VIRginia Int'l Raceway Race Recap and Video
This past weekend International GT celebrated its 10th anniversary of racing at VIRginia International Raceway on the North Carolina/Virginia border. The 3.27 mile course with its elevation changes and sweeping esses served up some excellent racing.
The weather was hot and sunny each day but, as will happen in the Dan River area, Sunday we faced a 90 minute delay as the heavy fog rolled in and then back out again.
Click on the above photo from Sunday morning to see a video of the fog clearing and the start of a great enduro race.
2025 Championship Round 9 - VIR
Led by JASON CRAVER #111 in his Lamborghini Super Trofeo, the North Carolina based racer joined about 1/3 of the field in calling VIR their home track. Jason was untouchable out in front of the field winning all races on the weekend in the Exhibition category.
Sprint Race 1 started out with a bit of spinning up front. Once the dust settled and everyone was successfully back on track, CLIFF CAYER #08 Matrix Motorsports, took his first ever International GT win! Congratulations Cliff!! Cayer would also stand on the podium in Sprint Race 3, in third place.
REG WILLIAMS #008 Goldcrest Motorsports, made an incredible comeback from the early race 1 scuffle to finish second and then went on to dominate the GT4.R category winning the other two sprints and the enduro. Late in race 1, series regular and traditionally Reg’s nemesis, TOM PANK #42 Ultra Performance, could not avoid WOODY WHICHARD #212 Matrix Motorsports, after Woody very unexpectedly suffered a tire failure. Thankfully Tom had his back-up car on hand, an Audi R8 which he raced the remainder of the weekend in the Exhibition class.
Meanwhile the Matrix Motorsports crew put in a herculean effort staying at the track until 2am to make the necessary repairs to Woody’s car so he could compete in the remainder of the weekend’s races. Mounting a great comeback, Woody finished second in Sprint Race 2 and thanks to our friends at Pirelli was awarded with a set of race tires.
Not to be outdone, Goldcrest Motorsports also put in a long night to get TROY PETERSEN #272 back on track after the Friday race. Troy had a strong run finishing just off the podium in the sprint races and he and co-driver OWEN TRINKLER stood on the podium in second for Sunday’s enduro.
LUKAS PANK #40 Ultra Performance, had a solid weekend stepping onto the podium in all four races with a second and three third place finishes. Also in the GT4.R category for the sprint races, JOHN BOYETTE #11A, another Matrix Motorsports teammate, took second in Sprint Race 2. John’s designation changed to Exhibition for the enduro which he shared with BRUNO CARNEIRO with the pair finishing second to Craver.
To finish the Exhibition category, the series welcomed back CAMERON McINTYRE #8 in his KTM race car. Cameron took a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds in his return to International GT competition.
Things were far more straight forward in the remainder of the field. In GT4.0, Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy points leader G. MICHAEL MERRITT #898 Charles Wicht Racing, won two of the sprint races and finished runner up in the third. He and EVAN SLATER teamed up to win the enduro.
BOB WISEN #27 had an excellent weekend with four podium finishes, including a second in Sprint Race 1.
We saw winning sweeps in the other two GT categories. Father/son duo ERIC and LIAM GRAY #991 joined the Matrix Motorsports gang at VIR (and we hear going forward) to race their GT3.8. The Gray’s wisely took advantage of the unique International GT offering, doubling up and racing with SVRA on the weekend along with International GT. Eric raced all the IGT sprints, while son Liam raced the same car in SVRA Group 10. The two joined forces in the IGT enduro, taking wins in all the IGT events.
BRIAN NORMAN #41 returned to International GT competition after last seeing him at our Road Atlanta event in March. Brian took his GT3.6 race car to wins in the three sprint races.
Moving to Stuttgart Cup we last saw MIKE WARD #07 Ultra Performance, at Road America back in May where he had an off-track excursion which left him sidelined for a bit but he came back with a vengeance in his 4 liter Cayman at VIR winning all four races on the weekend withstanding great pressure from the two racers locked in a tight battle for the championship.
KURT KROPP #641 Extreme Velocity Motorsports, returned to competition after having to miss the Watkins Glen round and gained valuable points finishing second in every race, just in front of TOM KIRK #22 A ZOTZ Racing, who rounded out the podium in the three sprint races. Tom shared the enduro with ZOTZ boss RON ZITZA finishing with another third.
We were thrilled to have our 2023 Stuttgart Cup Champion MARIA MEJIA #11 Quirt Racing, back in IGT competition. In addition to running things at a major corporation in Texas, Maria is working on a PhD from Clemson University (too bad she’s such an underachiever 
). With her time spread so thin already, racing has taken a bit of a backseat, however she returned to her winning ways at VIR, sweeping the CAY3.8 category!
In one month we will race our penultimate event of the season, with the series debut at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. We have been looking forward to racing for the first time at the incredible facility with its unmatched motorsports museum and one-of-a-kind art sculptures around the racing circuit.
IGT Debut at Barber October 17-19
We’re excited to finally be racing at the iconic Barber Motorsports Park in just a few weeks. Registration is open and the provisional event schedule is posted. This will be a three day event so the schedule is a bit different than usual but really great times for the International GT sessions. Click on the Barber logo to link. Contact Julie@ParellaMotorsports.com or (770)380-7770 with any questions.
Flagtronics Requirement
International GT has partnered with Flagtronics for the best in on-track safety. Starting at the Watkins Glen race in September Flagtronics will be required for all International GT entrants. Click on the Flagtronics logo to link to their site for more information and to purchase the system. If you have any questions email: sales@flagtronics.com
Chris Green Photography
Chris Green is the official photographer for International GT and available for competitor’s photography as well. Contact Chris at chrisgreenimages@gmail.com.
To see the race photo galleries click on the photo to link to Chris’s website.
Pirelli Tire Orders
Pirelli is the exclusive tire for International GT and must be purchased through Frisby Tires. Click on the Pirelli logo to link to Frisby to order tires. Please be sure to order tires well in advance of the events. Frisby will be at each track to support International GT participants. Any questions call (800)798-7201..
Marketplace
This space is available for International GT participants to market any race cars, equipment and/or transporters you are trying to sell. Contact Julie@ParellaMotorsports.com to post a listing. Please send photos and details for item(s) you are selling.