Thirty Plus Stock Cars And Gt-1's @ Vir

[Bosco]

We had more than thirty stock cars and Trans Am/ GT-1 types at Virginia International Raceway this past weekend. Included were Bob Schacht of ARCA who brought out his brand new ARCA road race car. Bob put on a show with his 800 plus-plus hp stocker,also Lee Arnold in an ex Boris Said South West Tour car, Speed Channel Touring Mazda Factory Driver Chip Herr in an ex Gary St Amant ASA car (Chip will be in an ARCA car at the New Jersey road race). The track has 17 turns and 130 ft of elevation change and a 4000 ft straight in a park like setting. On the grounds are condo's with race shops below, a hotel, a beautiful 1800's farm house that is now a top flight restaurant and tavern, a one mile go kart course and more. The 3.27 mile course is located on something like 1200 acres just outside Danville, VA.
Very-Very Cool.

[Bosco]

MACHAVERN BESTS HUGE FIELD AT V.I.R.


A race win anywhere is sweet, but it has to be just a bit sweeter to win one at VIR., the beautiful, fast, twisting circuit on the banks of the Dan River, just outside historic, Danville, Virginia. The esses, the incredible elevation changes, the high speed sweepers, all give the track a character rarely found. Charlotte, Vermont's Dave Machavern sounded confident before the race, as he had practiced well, and qualified on the outside pole, next to VIR "hotshoe" Scott Murphy. Murphy, a race winner a year ago, is always tough to beat here in his C5 Corvette. Machavern, once again had his car builder, mentor and former Grand Am Co-Champ Tommy Riggins on hand for support.

Some fifty two big bore cars took the green, with more than thirty participating in the three V8 StockCar classes. Murphy, led into turn one with Machavern on his tail, they headed up the esses, with their small block chevy's screaming that sweet song. At turn sixteen of lap one, Murphy made an uncharacteristic mistake, over cooking it and going off. Machavern quickly assumed command, one that he would not relinquish. Now in second overall was the suprisingly fast V8 SPO entry of Rich Koehler, who was setting a new class record about every other lap. Ron Fariss, of Lynchburg, Virginia, a veteran of may wars at VIR was running in third overall and first in the V8 GTA class in his late model type Monte Carlo. Kenny Liesfeld in his V8 GTA Monte Carlo, was keeping the pressure on Fariss.

Lee Arnold and ARRC champ Bryan Dobyn's were having a great race with Bob Davis keeping them honest. Charging up into the top ten overall midway through the race was Naples, Florida racer Paul Breehne in his V8 SPO car that was fresh from the prep shop at Tommy Riggins Engineering. Breehne found the new setup to his liking and the first year racer was having his best race to date. Scott Murphy, down two laps as a result of his spin was still entertaining the crowd as he charged through the field running some very quick laps. On lap eight, Paul Breehne's motor started making some ugly noises and he parked his blue racer ending his charge. On lap nine, Rich Koehler got in some oil deposited by a backmarker and was launched off track, sending corner workers scurrying when his car ended up nearly in their station.

Machavern, now running just fast enough to keep his concentration, was unthreatened to the end, and took the checker well ahead of second overall, and first in the V8 GTA class, Ron Fariss.

"Wild Man" Kenny Liesfeld entertained everyone with his slideways style and came home third overall and second in V8 GTA. Lee Arnold got the V8 SPO win and finished fourth overall, with Baucom Racing's Doug Sanders garnering second in the class in his ex Nextel Cup car.

Complete results are at www.V8StockCar.com
The V8 StockCar group heads back to Sebring, June 6 & 7 running with the Central Florida Region SCCA. Another large field is expected, including Roebling V8 GT-1 winner Bill Riddell, V8 SPO winner and track record holder Charles Wicht, 2007 V8 GTA Champ Jay Marshall and more.

The V8 StockCar series thanks the North Carolina Region SCCA for their outstanding job hosting the Al Fairer SARRC races and the management at VIR for providing such an outstanding, world class facility with the most helpful and courteous staff.

V8 StockCar also thanks its' partners: SCCA, North Carolina Region, HRP, Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold, DRP, RaceCar Engineering, Roehrig- Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports, FiveStar, Howe, RacingJunk.com, and Racing Limo's