Driving through the heavily tree-lined gates of Virginia International Raceway, there’s a real mixture of emotions churning inside me.
Firstly, of awe. If you’ve never been to VIR, you may not know what a truly special racetrack it is. It sits inside an expansive 1300-acre estate located on the Virginia-North Carolina border. With an ‘old-school’ quality, almost Spa-esque, it’s surrounded by forest. But unlike the depths of the Ardennes, VIR’s complex has a hotel, a pub set in the original property owner’s house, and luxury private lodges with views of the famous Esses – people don’t just want to drive here, they want to live here.
It’s mid-July, which means early morning mists give way to thunderstorms in the afternoon, adding to the drama of the place. It’s through that first-light mist that I get sight of the pitlane lined with Formula 4 cars, and my awe for the place gives way to anxious excitement; today I’m here to learn how to drive a single-seater racing car for the first time.
I’ve been invited by the legendary Skip Barber Racing School to try out their three-day race
