative center for research solutions meeting the needs of military, security and commercial unmanned systems (robots) for ground-, air- and water-based applications; a museum dedicated to the Healey marque; plus a 10,000-sq.ft. divisible spec building.
In 2007 we began construction on The Villas at South Bend, a 60-unit complex of three-bedroom residential villas that will be located near VIR’s signature Oak Tree Bend, and inaugurated Camp Motorsport, a motorsports-themed camp for young people aged 10-16.
We have an exciting roster of events scheduled for the 2009 season. Highlights are the Bosch Engineering 250 Grand-Am Rolex Series race on the weekend of April 24-26, which also includes SCCA's Pro Racing Jetta TDI Cup, the Star Mazda Championship and the Skip Barber National Championship open-wheeled excitement; Heacock Classic Gold Cup Historic Races June 5-7, featuring British, German, Italian and American Muscle cars; the AMA Superbike Championship: Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals August 14-16; and the GT Live Interactive Motorsports Festival featuring Bosch Engineering Grand-Am KONI Challenge Twin Six Hour Races the weekend of October 2-4. Additionally, NASA, SCCA, and WERA bring their own brand of excitement to the track on various weekends throughout the season. Check out our full spectator schedule by clicking here!
We hope you will avail yourself of the opportunity to explore VIR and take advantage of our unmatched amenities, of which we are very proud. Our full-time chef, Tony Muncey, operates the Oak Tree Tavern and provides the best track food in the business at the Pagoda restaurant in the paddock, which also serves our own private-label beer, Oak Tree Pale Ale. The Oak Tree Pro Shop, now under new management by the renowned CDOC organization, offers sportswear, racing gear, books and collectibles for racing enthusiasts.
VIR has certainly come a long way from its humble beginnings, and we are very proud of what we think is one of the world’s finest motorsports venues, but it remains a work in progress. We are always striving to improve, and we welcome your input and suggestions. Thank you for your interest in VIR, and we hope that you will be a regular visitor in the years to come.
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Siegel and Connie Nyholm, co-owners
Josh Lief, General Manager
The Entire Staff of VIR |
