Wednesday, the second of three qualifying days, is underway at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) during the 60th running of SCCA’s National Championship Runoffs® taking place Sept. 23-Oct. 1, 2023, along the central border of Virginia and North Carolina.
VIR’s 18-turn, 3.27-mile circuit in Alton, VA, is the challenge again this year. Qualifying can be followed live, online at the Runoffs Live Timing/Scoring webpage where you’ll see an audio-only qualifying broadcast, as well as current and archived Timing/Scoring data from all on-track sessions.
Results, an event schedule, facility map, and much more can be found at the VIR Runoffs Event webpage button linked below.
Hawk “Brake-Through Performer” Wednesday
Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA® since 2003, amps up the action Wednesday with the Hawk “Brake-Through Performer” award. Drivers displaying the greatest qualifying position improvement within each of the 24 different car classes get a set of Hawk brake pads for race cars, tow rigs, or street cars.
For more than 25 years, championship winning drivers and teams have demanded Hawk Performance motorsports brake pads. The company leverages its experience on the track, and technology used in aerospace and the military, to make first-class products in the USA.
Hawk’s advanced technology is also available for daily cars, trucks, and SUVs thanks to Hawk Performance street products. With the LTS compound for SUVs and Jeeps, Super-Duty pads for tow vehicles, and brake fluids for both the street and the racetrack, Hawk has every braking need covered.
Hawk also stopped hundreds of Runoffs volunteers from hunger pains as the generous “Lunch Brake” provider of food and drink Wednesday.
Learn more about the Hawk Performance advantage by visiting HawkPerformance.com. And don’t forget to give Hawk a “like” on Facebook and Instagram.
The 4th Annual Charity Golf Cart Parade
Volunteers, teams, and drivers at the Runoffs are all business during the day. When the sun begins to set, however, the paddock takes on a whole different feel each year no matter where SCCA’s National Championship is held.
The party gets rolling, literally, at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, when colorful, crazy, decorated “floats” pull away from grid for the fourth annual Charity Golf Cart Parade, which also acts as a fundraiser for Lemons of Love – an organization with deep motorsports ties that provides care packages to people affected by cancer.
Anyone can join in the parade. All you need is some creativity, and a golf cart – and there’s no shortage of either this week at VIR. Register your “team” online, then swing by the SCCA Staff Office on the second floor of the Pagoda to pick up an official number for your tiny float.
How is this a fundraiser, you ask? Well, simply go to the online Charity Golf Cart Parade donation page and “vote” for your favorite cart by making a charitable contribution of between $10 and $100 – and be sure to enter the number of the golf cart you’re backing. Also, keep in mind you don’t have to be on site at VIR to cast your vote.
The team that raises the most money will be crowned the 2023 SCCA National Golf Cart Champion – which will kind of be the first champion crowned at this year’s Runoffs!
After leaving grid, the parade will trundle through the paddock so everyone can review the creativity and silliness for themselves. The route also takes participants in front of Victory Circle where announcers will offer up “expert” commentary and analysis. The Charity Golf Cart Parade will then end up at the Runoffs Block Party.
Don’t Skip Wednesday’s Block Party!
There are lots of great social gatherings at VIR during the National Championship Runoffs, but Wednesday evening’s Runoffs Block Party is perhaps the best. The super-casual affair, which is open to everyone on site at VIR, offers up an opportunity to hang around awesome race cars with hundreds of SCCA members who love having #funwithcars.
There’s no official start time for the end-of-day Runoffs Block Party. Just keep an eye out for delicious-smelling smoke rising from grills around the paddock, as that’s a sure sign things are cranking up. There could be as many as 10 “official” parties spread around the paddock, with some of the gatherings hosted by SCCA’s New England Region, the Prod racers, and more.
The best part of the Runoffs Block Party is there’s no obligation to stay put in one place. Cruise the paddock and chat with drivers, teams, workers, and fans. From party-to-party, you’ll meet up with old friends and make new ones. One tip: Bring a little cash with you. While the parties are free to attend, with plenty of beverages provided for free, some organizers ask for donations to help defray food costs, and some others use the party to raise funds for various charitable efforts. And thanks go to OG Racing, Goodyear, and Hawk for pitching in to make the parties perfect.
Join in the Party
You’ve got to be at the Runoffs to enjoy any of this, so now’s the time to get out to VIR and be part of the whole scene.
Runoffs spectator ticket prices are extremely reasonable for a motorsports event of this size. An all-event pass, which is good Sept. 22-Oct. 1, is only $70 at the entry gate, and includes parking and paddock access. Or if you’re an SCCA member, go to your Member Account Portal (MAP) at my.scca.com and purchase an all-event pass online through member benefits that includes a 20-percent discount.
Single-day admission is only $20 for qualifying Wednesday, as well as Thursday’s Tire Rack Pole Day. Hagerty Race Day tickets start at $35 per day, and military veterans receive a 50-percent discount. Active members of the military will receive free entry with valid documentation, and children 12-years old or younger are also admitted free with a paying adult.
Learn more at the VIR Runoffs ticket webpage.
Photo: GT-Lite racers Graham Fuller (No. 22) and Kenneth Berdine (No. 41) make their way around VIRginia International Raceway Wednesday during qualifying for the 2023 Runoffs.
Photo by Jay Bonvouloir
