This past week was the annual IMSA event at Virginia International Raceway, and competitors and fans alike were treated to almost fall-like weather, which was great considering it’s August in the South! We had gorgeous weather each day with cooler temperatures, while the racing action heated up!
My main role was supporting the Mazda MX-5 Cup series, which was running its penultimate event of the championship. After a big mix-up in points at the previous event, the championship has become anybody’s to win, with the top five all within a very narrow margin of each other.
During the busy VIR race weekend, the Ingram Experience hosted special guests at the South Paddock building for a private hospitality event, and one that included a taste of some of the incredible cars in the Ingram Collection. I was fortunate to drive a few during the parade laps Sunday morning. Pictured here is a 904, taken from a modern 935 which is built on the GT2RS Clubsport platform.
VIR saw no shortage of incredible racing action, and a first-time winner emerged in race one, then came back to do it again in race two. Jeremy Fletcher swept the weekend! The second-year driver catapulted into the championship lead at VIR after his weekend sweep. Jeremy has been on the podium at almost every event this season. Even still, he had never won a race before, and getting two in a row marked a big shift in his momentum.
Jeremy Fletcher with a weekend sweep, winning both races, and a MOV of .061-second in Race 2!
With just the final round at Petit LeMans in October remaining, there’s a lot of anticipation for the next month before the $250,000 prize winner is crowned.
Even though the VIR weekend had wrapped up, the MX-5 Cup action wasn’t finished yet, as teams packed up and headed an hour west to Martinsville Speedway for the first sanctioned test on the famed Martinsville oval. IMSA announced this exciting endeavor with NASCAR recently, and this opportunity marks the first time most MX-5 Cup drivers have been on a traditional oval, let alone the famed Paper Clip!
The famed “Paper Clip.” What an iconic and historic place nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of southern Virginia!
The MX-5s took to the track incredibly well, and we had a successful test that included practice restarts with the NASCAR “choose rule,” where drivers pick the high lane or low lane depending on the stacked cars ahead of them. During the test, the cars completed nearly 4,000 laps during the afternoon and evening on the half-mile oval, totaling over 2,000 miles of running.
The test proved that the concept of racing MX-5 Cup cars on an oval is a valid one, and fans should be excited to see the race. It’s happening the weekend of Oct. 25-26 in conjunction with the Whelen Modified championship finale.
The race this October will be nothing less than a showstopper. Both MX-5 cup regulars and oval racing drivers will descend on Martinsville for a coveted grandfather clock trophy and $50,000 in prize-money payouts.