Three-Day Event Offers Elite Racing Competition and Fun Activities for All Ages
DANVILLE, VA – April 3, 2019 – VIRginia International Raceway is hosting the Blancpain GT World Challenge America April 26-28 for a weekend filled with high speed racing and family-friendly fun. Throughout the race weekend, fans can watch elite drivers compete on one of the top six road courses in the country in the fastest production-based cars, including Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens. The three-day event also features plenty of action off the track, providing nonstop excitement for the entire family.
Blancpain GT World Challenge America, formerly Pirelli World Challenge, features North America’s top GT3 teams and drivers in the new SRO Motorsports Group global series. Can’t-miss highlights during the race weekend include two 90-minute SprintX races featuring full-service pit spots with mandatory driver and tire changes, plus re-fueling, and speeds topping 130+ miles per hour.
The VIR event will also feature multiple supporting series throughout race weekend, including the Pirelli GT4 America, with the single-driver Sprint and two-driver SprintX formats. TC America will also hit the track, with 40-minute single-driver races taking place Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, Radical Cup North America will feature three 40-minute Le Mans Style races throughout the weekend.
“Racing fans won’t want to miss the action during the Blancpain GT World Challenge America at VIR this April,” said Connie Nyholm, VIR owner and CEO. “We’re ecstatic to officially kick off our 2019 season with this adrenaline-pumping series and watch as the hottest production-based cars on the market take over the track. We can’t wait to welcome back drivers and spectators alike for what’s sure to be an unforgettable weekend at VIR.”
Throughout the event, drivers will take on VIR’s 3.27-mile historic full course, with 17 turns and 130 feet of elevation changes that includes the “Climbing Esses,” a section of the course considered by many drivers as one of the most challenging and intimidating in North America. Off the track, visitors can also enjoy manufacturer displays, driver autograph sessions and more, as well as take advantage of VIR’s onsite amenities, including karting, shooting ranges and dining. Guests can come for a single day, multiple days throughout the weekend or even camp onsite on the expansive countryside property located at the border of Virginia and North Carolina.
Just before the Blancpain race weekend, fans will have a chance to drive their own car for up to 20 minutes on VIR’s iconic track for $25 or get in the passenger seat for hot lap ride along with stock car racer Thad Moffitt for $45, all while supporting a great cause during the annual Open House and Charity Laps event, Friday, April 19 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests also have a chance to have lunch with famous racing legend, Richard Petty for $100 per ticket which can be purchased in advance by visiting www.virnow.com. All proceeds from the lunch and Charity Laps benefit Victory Junction, a nonprofit founded by the Petty family that enriches the lives of chronically ill children by providing life-changing camp experiences in a medically sound environment, at no cost to the camper or their family.
Advanced discount tickets for Blancpain weekend are $30 for a two-day ticket, $45 for a three-day ticket and $20 for a Sunday-only ticket. All tickets will be an additional $10 if purchased at the gate. Children 16 and under are admitted free of charge with a paying adult and parking is also free. Active military are admitted free of charge and veterans receive a 50 percent discount with valid military ID. Policies are subject to change at event promoter’s request. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.virnow.com or call (434) 822-TIKS.
About VIRginia International Raceway
VIRginia International Raceway is one of America’s premier road courses, offering professional and amateur racing for modern and vintage classes while providing contemporary resort amenities. A prominent test facility for the automotive industry, VIR has the distinction of being named one of the top six courses in North America by Car and Driver Magazine, and southern roots and hospitality make it one of the friendliest. Conveniently located at the Virginia/North Carolina border, VIR is just a short two-hour trip from Richmond and about an hour and 15 minutes from both the Piedmont-Triad and Raleigh-Durham International Airports.
VIR visitors enjoy a full onsite resort, complete with amenities such as lodging, dining, an exclusive driver’s club, karting, off-road racing, shooting sports, skid pad and more. VIR’s hospitality features also make the property an unparalleled venue for corporate retreats, team building, special events and other group experiences. For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook or Twitter.
SRO Motorsports Group, the architect of modern GT racing
Over the past 25 years SRO has specialized in the promotion and organization of motorsport series around the world. Inextricably linked with GT racing’s revival in the early 1990s, currently SRO predominantly promotes series that adhere to the successful GT3 and GT4 regulations. Indeed, these rules – a common framework allowing manufacturers, teams and drivers to compete equally with one another – have helped to establish SRO as the global leader in customer GT racing.
Today, SRO’s influence and organization can be seen around the world. Its flagship continues to be the European-based Blancpain GT Series, which features both the Sprint and Endurance Cups. Its annual highlight remains the iconic Total 24 Hours of Spa.
SRO Motorsports Group is chaired by company founder and CEO Stephane Ratel and has offices in London, Paris, Liège, Austin, and Hong Kong. Its dedicated team of full-time and freelance staff work with the support of numerous national sporting authorities and sanctioning bodies to offer teams, drivers and manufacturers the world’s best professional, Pro/Am and amateur GT racing platforms.
