A Company of 
VIR preview
ALTON, Va. – Co-drivers Michael Johnson and Stephen Simpson and the JDC-Miller Motorsports team will look to get back on track this weekend when they race at the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.
“I’m very excited to be back at Virginia International Raceway,” said Johnson. “I haven’t had good success here yet, but I hope we change that this weekend. Coming off a disappointing finish at the last race, it’s our time to shine this weekend!”
The race goes green at 2:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 24 and will be streamed live on IMSA.tv with IMSA Radio commentary. The broadcast airs Friday, Aug. 30 at 10 p.m. on NBCSN.
“Michael and I are ready for this weekend at VIR,” said Simpson. “Our JDC-Millersports guys have done a great job preparing the car for us, making sure we are ready for a good weekend. VIR is typically a tough race because it is so hot and humid and we have had rain the last couple of years over the course of the weekend. Whatever the conditions, we will adapt. Our goal is to be on the podium at the end.”
In 2018, Johnson and Simpson earned a fourth-place finish at VIR in the Biscuitville Grand Prix, as the race was known last season.
Earlier this month, at the Road America 120 in Elklhart Lake, Wis., the efforts of Johnson and Simpson were hampered by mechanical issues near the outset of the race that ultimately spoiled the day.
Located on the Virginia-North Carolina border, VIRginia International Raceway was recently selected as one of Car and Driver Magazine’s top six road courses in the nation. The 3.27-mile track is notable for its uphill Esses and sharp elevation changes, making it not only a fan and driver favorite but also established it as a prominent testing facility for the automotive industry.
The weather forecast on race day in Alton is calling for mostly cloudy conditions with temperatures in the mid-to-high 70s. Winds will be from the northeast at 7 mph.
The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge ventures next to the West Coast to the 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. on Sept. 13-15 for the ninth and penultimate round of the season. The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 goes green on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 5:55 p.m. ET and can be streamed live on IMSA.tv with IMSA Radio commentary.