VIR - Quotes from Drivers

From Carroll Shelby, 1957
"One lap here is like 100 at Watkins Glen"

Virginia International Raceway History 1957-74
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From 1969 Entry Forms

• "With Bridgehampton, America's best road track for distinguishing driver ability" - Bill Scott, Royale FF
• "Great track -as good as any in the east" - Chuck Shroedel, Brabham FC
• "Second to none as a competitive course" - Rich Lamb, McNamara FV
• "Beautiful track, wish I had a faster car for that straight." Jim Harrison, AH Sprite
• "Excellent course, love to drive it" - Erwin Lorincz, Triumph
• "Great course - good variety in speeds, grades, turns, etc." - Bob Turgeon, Sprite
• "My favorite high speed course" - Nick Craw, Brabham BT-29
• "Best track ever driven in U.S. Comparable to the Nurburgring." - Roger Barr, Crossle FF
• "One of the best road courses in the country" - Harvey Templeton, Ringwraith FV
• "I enjoy this course. It's a real driver's course." - Charles Reynolds, Sprite
• "One of the finest courses in U.S. Only wish I lived closer." - W. Matzew, Lotus Cortina
• "Very challenging and interesting" - Karl Day, Beach FV

After track closed (thanks to Gordon Warren)

• "With proper surface and width, VIR could've been the best race course in the country, surpassing Elkhart. I would've like to race the Jaguar there." - Bob Tullius, 1975
• "…found VIR an interesting race track that was a driver's type of course between the likes of Lime Rock and Road Atlanta." - Bob Sharp, 1976
• "I must say it was what I would call one of the most challenging courses in the U.S. I always enjoyed driving the course and as I recall I had some success there. Yes, my first drive in the Cobra was at VIR. What I remember most at VIR was one year the rain came that was absolutely frustrating. It was so bad that it was a 1st gear crawl all away around the course. I think most everyone stopped and the only reason I didn't was because I was leading at the time." - Bob Holbert, 1975
• "Outbraking a competitor going into turn two on the inside, a perfect drift through NASCAR Bend, diving late into four to set up for the following right-hander, establishing the right rhythm through the esses at the Coke Bridge, feeling the steering go light as you apex at nine, the apprehension of a clear track as you crest through ten, accelerating out of Oak Tree, the whine of the engine straining for RPMs at the end of the back straight, braking for the right-hander into the downhill esses, coming out full bore at Hog Pen; the euphoria of a well-driven lap at VIR is an experience that drivers share in a special way with one another and no one else. Like an intense and gratifying love affair the marriage of driver, car, and course produces an intimate experience beyond words and description. VIR was a mistress to be tamed by the union of car and driver comparable to no other. She will be remembered particularly by her drivers in that special way reserved for the satisfaction of a first true love." - Carl Zorowski, 1975

please send me e-mail with any additional info on this or any other VIR History subject