IMSA Michelin GT Challenge and ‘Virginia is for Racing Lovers’ Grand Prix to return Aug. 22– 24, 2025, to Historic Alton, VA Track for 25th Anniversary Celebration. Final Race to be broadcast live on three national television networks
DANVILLE, Va. (Aug 12, 2025) – VIRginia International Raceway is revving up for the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge & Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix, to be held from Friday, August 22, 2025, to Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Beginning Friday, August 22, 2025, fans from around the globe will once again rally at the historic track in Alton, VA to witness high-performance drivers battling for this year’s championship title. Five challenges will culminate with the flagship race, the Michelin GT Challenge, rocking the nation as everyone’s eyes will be focused on the fastest-growing series in motorsports.
This adrenaline-fueled weekend starts with practice laps and qualifying rounds early Friday morning and will continue throughout the weekend. The featured race of the will be the Michelin GT Challenge, which will take place on Sunday, August 24, from 2:10 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. and will be live broadcast on three national networks: USA, NBC, and Peacock. This is a live event and all race times are approximate and subject to shift based on evolving conditions and considerations.
Other weekend events will include:
• Virginia is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix – part of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series
• Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin – a signature spec for Mazda motorsports, where cars are deconstructed and transformed into racecars • Mustang Challenge – a race where drivers up to FIA silver ratings compete on a level playing field against other Mustang Dark Horse R cars
• VP Racing SportsCar Challenge – a multi-class sprint racing series including P3 prototypes and GT3 and GT4 production car racing
• Guest Karting on the VIR Track
• Live Musical Performances at the Oak Tree Tavern
• The Coca Cola Camping Contest – with $2,000 in participant prizes
Fans will enjoy exclusive, up-close experiences with both cars and drivers all weekend long—no extra passes required! The North Paddock will be open to foot traffic, giving attendees an insider’s look at the iconic machines and the teams that run them. Fan walks on Pit Road will be happening Saturday and Sunday, and autograph sessions are scheduled or Saturday from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
The National Anthem will once again be performed by Tazewell County native, Noah Spencer (Season 24 of NBC’s The Voice), and The Hitachi Energy Fireworks Extravaganza will take place Saturday evening. Spencer will also perform at Oak Tree Tavern throughout the weekend. Participants in the overnight Coca Cola Camping Contest must camp on-site from August 22-24 and fill out an entrance form to qualify. Participants can choose a theme or “make it random.”
“The momentum of IMSA and the excitement surrounding this event during our 25th anniversary year is really evident,” Connie Nyholm, VIR Co-Founder and CEO said. “IMSA is bringing in top teams and drawing spectators from around the globe to help us celebrate. It looks like we are going to have a really impressive turn out with lots of first-time spectators. I have no doubt it’s going to be an unforgettable weekend.”
All tickets for the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge and Virginia is for Racing Lovers weekend at VIRginia International Raceway are available now at www.virnow.com.
Car enthusiasts who want to gain access to special parking, parade laps, and shaded seating are invited to purchase advanced Car Corrals tickets, on sale now. (Tickets are limited to Corvette, BMW, Mustang, and Porsche Cars).
Limited tickets for the Oak Tree VIP Club Package are also available for purchase, which include top-tier amenities, an unobstructed view of the course, VIP private parking, and a catered lunch and open bar on Saturday and Sunday.
About VIRginia International Raceway
VIRginia International Raceway is one of America’s premier road courses, offering professional and amateur racing for modern and vintage classes while providing contemporary resort amenities. A prominent test facility for the automotive industry, VIR has the distinction of being named one of the top six courses in North America by Car and Driver Magazine, and southern roots and hospitality named it one of the friendliest. Conveniently located at the Virginia/North Carolina border, VIR is centrally located in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic with 15 million people within 150 miles.
This summer marks the 25th anniversary of VIRginia International Raceway’s re-birth in 2000. The anniversary is celebrated with its Summer of Racing, a season jam-packed with intense racing and cutting-edge cars. SRO GT World Challenge, MotoAmerica Superbikes, and IMSA Michelin GT Challenge are all highlighted in the 2025 summer schedule.
VIR’s historic full course is 3.27 miles and is known as a “bucket list” track for road racers all over the world. It features 130 feet of elevation change and 17 challenging curves, including the “climbing esses,” an iconic part of the course that is considered to be one of the most challenging in North America. Drivers typically reach top speeds of 190 miles per hour, and their bodies endure more than 2Gs of force.
The upcoming race weekend at VIRginia International Raceway includes various IMSA series races, car corrals, a skid pad, a kart track, and camping opportunities.
For more information, visit www.VIRnow.com, Facebook, or Twitter.
About the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The International Motorsports Association (IMSA) is the North American auto racing sanctioning body based in Daytona Beach, Florida. Owned by NASCAR, IMSA produces the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, its flagship North America-based series, which features a variety of race cars across multiple classes that compete at iconic tracks.
The championship features two styles of cars – Prototype, which showcases the latest automotive technology and is uniquely designed for the racetrack, and Grand Touring, which is based on road-going production models. IMSA also manages other racing series, including the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.
IMSA’s flagship series, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, competes at 11 of North America’s leading sports car venues. Competition takes place in four classes – Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), and GT Daytona (GTD) – and brings together renowned drivers with leading manufacturers for some of the world’s biggest sports car events, such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The current IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the result of a merger between Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series in 2014.
The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and features GTD Pro and GTD class cars. The Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix is part of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and features GS and TCR class cars.
Learn more at IMSA.com and join the conversation with #IMSA.
