Rent a Track Car at VIR | Virginia International Raceway

Paul Newman called VIR "heaven on earth." That's either the greatest endorsement a racetrack has ever received or a very weird thing to say about rural Virginia. Having driven it, we're going with the former.

Virginia International Raceway is one of the oldest and most respected road courses in the country, and it's also one of the best places to rent a track car in the Southeast. Hot Lap Rentals is building the platform to connect you with track-prepped rental cars at VIR events.

The Track

VIR's Full Course is 3.27 miles with 17 turns and 130 feet of elevation change. The track opened in 1957, making it one of America's first purpose-built permanent road racing circuits. Carroll Shelby won the feature race on opening weekend. The layout has barely changed since — because when you get it right the first time, you leave it alone.

Two massive straights define the pace. The front straight (about 3,000 feet) is where the highest speeds happen, fed by the fast exit out of Hog Pen (Turn 17). The back straight stretches even longer at roughly 4,000 feet, following the slower exit from Oak Tree (Turn 11).

In between, you've got named corners with real personality: the Snake, the Spiral, the Fish Hook, the Bitch (yes, that's the actual name — and yes, it earned it). NASCAR Bend got its name after Richard Petty, David Pearson, and Wendell Scott all had trouble there during a 1966 Trans Am race.

VIR offers six different track configurations, and two can run simultaneously. The Full Course is the headliner, but the North Course (2.25 miles) and South Course (1.65 miles) each have their own character. The Patriot Course (1.1 miles) sits entirely inside the Full Course for smaller events.

The whole facility sits on 1,300 acres along the Virginia-North Carolina border. On-site lodging, a restaurant, a kart track, and even a shooting range. It's less "go to a track day" and more "spend a weekend at a motorsport resort."

Rental Cars at VIR

VIR hosts HPDE and track day events nearly year-round, run by organizations like Chin Track Days, NASA, SCCA, and various club groups. Kaizen Autosport — based at VIR — operates one of the most established arrive-and-drive programs in the country with a fleet of formula and prototype cars.

Hot Lap Rentals is expanding our network of track car owners and rental partners at VIR. If you're interested in renting a track car at VIR through our platform, get on the list and we'll notify you as inventory becomes available for upcoming events.

In the meantime, check our vehicle listings page for cars currently available at JZILLA Track Days events at Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, and Atlanta Motorsports Park — all within driving distance of VIR and part of the same Southeast track day circuit.

How It Works

1. Browse — Check available cars and events on our platform
2. Inquire — Tap "Contact Owner" on the car you want
3. Talk it out — You and the owner agree on terms directly
4. Sign — Digital rental contract on your phone. Review, sign, 2 minutes
5. Drive — Show up, walk-around, go learn the Snake

Hot Lap Rentals handles the paperwork. The rental agreement is between you and the car owner, generated and signed digitally through our platform.

Insurance — Non-Negotiable

Your personal auto policy does not cover track driving. VIR's full course at 3.27 miles with 130 feet of elevation is not a parking lot autocross — the speeds are real and the consequences of an off are expensive.

If you're renting a track car, get track day insurance. Hagerty, Traction Insurance, OpenTrack, and Lockton Motorsports all offer event-specific policies. Read our track day insurance guide.

Getting There

Virginia International Raceway 1245 Pine Tree Road Alton, VA 24520

VIR is in rural southern Virginia, near Danville, close to the North Carolina border. It's about a 4-hour drive from both Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The nearest regional airports are in Danville (DAN) and Greensboro, NC (GSO).

The remoteness is part of the appeal. There's no traffic noise, no neighborhood complaints, no curfews on most days. You're in the Virginia countryside, at a facility built for driving. It's a genuine motorsport resort — bring your family, make a weekend of it.

Ready?

Browse available track cars →

See the full event calendar →

Get notified when VIR rentals go live →