SCC: VIR: Notes of interest, schedule

ALTON, Va. (September 30, 2003) -- Grand American Road Racing Association will return to Virginia International Raceway this weekend for round 11 of the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series - the VIR 400 - on Sunday, October 5, and round 10 of the Grand-Am Cup Series - the 3 Hours of VIR - on Saturday, October 4.

Television Coverage
Rolex Series VIR 400
Same-Day Tape Delay on SPEED Channel
October 5th, 4 p.m. ET - 7 p.m. ET

Grand-Am Cup Series 3 Hours of VIR
Tape Delay on SPEED Channel
October 11th, 1 p.m. ET - 3 p.m. ET

Websites
Zippo Live Timing & Scoring available free of charge for all practice and qualifying sessions and races on the official Grand American website - www.grandamerican.com. Media photos and results will be available on the Grand American media-specific website at www.grandamerican.com/media (not for public use)

Tickets
Tickets start at $10 for Friday's practice sessions, and a three-day super ticket is available for $50. Tickets information is available on Virginia International Raceway's website at www.virclub.com. Advance tickets can be purchased from:

Danville Welcome Center, 645 River Park Drive, Danville, VA 24540, 434 773-8160, 8am-8pm, 7days a week.

Piedmont Mall (Customer Service Desk), 325 Piedmont Drive, Danville, VA 24540, 434 792-0400, 7 days a week.

Auto Wash Express, 4810 Signett Drive, Raleigh, NC 27616, 919 855-0000 Euro Specialty, 3346 Shenandoah Ave., Roanoke, VA 24017, 540 343-7955

Schedule Highlights

Friday, October 3
3:10 PM - Grand-Am Cup Qualifying

Saturday, October 4
1:00 PM - Rolex Series Qualifying
3:00 PM - Grand-Am Cup 3 Hours of VIR (3-hour time limit)

Sunday, October 5
12:30 PM - Rolex Series VIR 400 (400-km/77-laps/2 3/4-hour time limit)

Rolex Series Points Race
With this weekend's VIR races the last stop before heading to Daytona for the Grand American Champions Weekend presented by Brumos Porsche, the battle for the points championships will be on everyone's minds.

Red Bull drivers David Donohue and Mike Borkowski hold an eight-point lead over Bell Motorsports driver Terry Borcheller in the race to the first-ever Daytona Prototypes championship. The two teams have battled for the lead on the track and in the points for most of the season, and VIR will be critical in their quests to be champion.

Ferrari of Washington drivers Cort Wagner and Brent Martini lead in the Rolex Series GT driver standings with a 15-point advantage over Marcus Motorsports drivers Brian Cunningham and Hugh Plumb. Heritage Motorsport drivers Tommy Riggins and Dave Machavern can clinch the GTS driver champion at VIR.

Four-time Porsche Supercup Champ Joins Local Team
Patrick Huisman, a four-time Porsche Supercup champion, will join Darren Law at the wheel of the G&W Motorsports BMW-powered Picchio DP2 Daytona Prototype for the VIR 400. The team, based at VIR, is coming off a strong third-place finish in the 6 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant and is looking to continue its momentum at its home track.

Huisman, of The Netherlands, has been competing since 1988. After starting in touring cars, he was German Porsche Carrera Cup rookie of the year in 1992. His breakthrough year was in 1997, when he won his first of four consecutive Porsche Supercups.

One of the world's premier road racing talents, Hurley Haywood, will serve as grand marshal for the VIR 400 over the weekend of October 3-5, and the Brumos Racing team, for which he drives and has driven since 1971, will also be honored.

Haywood to Serve as Grand Marshal
Hurley Haywood will not only be racing in the VIR 400, but will also serve as its Grand Marshall. The driver of the No. 59 Porsche Daytona Prototype is the most accomplished American sports car racer in history, having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, the Rolex 24 At Daytona five times and the 12 Hours of Sebring twice.

One of Haywood's earliest professional racing accomplishments came at VIR in 1971, when he and the late Peter Gregg teamed up to win the inaugural IMSA GT race in a Brumos Racing Porsche 914-6 GT. Haywood went on to capture the season championship. The following year the duo again won at VIR in a Brumos Porsche 911, and a second consecutive series title followed.

Brumos Racing will also have its VIR- and IMSA championship-winning 1971 Porsche 914-6 GT and 1972 Porsche 911 on display throughout the event weekend and will participate in a lap of honor prior to the start of the VIR 400.

-garra-