– Past and Present Stock Car and Road Racing Driving Stars and the Nation’s Top Historic Stock Car Drivers Compete in Saturday’s Debut Doubleheader Driving Pristinely Restored Historic and Vintage NASCAR Stock Cars
– Stock Car Racing Legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty Scheduled to Visit VIR Friday Afternoon at the Petty’s Garage Hauler Area in the Main VIR Paddock
– Additional 2024 Events Include Watkins Glen International for the HSR NASCAR Classic at the NASCAR Go Bowling at the Glen, September 13 – 14, and the HSR NASCAR Classic at the NASCAR Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, October 11 – 12
DANVILLE, Virginia (August 23, 2024) – The HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage racing series debuts this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway with the HSR NASCAR Classic at the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge at VIR on Friday and Saturday. Today’s opening practice and qualifying sessions set the stage for Saturday’s doubleheader schedule of races at 8:50 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. EDT.
Open to stock cars that have been retired from active competition, the introduction of the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage is a direct response to the increasing popularity of HSR’s Group 8 Historic Stock Cars category with competitors and race fans alike. The entry list for this weekend’s inaugural event has attracted a pristine collection of Historic Stock Cars from the last two decades as well as some earlier examples both in competition and on display at VIR.
Past and present stock car and sports car racing notables such as Joe Nemechek, Mike Skeen and PJ Hyett compete this weekend alongside a lineup of top Historic Stock Car and road racing drivers including Ryan Gemmell, Larry Hoopaugh, Jeff McKee, Greg Richardson, Mike Slutz, Donnie Strickland, Rodney Reston, Chris Evans, Carlus Gann, Patrick Womack and Raymond Webb.
Even better, legendary NASCAR Champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty adds to the stout list of notables turning out for the inaugural NASCAR Classic event. “The King” is scheduled to arrive at VIR Friday afternoon to join his teammates at the Petty’s Garage hauler area in the main VIR paddock.
The Petty’s Garage presenting sponsorship is supported by a full presence in the VIR paddock and the team’s recently built and original 2006 Petty Enterprises Dodge Charger carrying the colorful Victory Junction paint scheme and No. 45. Skeen drives the Charger this weekend, which was last raced in its prime by Kyle Petty.
The Petty’s Garage NASCAR Classic partnership comes at a more than appropriate time as the legendary racing family marks its 75th Anniversary in 2024. The NASCAR Classic partnership adds an on-track competition component to the Petty Family Diamond Jubilee that has been celebrated all year.
Eligible NASCAR Classic stock cars include those built to previous NASCAR rule book specifications for Cup, Xfinity, Truck and ARCA competition. Current editions of the rules-eligible cars in each series, such as the Cup series Generation 7 chassis, are not eligible in NASCAR Classic competition.
The VIR HSR NASCAR Classic is the first time HSR has been part of an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race weekend. Spectator tickets for this weekend’s races are available at https://virnow.com/.
In addition to this weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Classic race, HSR Historic Stock Cars return to Watkins Glen for the second-straight year on NASCAR weekend, September 13 – 14, for the HSR NASCAR Classic at the Go Bowling at the Glen.
The other addition to the new series is the HSR NASCAR Classic at the NASCAR Bank of America ROVAL 400, October 11 – 12, which is HSR’s first appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
For more information on the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage, and HSR overall, please visit https://www.hsrrace.com/.
About HSR: Now an IMSA property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions 10 vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/
