I just wrapped up a busy and beautiful weekend at Virginia International Raceway for the annual IMSA round there. It seems like, every year, more and more fans come out for this incredible celebration of sports car racing. Despite it being late August, the weather was favorable, and we had cooler summer temperatures with sunny skies.
The real heat was to be found on the racetrack! Across all the IMSA series and classes, there was plenty of action and excitement for the fans, not just for those who were trackside but also for those who were tuning in to the broadcast.
I was at VIR in my role as series ambassador and coach for the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup series. This weekend’s event was the penultimate round before the finale at Road Atlanta’s Petit LeMans.
With the championship picture in full swing, the two races certainly did not disappoint. A new points leader emerged after Jeremy Fletcher swept both races during the weekend to catapult himself into the points lead going into the final round of the season. Not only did Jeremy sweep VIR this year, but last year he got his first two series wins at VIR, as well. That double win last year marked his first two victories in the series.
It might sound like a dominant performance for this year’s VIR round, but it was anything but, with multiple lead changes and tight racing up front throughout both of the 45-minute contests.
After a full weekend at VIR, the Mazda MX-5 Cup series headed to the famed Martinsville paperclip—only one hour’s drive west from VIR—for a test. The series will make its return to that historic short track once again this fall, during the NASCAR Cup Series weekend. It’s exciting to see the series returning to Martinsville, and it’s also a chance to race in front of a whole new audience of racing fans.
I had the opportunity to turn competitive laps at Martinsville once again, and it brought back great memories since I raced at the inaugural event last year, getting a top-five finish, and I’m looking to better my result this coming year. Stay tuned for more exciting details on that soon!