VIR - 1957 October Pre-Race Report
Virginia International Raceway - October 26-27, 1957
Danville Bee 10/25/57
Tests at Airport to Open Sports Car Weekend
Trials To Follow Tomorrow; Full Day Of Racing Sunday
Sports cars from throughout America - an estimated million dollars worth of them - were converging on Danville today for their major event of the year, the President's Cup Race at VIR on Sunday.
Virtually all of the drivers, their mechanics, timers and followers will be in the area by nightfall in preparation for the start of activities tomorrow.
The public will get an opportunity for a "free look" at the machines and men in action tomorrow morning as each vehicle is given a safety inspection at the Danville airport starting at 8 a.m.
For the Inaugural VIR event several weeks ago, this check-up at the airport was kept out of the limelight in order that it could be set up properly. President Ed Kemm said today that the public will be permitted to "come out and get a preview."
In these tests, experienced mechanics and officials make certain that each car is safe for the gruelling road races. One of the "eye-catchers" is the test in which brakes are applied on the speeding car - without hands on the steering wheel - to make certain there is no "pull".
Safety inspections at the airport will be completed by noon. Those being approved early will gather at the VIR track near Milton for practice runs and time trials starting at 11 a.m. tomorrow. These runs around the 3.2-mile course will continue until dusk. A small admission is charged for the practice runs and time trials tomorrow - which to the avid fan are just as interesting as the race itself.
All races are scheduled for Sunday, starting at 10 a. m. and ending soon after 5 p.m. when the President's Cup will be awarded the winner of the feature event. I
Unlike the sprint-type races for the inaugural, the four Sunday events are distance tests. The first race at 10 a.m. will last 45 minutes - for smaller models. An hour's race at 11 a.m. will be followed by a 90-minute feature for larger cars starting at 12:30. Nearly 200 miles of racing will be crammed into the two and one-half hours feature event starting at 2:30.
The Washington Region Sports Car Club of America again will direct the events here. Arrangements will be checked at various meetings at the Hotel Danville headquarters tonight.
A check of late entries indicated today that approximately 100 top-flight sports cars will participate - enough to insure keen competition in all classes without the track becoming so crowded speeds would have to be reduced.
And there was word that at least two other D-type Jaguars….[missing from copy]
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