So maybe, as Spring racing brings NASCAR to Martinsville, you just don’t dig on the big and the loud and the crowd and the repeated left turns of national stock car racing. Maybe you like racing but want something a bit different…
It doesn’t get much more different than Chump Car Racing. It is colorful. It is fun. It is full of left turns AND right turns. There is variety. There are trees.
Chump Car Endurance Racing returns to Southside Virginia at a quaint little jewel of a racetrack known as Virginia International Raceway. Chump Cars are based on racing on the dollar. Cheap and open is the general idea. You can race practically anything as long as it is only slightly modified for performance with rules in place governing what can and can not be done. For the most part, these racers are driving stock machines with added safety bits such as roll cages and seat harnesses.
As you might, or possibly not, imagine the vehicles cover a wide range. Imagine a used car lot thrown together from a salvage yard…
Fords vs Toyotas. Mazdas vs Chryslers. Nissans vs Chevies. Porsches vs Hondas.
Mix in practically every 80s and 90s BMW they can get their hands on and you have a fraction of the variety of Chump Car racing.
Virginia International Raceway just spent the winter months repaving the entire racing surface and the paddock area. The Optima Batteries World Series will be the first official sanctioning body to race on this new surface.
Saturday, March 29th is the date. 8:00AM to 8:00PM is the time. That’s right! Twelve hours of racing spread all about the twists and turns of VIR.
Down the road, Martinsville Speedway will be hosting the Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250. Technically, you could watch the start of the Chumps and a few hours of racing, then head over to Martinsville for the trucks and then head back to VIR. You could see the start and the finish of two good races and have a lot of fun doing it. If you are holding out for the Big Guns in the Sprint Cup STP 500 at Martinsville on Sunday then your Saturday is open for the Chumps and a very interesting day.
Martinsville or not. NASCAR or not. The Chumps are taking to the new pavement at VIR.
Plus, there is a bonus. If your Friday is open you can take a few laps on the track yourself. Friday, the 28th, VIR is hosting an Open House and Charity Laps to Benefit Victory Junction, a children’s camp started by the Petty family. (Yes… Those guys from NASCAR) $25 gets you on the track with your car while Victory Junction gets the benefit. The Oak Tree Tavern, Kart Track and even the skeet shooting area will be open to check out.
The nation will be tuned into Martinsville but you can take a NASCAR break and check VIR and still have time to get your Sprint fix. The Chumps race Saturday the 29th, you can drive Friday the 28th.
This is one of many events coming to Virginia International Raceway. Later this year you won’t want to miss the combined Grand-Am / American Le Mans racing coming to VIR as the TUDOR Sports Car Championship.
But first, check the CHUMPS!
Virginia International Raceway ONLINE for CHUMP RACING details and Charity Laps Info!
Lots of fun and all kind of motoring equipment available to view. Small cars, big cars, in between cars, pickup trucks, and even big cars made to look smaller by cutting off the top down to the window ledge behind the drivers door. Run wide open in the rain didn’t slow em down. Several Miata convertibles seen running with no top. Roll cage above driver the only thing between the driver and the sky which was producing rain. I shot there 3/29/14 between Friday and Sunday at Martinsville goings on.
They ran on the south course that day and some shots are available on my site: billcarrmotorsportsphotos.net if anybody cares to have a look.
I will be back for several other events during the year, and current ownership has made a great facility even better.