ALTON, Va. – On Thursday in Danville, the hauler parade rolled through town. The dynamic show of horsepower reminds us all that the International Motor Sports Association, or IMSA ,series is about to converge on nearby Virginia International Raceway. VIR is hosting its biggest event of the year beginning Friday. The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship includes three full days of sports car action at the famed road course in southern Virginia. VIR is the 10th stop on a 12-track circuit selected to host the championship in 2017. VIR is the only Mid-Atlantic track selected.
The high-end sports car racing will begin Friday with practice, qualifying and multiple support series races. The Biscuitville Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, and on Sunday the weekend culminates with the headliner -- the Michelin GT Challenge race.
"We'll have a full weekend of racing and all kinds of exploring. One of the great things about this event, and sports cars in general, is that you buy one ticket and you can go anywhere you want," VIR marketing director Mike Rose said. "You can ride the trams, you can walk 1400 acres, but you can also go into the garage in what we call the paddock. So you can go and watch the guys working on their cars, pre-race, during the race, post-race. So there are no limitations. It's a really exciting weekend. It'll be a fantastic weekend with action from about 8:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night Friday, Saturday and Sunday." Rose said.
. Estimates say 40, 000 people will attend this weekend. NASCAR racing legend Richard Petty will serve as grand marshall.