If you’re going to compete in any ChampCar Endurance Series event, the VIR 24-Hour Classic at Virginia International Raceway is the one to do. It’s the only 24-hour race on the series calendar, and the RVA Graphics Motorsports team was excited to take on this exceptional challenge.

We rolled into the paddock at VIR with high hopes. Our two BMW E30s were in top form, and everyone was excited about showing exactly what we could do. Both cars started the race mid-pack, and as soon as the green flag flew, they were moving forward.

Austin Dodge started the #411 BMW, and after the first two hours of the race, he had the car inside the top five. Travis Litchford took over from there, and he dug even deeper into the top five while turning some of the fastest, most consistent times of his career.

Will Robusto was up next in the #411, and he continued the drive forward—all the way forward. By the time he pitted, the car was in the lead. Chris Huggins hung onto that lead and began to build a comfortable gap ahead of second place, thanks to a combination of superb driving and an expert pit strategy. After Chris pitted, Alex Albert got behind the wheel to continue the charge.

Unfortunately, disaster struck just shy of 10 hours when a hole in the oil pan ended the race early for the #411 RVA Graphics Motorsports BMW and its stable of drivers. Even a two-lap lead is no match for an oil leak.

With that car out of the race, that left any podium hopes squarely on the shoulders of the #311 BMW’s drivers. Veteran RVA Graphics Motorsports driver Charles Reed took the start in that car, moving into the top ten during the opening stint. He turned the car over to young talent Taylor Harcum, who was able to maintain position even while still learning the nuances of the VIR circuit.

Sandy Wiggins was the third driver up, and Jon Norton and Tyler Marsh rounded out the driver lineup for the #311 entry. However, they had help from the now-retired Chris, Austin, and Will, who all jumped in for a stint during the night.

The hard work overnight paid off, and when dawn came, we were able to push into the top three. 

Chris Huggins was responsible for getting the #311 to the finish line, and even after so many hours of racing, it was his strongest stint of the weekend. He set the fastest lap with just three laps to go, and he made up 1:17 in the last couple hours to come home a slim 0.75-second behind second place. It’s wild that after 24 hours of racing, the difference between second and third was less than one second!

The whole team showed amazing chemistry and teamwork throughout the event, and the amount of effort put in by everyone was unmeasurable. We overcame some adversity and made good decisions to come away with a podium. 

Donnie Girard’s leadership and pit strategy was instrumental in the third-place finish, and the crew—Ringo, Jason, Jake, Teo, and Terrell—kept the cars going, stop after stop. Knowing when to pit is critical in these events, and our strategy really played out perfectly for this race. 

RVA Graphics gave us a wonderful opportunity to go racing. A 24-hour race is a difficult, emotional experience, but it’s also one of the most exciting, gratifying things you can do! To be able to put our drivers, crew and cars through a 24-hour test like this takes a group effort, and we’re so proud of everyone’s contribution to our success.

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