DANVILLE, Va. (June 8, 2008) – The 2008 Heacock Classic Gold Cup Historic Races closed Sunday afternoon after a vintage race program celebrating “All American Muscle”, plus the added thrills of an air show and the always exciting vintage sports cars racing on VIR’s history-laden 3.27-mile road course.
Joining the cars in their on-track action, “Wings and Wheels” car and air show wowed spectators and racers with the comic antics of Kirk Wicker as the “Flying Farmer” in his Piper Cub, plus Rob Holland’s all carbon-fiber MX-2 aerobatics special with Charlie Schwenker’s Pitts special stunt plane. Ground displays included a Russian Yakovlev 55 trainer, courtesy of Cecil Boyd.
Of course, the attractions weren’t limited to racing and aeronautics. There was a car show on Saturday with several clubs attending. The show was highlighted by the gathering of the TVR and Griffith Club. The car show featured most everything, including a genuine Ford GT-40, a rare DeTomaso Pantera, and a Cad-Allard from 1953.
The car show featured marque clubs, national clubs and even local enthusiasts, who entered their favorite project car, whether street rod, hot rod or a restored classic.
On-track competition was almost as hot as the weather, with several races decided by margins of only inches.
John Gaither defeated Randall Yow by less than a half-car length in the Formula Vee class after battling for the entire race.
“I bore down and managed to get back to him on the front straight,” Gaither said after the race. “I followed Randall down the back straightaway. I managed to get around him at the end of the back straightaway,” but the battle didn’t end until the checkered flag flew, as it was decided by only a few thousandths of a second.
With “All-American Muscle” featured, it was only appropriate that one of the races spotlight historic stock cars. Scott Murphy took honors in the historic stock car class, with Dale Phelon zooming ahead of the field in his ex-Trans-Am Mustang. He set the weekend’s best time along the way at 1:55.627 in Saturday’s qualifying race.
Virginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va. Reopened in 2000, VIR hosts a wide range of professional and amateur auto and motorcycle racing and track events, and is well established as “America’s Motorsport Resort.” In addition to its historic 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit, VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America's first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park and Motorsports Technology Park, which includes the Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research [VIPER]; the Plantation Valley Kart Track, a 5/8-mile paved natural terrain karting circuit; an expanding variety of on-site lodging, including 45 hotel rooms and the trackside Villas which are for sale; Camp Motorsport for enthusiasts of all ages; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse.
The next big event at VIR is the Aug. 15-17 AMA Big Kahuna Superbike National. The ‘Big Kahuna’ brings America’s best Superbike racers to VIR’s North Course, plus all their fellow riders in AMA road racing competition. The weekend of Oct. 3-5 sees GT Live and the KONI Challenge bring a combination of motorcycle stunts, drifting, track attack and endurance sports car races. These events are all combined with a wide variety of amateur and vintage road racing and schools throughout the year.
Season passes to VIR’s major events include preferred parking and access to the major spectator events. For information on the track and other event schedules, call (434) 822-7700.
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06-08-2008, 11:20 PM
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