From a press release issued for Team Hammer, Inc. by freelance publicist Dorina Clark:

Matt Furtek, 18, of South Holland, Illinois has signed a contract with Team Hammer, Inc. to ride a Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750 in the 2003 AMA Superstock Series. The contract includes multi-year options beyond 2003.

Furtek attracted the team’s attention in WERA National Challenge Series, WERA Sportsman and AMA Supersport races, winning and running well at a variety of racetracks during the 2002 season while traveling on his own.

In a sort of working interview, Furtek rode Valvoline EMGO Suzuki racebikes at three events late in the 2002 season, including a CMRA/CCS race at Texas World, the CCS Race of Champions at Daytona, and the WERA Grand National Finals/Suzuki Cup Finals. He was forced to withdraw from the Suzuki Cup Finals after a surgical screw backed out of his wrist during practice, but had impressed the team with his riding ability, his desire and willingness to learn, and the ease with which he fit in and worked with crew members.

The team was also impressed with the non-intrusive support Matt Furtek and his racing activities received from his father and mother, Mike and Debbie Furtek.

Furtek underwent wrist surgery in November and was recently released by his surgeon to resume riding. He is making his 2003 debut with the team during tests at California Speedway Wednesday and Thursday, February 5-6.

Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Team Manager and Crew Chief Keith Perry said, “We wanted to work with Matt based on what we saw in our outings with him last year. He was progressing every single time he was on the bike, he’s steady, and he ran very competitive times with the guys at the Cup Finals. We regret that he was unable to compete in the Suzuki Cup Finals and we’re sure he would have been somewhat of a surprise there, and we’re looking forward to his development. This year, ’03, will be a learning year for Matt with the tracks and with our procedures, getting up to speed, but we look forward to doing some serious business with him in the future.”

Furtek will be teamed with veteran mechanic Michael Tjon during the 2003 season.

The team’s 2002-season experience with Furtek contributed to the creation of the Team Hammer Talent Search Presented By Alpinestars.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA “Save Our Trails Fund” coming to a close

Feb. 5 – The AMA “Save Our Trails” Fund is winding down, having paid out more than $76,000 to AMA District 37 for legal expenses in the District’s battle to protect off-highway riding areas in California.

The “Save Our Trails” Fund was created to accept donations for District 37 (Southern California) legal battles and other efforts to protect off-highway riding areas. When the program began, the AMA pledged to match contributions dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. The fund has received more than $38,000 in donations so far. That means the AMA is committed to matching roughly $10,000 more in donations before the program ends April 1.

“AMA District 37 is working hard to stop efforts in California to shut down riding areas to off-highway motorcycles and ATVs,” said AMA Western States Representative Nick Haris. “Riders in California and across the nation need to support the District’s efforts to show opponents of motorized recreation that we are a united force, no matter where our riding areas come under attack.”

Supporters can donate online by clicking here to help protect trails or send contributions to: Save Our Trails, AMA, 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147.

From a press release issued by MARRC:

MARRC Announces Officers and Directors for 2003

Tysons Corner, VA – – The Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Club (MARRC) announced its newly elected officers and board of directors for 2003 during its annual awards banquet in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Wendy Leland, John Capen, and Randy Dalmas return as President, Vice-President, and Secretary, respectively. New board member Melinda Beggs begins her first term on the Board of Directors as the new Treasurer of the Club. Howard ‘Doc’ Weiss remains on the board and steps down as Treasurer after a very fruitful 4-year tenure. Club officers are elected annually from within the seated board of directors.

The club officers are all former racers of one kind or another, and have proven very active in the racing community inside and outside of MARRC.

MARRC welcomes new board members Will Astle and Melinda Beggs. Will received honors last year as Cornerworker of the Year, and has become legendary as the head chef for MARRC workers during race weekends. Melinda Beggs is a former motorcycle racer, and leads the planning for many MARRC events and functions. Both are well-known fixtures at Summit Point Raceway.

The 2003 members of the MARRC Board of Directors are as follows:
President Wendy Leland
Vice-President John Capen
Secretary Randy Dalmas
Treasurer Melinda Beggs
Will Astle
David Back
Rick Beggs
Glen Ouye
Howard Weiss

MARRC is dedicated to the advancement of motorcycle road racing. Established in 1983 as a not-for-profit, all-volunteer club to provide a trained and organized safety crew at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia, it has expanded in membership and scope. The club boasts over 500 active members that include racers, cornerworkers, and racing enthusiasts. MARRC runs a nationally recognized safety crew, and a road racing school accredited by CCS and WERA. Last year, MARRC volunteers spent over 14,000 hours of service in the safety crew, road racing school, and racer support functions.

For more information, see the MARRC website at www.marrc.org.

Contact Information:
Mid-Atlantic Roadracing Club
P.O. Box 2292
Wheaton, MD 20915
301-441-9220
E-mail: [email protected]

From a press release:

Honda Canada Inc./Orion Motorsports announce Pirelli Tire deal for 2003:

Honda Canada and Orion Motorsports are very pleased to announce a new partnership with Pirelli Motorcycle tires for the upcoming 2003 racing season. The team recently completed an early season shakedown at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on both the new-spec RC-51 and the new CBR600RR.

Riders Kevin Lacombe and Robbie Baird were right on the pace within only a few laps on the Vegas circuit. The question at hand was how would the Pirelli 17-inch slicks stack up compared to the previous set-up on 16.5-inch rubber. The answer was simple. Both riders barely noticed a difference in wheel size and commented on how much grip was available and how well even the softest compounds seemed to last.

“The tire portion of our test was extremely encouraging with both riders having only positive comments about the new tires. We were quite confident that the DOT tires were right on the money and now we are sure the slicks will also do the job,” commented team manager Kevin Graham.

This was Australian Robbie Baird’s first ride on Pirellis and he was very pleased. “The tires just stuck everywhere. Completely consistent and right on the money for traction,” he said.

The team also tested new suspension components for the new-spec RC-51 Superbikes. Traxxion Dynamics provided some modified OEM forks that performed above expectations for a stock OEM unit. Spring and damping characteristics were set up close to last years spec works forks providing excellent handling and feed-back. A variety of rear shocks were also tested with the new swingarm.

Baird and Lacombe logged some seat time as well on the new CBR600RR. While the machines were in stock form except for the addition of race compound rubber. Both riders came away from the ride very excited about the new machines and amazed how fast the bikes were with no modifications to engine or chassis.

Please click on to www.orionmotorsports.ca and www.cdnsuperbike.ca for regular updates, photos and progress with the team.

From a press release issued by Buell Motor Company:

WI MOTORSPORTS CHARITIES HONORS BUELL RACER BRYAN BEMISDERFER

MILWAUKEE, WIS. — (February 4, 2003) Buell racer Bryan Bemisderfer was recently honored at the 12th Annual Wisconsin Motorsports Charities Recognition Dinner for his championship performance in the 2002 Formula USA Buell Lightning Series. He joined auto racers Scott Wimmer, Jimmy Vasser and John Haini, among others, who were also recognized for their accomplishments.

Bemisderfer won the 2002 Buell Lightning Series Championship aboard a Buell Lightning S1 race bike. He earned a podium finish at every race he entered throughout the season, which put him in the championship lead with two races to go. He then lost his primary sponsor and missed the next round, which put him in third place overall going into the final event at Daytona International Speedway. Bemisderfer earned the championship title with a strong second place finish in that race after series points leaders Michael Barnes and Clint Brotz did not finish.

“It was a tough season, but I worked hard and am thrilled it all paid off in the end. It is a great honor for me to be recognized by Wisconsin Motorsports Charities along with such racing legends and upcoming stars,” said Bemisderfer. “And it’s even more gratifying to know that this dinner benefits such a worthwhile cause.”

The dinner benefited Ranch Community Services, which is a rehabilitation center for developmentally disabled adults who suffer the debilitating effects of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, emotional or behavioral problems, autism and brain damage. More than 250 individuals are served by learning skills for their ability level. Ranch Community Services is located in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Bemisderfer still lives in his hometown of Greencastle, Penn., where he grew up riding dirt bikes around the family farm with his brother and father. In 1986 at the age of 18, he competed in his first road race at nearby Summit Point, W.Va. He turned pro in 1990 and started racing Buell motorcycles in 1998. He plans to compete in the Formula USA Thunderbike Series in 2003 aboard his Buell S1 Lightning, sponsored by Harding Harley-Davidson in Corning, NY. The team also recently acquired a Buell Firebolt XB9R, which they plan to race-prep and enter this season.

To learn more about Buell Motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style, and performance only found aboard a Buell. Call 1-800-490-9635 for the Buell dealer nearest you. Or pull into www.buell.com

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Americans Kenny Roberts and John Hopkins have completed two days of Suzuki GSV-R testing at Phillip Island in Australia and are taking a day off before continuing to test.

Roberts’ wife, Ro (short for Rochelle), and Hopkins’ girlfriend, Desiree Crossman, are also in Australia.

From a press release:

Michael Andretti Powersports recently updated the look of its homepage with brighter pictures and more of a focus on its inline store. The site is located at www.andrettipowersports.com. The design reflects the high-impact sports image and reflects the organization’s push to provide a greater array of motorcycle and ATV accessories to the online public.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This is a response to the proposed “organ donor” bill in New Mexico, and the letter from Mike Hughes. As a lifelong motorcyclist, I must say that I totally agree with Mr. Hurt’s proposed bill, regarding organ donorship from non-helmet wearing riders.

I truly believe in freedom of choice. However, I also believe in Darwin’s theory of natural selection, and the fact that we reap what we sow.
The odds of a biker being killed without a helmet are much, much greater than a rider wearing a helmet. If a rider chooses to ride without a helmet, then they are accepting the risk. The taxpaying public should not have to shoulder the financial burden for the transportation and care of an for an injured, under-insured, or under-educated rider, as they often do. To be fair, in return for the freedom to choose not to wear a helmet, they should offer to give something back, something that will actually make a difference by saving lives.

This sounds like a fair trade to me. Besides, why would you need your organs if you’re dead? To keep them would be totally selfish. If you do not agree, then wear a helmet.

Then you can keep your organs to yourselves. But if you accept the risk of riding without a helmet, then you should offer your life-saving organs in trade.

I will gladly sign my organs over to somebody else who may need them if I die. However, I will also choose to wear a helmet when I ride. As a result, I most likely will never even have to worry about the issue.

Howard Halterman
Fairfield California



Just thought I would give my two cents worth. Harvesting organs from people who do not consent is a slap in the face to the whole system. People should make their thoughts and wishes known to their family. If and only if they want their organs donated should they be taken. After all I should know, I have been an avid motorcyclist and heart transplant recipient for almost 20 years now. By the way my heart came from a signed donor on a motorcycle.

Chris Fisher
Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada




Just a few thoughts on mandatory organ harvesting, helmetless, helmeted, seat belted or not.

The good that comes from organ harvesting far out weights any argument against it!

You are DEAD when the organs are taken, your loved ones can still have what ever funeral they choose.

YES,I am saying it should be mandatory when you die.

Terry Milligan
London, Ontario, Canada



(See other posts, 1/30/2003 AMA Objects To New Mexico Bill Which Effectively Classifies Helmetless Street Riders As Organ Donors and 1/31/2003 Reader Comments On New Mexico’s Proposed Forced Organ Donation Program.)

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Emerging talent Jason Perez, former AMA regular Nick Ienatsch and defending CCS Pacific and Southwest Region Champion Brian Long starred in CCS racing action Sunday, February 2 at the Streets of Willow in Rosamond, California.

After suffering a miscue that may have cost him the win in Saturday’s GTU race, Perez, 18, rebounded Sunday by winning all four races he entered. Perez won Middleweight Supersport, Middleweight Superbike, Middleweight Grand Prix and the $1000 Speedscreen Unlimited Grand Prix on his Concept Five-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R600.

Lenny Beckman took the holeshot in the Unlimited GP race on a GSX-R1000 and was followed by Long and Eric Anderson. Meanwhile, Perez, who had started on the fifth row of the grid, was up to fourth by turn four. It took Perez less than two laps before he slipped underneath Beckman on the brakes for turn two to take the lead.

Will Eikenberry, riding a Kawasaki ZX-9R, gave chase to Perez, but the youngster’s 600cc machine was more nimble in the turns than Eikenberry’s engine-case-dragging 900. With the best lap time of the weekend (1:21.57), Perez pulled away to win by 2.8 seconds over Eikenberry, who later said this was the first race in which he used new tires since 1990.

Beckman held on for third with Long fourth, Jason Catching, Corey Sarros, new Expert Garth Dillon, Jeff Tigert from the eighth row, Ryan Teixeira and Rickey Herd rounding out the top 10.

After winning two races on Saturday, Tigert’s day Sunday started badly as the AFM regular slid off the outside of turn one in the first race of the day, Middleweight Superbike. After making repairs to his GSX-R600, Tigert was only able to run in the Unlimited GP race.

Ienatsch took wins in Formula 40 and Heavyweight Supersport on his G2 Racing Suzuki GSX-R750 and won in Super Twins on the Honda RC51 he uses in his role as an instructor for the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School.

Late in the day, Ienatsch and Eikenberry were battling for the lead in Unlimited Supersport when Eikenberry, who was attempting to pass Ienatsch on the outside going into turn four, hit Ienatsch from behind, causing Ienatsch to crash and Eikenberry to run off. Catching inherited the lead and held off Sarros to take the win with Anderson, who was in pain from Eikenberry colliding with him in turn four earlier in the same race, slipped to third.

Ienatsch, who plans to campaign the entire CCS Pacific and Southwest regional series, called Eikenberry’s riding “really stupid,” and remounted to finish 10th. Eikenberry, who is a former instructor and current mechanic with the California Superbike School, retired from the race and expressed regret over the incident to reporters.

Spears Enterprises’ Long was the iron man of the event, however. Long rode his Suzuki SV650s and GSX-R600 in nine races Sunday – collecting wins in Lightweight Supersport, Lightweight Superbike, Lightweight Grand Prix and Heavyweight Superbike; second-place finishes in Middleweight Superbike, Middleweight Grand Prix, Super Twins and Formula 40; and fourth place in Unlimited GP.

Unsponsored Erik Dadej defeated Josh Alverson and 16-year-old Scott Jackson in an exciting three-way battle to win the 19-entry USGPRU 125cc Grand Prix event.

Another emerging talent, Nick Moore, 16, won the $1000 Sportbike sprint, the last race of the day, on his 1999 Suzuki GSX-R600. Moore came from behind and made a daring, last-corner pass on Kevin Backovich to take his first-ever 600cc victory.



This just in from Will Eikenberry:

Dear Editor:

I just saw the web posting and thought I might shed some light with a copy of the letter I sent to Mr. Kevin Elliot about the turn-four incident between Nick and myself.

And of course I would express regret about colliding with another rider and I did talk with Anderson also after the race.

I can’t explain why in the three events I have done at the Streets I have had no problems with other riders. But to say I enter turn four wide and come out low, usually at least coming alongside the rider in front but rarely making it stick, just a slow-in fast-out line to show that I’m there.

And I think it’s important to note that I was on the outside, not the low, take-it-away line.

Thanks,

Will Eikenberry
Littlerock, California


(Eikenberry’s letter to CCS Boss Kevin Elliott follows.)

Hello Mr. Elliot:

I am writing to you about an incident in race #18 at Streets of Willow February 2nd. I was racing with Nick Ienatsch for the lead and we tangled entering turn four with Nick going down and me going off. I am very aware of the riders around me and give room to race. Nick and I had vastly different lines exiting turn three, his wide and mine tight. I was on the far left of the track and Nick came from two-thirds right to a line such that I had to make a turn to the left and make the decision to run off the track in an effort to avoid a collision. This, however, wasn’t enough and as I went by Nick his handlebar caught my hip and he went down as I went off.

I know things like this can happen when racing and at the edge of control any additional inputs can be difficult at best. While I am very sad to have been involved in such an incident and end my race for the lead I was more concerned for the welfare of the other rider, and once I got my bike slowed and turned around I checked to see what had happened to Nick and he was running towards me. He came up yelling at me and then grabbed the chin bar of my helmet shaking my head about as he yelled. Then he took the key from my ignition and said “no way are you getting back in this race” not once but twice. Both times I recovered the key from his hand.

I understand that in the heat of the moment things are said that may not be what should be but his reaction to this incident was a clear violation of the rules (3.3.6 specifically).

I don’t want to attack Nick or create problems, nor do I want to be vilified as having taken him out. I take riding and racing very seriously and would never intentionally jeopardize anyone’s safety or ride in manner that was less than professional like blocking or bumping.

I know Nick is planning to run the season with you and I can only run the first and last race of the year so I don’t anticipate an on-track situation to develop. At least I have no ill will about it.

Sincerely,

Will Eikenberry
#63 Expert, CCS Pacific Region
Littlerock, California

From a press release issued by VIR:

VIR 2003 Season Offers Something for Everyone

Alton, Va. — Officials at VIRginia International Raceway released their schedule for the 2003 season today, a schedule that will showcase the best of professional and amateur automobile and motorcycle racing.

The season kicks off over the weekend of April 25-27 with the Skip Barber Formula Dodge National Championship presented by RACER and the Skip Barber Challenge Series. These two series feature the best up-and-coming talent in the world of American open-wheel racing.

The Formula Dodge National Championship presented by RACER is the Official National Amateur Championship of CART, and was designed to bridge the gap between the top karting ranks and professional racing. Drivers utilize identically prepared Reynard-built R/T 2000 chassis with 150hp, 2.0-liter Dodge four-cylinder engines and sequential gearboxes on Michelin slicks.

The Skip Barber Challenge is a new loyalty venture, eligible to select Skip Barber customers who have participated in at least one full regional championship season. The enhanced series is designed to give the drivers the opportunity to experience and compete in the Dodge Reynard 98E — the same car raced in the Barber Dodge Pro Series — under familiar Skip Barber regional rules.

The weekend will feature two races for each series as well as practice and qualifying sessions. There will be regional competition for the Skip Barber Racing Series as well.

The season continues over the weekend of May 9-11 with the Fourth Annual Double SARRC/Double MARRS Challenge hosted by the North Carolina Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).

In excess of 400 cars from all over the East Coast are expected to enter this landmark event. Cars from the Washington, D.C. area and northward compete in the Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Series (MARRS), while their southern counterparts race in the South Atlantic Road Racing Championship (SARRC). Up to 90 cars at a time filling VIR’s winding 3.27-mile, 17-turn course makes the competition especially intense.

Since it returned to VIR in 2000, this event has grown into the biggest SCCA regional east of the Mississippi, with the friendly “North vs. South” rivalry adding spice to an already fiercely competitive weekend.

If you like your racing fast, furious and on two wheels, VIRginia International Raceway will be the place to be over the weekend of May 23-26, as the WERA Cycle Jam Nationals provides four days of non-stop, wheel-to-wheel excitement.

WERA is one of America’s oldest and largest national sanctioning bodies for motorcycle road racing, and is known for showcasing up-and-coming talent as well as close competition. The series’ return to VIR is the fourth round of the WERA/GMD Computrack National Endurance Series, National Challenge Series and Sportsman Series.

The feature race of the weekend will be the four-hour WERA/GMD Computrack Endurance Series event. The race will feature plenty of strategy and pit-stop action, as each team will be required to stop several times for fuel and a rider change.

Over the weekend of June 6-8, VIR’s signature vintage racing event, the Gold Cup Historic Races presented by Berry Hill, will feature Road Racing Specials as the featured marque.

In the heyday of 1950s sports car racing, many resourceful road racers applied what was known as “hot-rod” thinking to develop low-cost alternatives to the expensive world-class machinery from such manufacturers as Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar. The result was a large number of lightweight, high-horsepower “Specials” that raced from coast to coast. These innovative cars ranged from the very successful, like the Scarab, Devin, Bocar and Chapparal, to the less successful andobscure. VIR hopes to have a representative cross-section of both small-and large-bore Road Racing Specials on hand to illustrate this fascinating chapter of road racing history.

In addition, special emphasis will be placed on those cars that utilized the small-block V8 engine during the 1950s and ‘60s, such as Corvettes, Lister-Chevrolets, Allard-Cadillacs, Cobras and Shelby GT350s. Vintage Motorsport Magazine will sponsor the Road Racing Specials races (both small- and large-bore) and the American V8 Thunder race.

The weekend’s honored guest will be Bill Sadler, who built some of the most innovative, creative and successful Road Racing Specials of the late 1950s and early ‘60s. Sadler will be racing his own Chevy-powered Sadler Mk III, and there will be a number of other Sadlers on hand as well.

The 2003 Gold Cup Historic Races will also be the annual focus event for the MG Vintage Racers organization, a long-standing fixture in American vintage competition, and will welcome Monoposto Racing, a nationwide network of vintage formula car enthusiasts.

Off-track activities will include the second annual Gold Cup Car Show, sponsored by Moss Motors. Fans will be able to vote for their favorite cars in a number of categories, including American, Foreign and Competition, and a Hot Rod category is being contemplated. Also returning in 2003 will be the popular G&W Motorsports Pinewood Derby, which will pit kids of all ages against each other with their home-built racers constructed from blocks of wood that cannot weigh more than five ounces in a competition format originated by the Boy Scouts in 1953.

The North Carolina Region of the SCCA will create a new tradition over the weekend of June 14-15, with an eight-hour multi-class endurance race called The Charge of the Headlight Brigade that will put cars, drivers and teams to the ultimate test over the challenging twists and turns of VIR.

In addition, the weekend will feature five of SCCA’s professional racing series: Pro Spec Racer, Pro Miata Challenge, Formula SCCA, American Cities Racing League and the U.S. F2000 Zetec Championship. These series provide a showcase for up-and-coming road racing talent in identical or similar cars, and razor-close competition is guaranteed.

Motorcycle fans have a lot to look forward to over the weekend of June 27-29, as the rolling topography of VIR will resonate with the sounds of two-wheeled competition.

The Virginia Festival of Speed, featuring the Championship Cup Series and Formula USA, will provide a combination of the best Sportsman and Professional Motorcycle Road Racers vying for their share of more than $100,000 in purse and prizes. Friday afternoon is the Virginia 200, Saturday it’s Sportsman action and on Sunday the professionals take to the track in Sportbike, Superbike, Thunderbike and the “No holds barred” Unlimited GP classes.

Another new feature of the weekend is the XSBA freestyle street bike competition, and the organizers promise the best stunt/freestyle riders in the country vying for honors.

Historic Sportscar Racing, Ltd. (HSR) will visit VIR over the weekend of July 12-13, providing a rolling history lesson in road racing. The highlights of the event will be the American Muscle Car Challenge, World Championship of Makes Series, World Sportscar Series, Historic GT, Klub Sport Porsche Challenge, Rolex Endurance Challenge Series Races and WorldCom Dash Series Races.

Many of the cars that race with HSR raced at VIR in its early days, between 1957-74, and will be right at home on the challenging and beautiful 3.27-mile circuit.

By the time August rolls around, racers in the SCCA will be clamoring to score late-season points in National events that will make them eligible for the SCCA Valvoline Runoffs® at Mid-Ohio in September, at which all the national championship titles will be decided.

As a result, the annual Oak Tree National over the weekend of August 9-10 attracts not only drivers from the host region, but from other regions all along the Atlantic seaboard who are anxious to grab some valuable championship points. This can lead to some very interesting and unusual match-ups on the track and guaranteed great racing.

The fastest and most exotic road racing motorcycles in America will return to VIR for a third time over Labor Day weekend, August 29-31, as AMA Pro Racing’s wildly popular VIR Lightning Nationals brings the best in the business to do battle.

The doubleheader format will give fans two feature races for the headlining Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, where the factory teams and world’s best riders compete for corporate bragging rights, utilizing staggering budgets to produce the most technologically advanced bikes to be seen in this country.

Rounding out the program will be AMA’s other pro series, the Pro Honda Oils Supersport, Lockhart-Phillips Formula Extreme, Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock and MBNA 250 Grand Prix.

Sports car fans are in for a history-making weekend when the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series’ VIR 400 returns over the weekend of October 3-5.

The Rolex Sports Car Series is inaugurating a new series of prototype sports racer, the Daytona Prototype, in this year’s season opener at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and has staked its future on this new class as its headline attraction.

The cars slightly resemble the late and lamented Grand Touring Prototypes of the late IMSA series, being closed-roof, rear-/mid-engined coupes that utilize engines in two categories: normally aspirated production six- or eight-cylinder 245 c.i. powerplants open to modification, allowing America’s hot rod spirit to thrive, and V8 engines up to 305 c.i. with tightly controlled specifications that must be run as produced.

The Daytona Prototypes, SRPII small-bore open-cockpit prototypes and the GTS and GT production-based coupes will all take to the track for a 400km/three-hour race on Sunday afternoon. The weekend’s supporting acts will be the popular Grand-Am Cup series for street stock cars, divided into four classes for a three-hour enduro on Saturday, and the Fran-Am series for V6 Renault-powered open-wheelers.

The 2003 season at VIR will come to what has become a customary close over the weekend of October 11-12 with the season finale for the vintage sports and racing cars of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association. The highlight of the weekend will be the Formula Car Festival, featuring the finest vintage open-wheelers in America, plus the BOSS Series, UBS/PaineWebber Enduro Series, Edelbrock Sprint Series and Monoposto Series.

So whether your tastes in motorsports runs toward two or four wheels, VIR has something for everyone in 2003. The combination of intense competition, with one of America’s most challenging racetracks in an incredibly beautiful setting and a heaping helping of southern hospitality adds up to a perfect recipe for fun and excitement.

“We’re really looking forward to the 2003 season,” said VIR co-owner Connie Nyholm. “We have a great mix of events this year, and we’re continuing to add improvements and amenities to the facility that make it second to none. We hope all the fans who have visited us in the past will return this year with their families and friends. We’re going to have a lot of fun at VIR this year, and we’d hate for anyone to miss out on it.”

VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River 12 miles east of Danville, Va., and just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit (which is designed to be operated as two autonomous, full-service courses), VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club, and the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park. The newest addition to the facility is the VIR Euro Rally School and Corporate Motorsport Experience, which features four rally stages plus a kart track, motocross track, ATV and SUV training grounds and an advanced safari course. Future plans include the VIR Gallery, a showroom for high-end collector and racing cars, and resort lodging.

VIR made history from 1957 to 1974 and is doing so again. The renovated original circuit has 17 challenging turns and 130 feet of elevation change. In addition to spectator events, the track is also available to rent for testing, driving schools and club days.

For more information, contact VIR at 888-RACE099 or visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com.


VIRginia International Raceway
2003 Season Schedule

April 25-27
Skip Barber Formula Dodge National Championship
Skip Barber Challenge Series

May 9-11
North Carolina Region, Sports Car Club of America
SARRC/MARRS Challenge

May 23-26
WERA Cycle Jam Nationals

June 6-8
Gold Cup Historic Races presented by Berry Hill

June 14-15
North Carolina Region, Sports Car Club of America
Charge of the Headlight Brigade

June 27-29
CCS/Formula USA/XMBA Virginia Festival of Speed

July 12-13
Historic Sportscar Racing, Ltd.

Aug. 9-10
North Carolina Region, Sports Car Club of America
Oak Tree National

Aug. 29-31
AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship
VIR Lightning Nationals

Oct. 3-5
Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series VIR 400

Oct. 11-12
Sportscar Vintage Racing Association