Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Va

[LancePearson]

This great road course track of 3.27 miles with 170' of elevation and 17 turns i ran in May, 2012 with my 76 Vette and was thinking of doing another Touring Lights day with my 1991 Zr1 which would be much faster has had some setbacks and now an ownership change this january.

They lost their big moneymaker event for several years running there last year when the Grand Am circuit traded them for Detroit where there are more people, more television and they have not apparently been able to replace it. The man who saved the track fifteen years ago as of Jan, 2013 is now out of ownership and the other owner, a woman named Connie has found some investor who owns some kind of track near Pittsburg also but the program where I ran for a day for a relatively modest fee at the moment is no more on the same basis. As it was with prep work, motels, fees I spent nearly $1,000 for that day since I'm not a member of any sports car racing club and won't be since it is only an occasional whim for me. It looks like you have to now join their club which is something like $5k or more the first year plus $175 a day for any of the 18 days a year dedicated to the club members to get on the track at the moment. Several own condo second homes there. I'm glad I don't as it might be hard to sell one if the track isn't thriving. The grand am ran the DP class and GT class exotics including Vettes, Ferraries, Audies, Porsches, etc. and were really exciting. That circuit is thriving.

I guess I could look into trying Summit Point Raceway's 2.0 mile track up in W. V. but I'm not all that excited about the track when I see it. VIR was set up safely and fun to drive.

Perhaps there is more going on behind the scenes but it is a long way from any major metro center and the signs aren't positive for growth and care at the moment but I hope they make it.

Too far to go to Road Atlanta or Elkhardt Lake, Wis. for me from here.

Lance