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United States · Alton

VIR

A 3.27-mile rollercoaster through the Virginia hills: the Climbing Esses, the ghost of the Oak Tree and a lap of blind crests that has earned VIR a place among America's great road courses.

Length
5.262 km
3.27 mi
Turns
17
Direction
Clockwise
Elevation change
40 m
130 ft
In use
1957-present

Virginia International Raceway

Virginia International Raceway opened on August 3, 1957 on rolling farmland at Alton, Virginia, near Danville. After decades dark, the land spent years as cow pasture, the circuit was painstakingly restored and reopened in March 2000, and today ranks among the finest road courses in the United States. The Full Course runs clockwise for 3.270 mi (5.262 km) over seventeen turns, with about 130 ft (40 m) of elevation change and straights of 3,000 and 4,000 feet linking a lap of blind crests and sweeping, connected bends.

The Climbing Esses

VIR’s identity is the Climbing Esses (Turns 7–9), the signature sequence and, by common account, the most exciting feature of the course. The cars climb the hillside through a rapid run of alternating bends, each cresting near its apex so the car goes light over the rises: a section that rewards rhythm, minimal steering input over the hilltops and absolute trust in the camber.

Oak Tree, the Roller Coaster and Hog Pen

Turn 11 is still called Oak Tree for the lone oak that stood on its outside until it was removed in 2012; the corner feeds the long back straight, making it one of the most important on the lap. The Roller Coaster (Turn 14) crests a hill and is often likened to a scaled-down mirror of Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew, while NASCAR Bend (Turn 3), a tricky decreasing-radius left, carries its name from the trouble it gave Richard Petty, David Pearson and Wendell Scott in a 1966 Trans-Am race. The lap closes through the Snake and the fast downhill Hog Pen (Turn 17), the final right-hander that fires the cars back onto the front straight.

Corner-by-corner

  • T1

    Turn 1

    • Right

    A long right-hander at the end of the 3,000 ft front (pit) straight, entered very fast under heavy braking; positioning here sets up the run to Turn 2.

  • T2

    Turn 2

    • Right

    A short connector between the fast Turn 1 entry and the braking zone for NASCAR Bend.

  • T3

    NASCAR Bend

    • Left

    A tricky, decreasing-radius left-hander, named after the trouble Richard Petty, David Pearson and Wendell Scott had here during a 1966 Trans-Am race; the 2014 repave made it noticeably faster.

  • T4

    Turn 4

    • Left

    A slow, tight left-hander used to set up entry to the Snake.

  • T5

    The Snake

    • Chicane

    The opening of a flowing, alternating left-right complex over cambered surfaces, one of VIR's most rhythmic sections, leading into the run up to the Climbing Esses.

  • T6

    Turn 6

    The exit of the Snake complex, releasing the cars toward the foot of the Climbing Esses.

  • T7

    Climbing Esses

    • Left

    The first of VIR's signature sequence: an uphill left that crests at the apex before flowing into the next esse; the Climbing Esses are the most exciting feature of the course.

    The Climbing Esses are the corner sequence VIR is best known for: a rapid series of alternating bends that climb the hillside, each cresting near its apex so the car goes light over the rises. Drivers carry minimal steering input over the hilltops and trust the camber; getting the rhythm right sets up the whole second half of the lap toward South Bend and Oak Tree.

  • T8

    Climbing Esses

    • Left

    The middle of the Climbing Esses: a left that again crests at the apex and drops slightly before the final rise.

  • T9

    Climbing Esses

    • Right

    The top of the Climbing Esses: a final right that crests onto the plateau before South Bend.

  • T10

    South Bend

    • Left

    A fast, cresting, blind left-hander that finishes in a steep downhill plunge. Entry positioning from track-right is critical.

  • T11

    Oak Tree

    • Right

    An uphill, on-camber right-hander named for the lone oak that once stood on its outside; the tree was removed in 2012 but the corner keeps the name. Among the slowest corners on the lap, it feeds the long back straight, so a patient, clean exit is critical for lap time.

  • T12

    Turn 12

    • Right

    A fast right-hander completing the Oak Tree complex, taken with a late apex to maximise speed onto the 4,000 ft back straight; the exit runs downhill and off-camber.

  • T13

    Turn 13

    • Left

    An uphill left at the end of the back straight, taken over significant elevation gain before the Roller Coaster.

  • T14

    Roller Coaster

    • Right

    A right-hander cresting a hill, often likened to a scaled-down mirror image of Laguna Seca's Corkscrew; the elevation change demands trail-braking over the crest.

  • T15

    Turn 15

    • Left

    A downhill left-hander dropping off the Roller Coaster toward the Hog Pen sequence.

  • T16

    Turn 16

    • Left

    A quick left-hander leading into Hog Pen; taken using the full width of the track with a late apex to carry speed into the final corner.

  • T17

    Hog Pen

    • Right

    The fast, downhill final right-hander that releases the cars onto the front straight; a clean, committed exit is decisive for the run past start/finish.