Last year's merger of Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series created the Tudor United SportsCar Championship. Virginia International Raceway was selected for one of the 12 races in the 2014 season, and the only one in the mid-Atlantic.

Racing included a combined GT LeMans/GT Daytona race and a Prototype Challenge race. Other action included the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Maserati Trofeo World Series in its only U.S. race. The featured races were Saturday's Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge and Sunday’s Tudor United SportsCar Championship races.

While the events at VIR are centered on racing, there is much more to see and do.

The Porscheplatz tent events included the Team Falken Tire driver meet and greet; Ingram family preview of a new book, "Porsche Unexpected: Discoveries in Collecting" by Randy Leffingwell, Cam Ingram and Michael Furman; Michelin Technical Presentation; and Porsche Cars North America driver meet and greet. Bob Ingram, the grand marshal of the Tudor race, also brought two cars from his collection — a beautiful Carrera GTS (904) that was parked beside the Porscheplatz tent and a Carrera GT that led the Porsche parade laps.

A Porsche 904 from the Ingram collection outside the Porscheplatz tent.

In spite of wet and sometimes threatening weather, PCA members and Porsche owners gathered inside the Porscheplatz tent to watch the action on the track and on TV. Fortunately there was no rain, and there were a few breaks in the clouds, especially Sunday afternoon.

PCA President Manny Alban was there to guide the event, and Zone 2 representative Cheryl Taylor did a fantastic job organizing the Porscheplatz along with PCA member volunteers making this Porscheplatz another success at VIR. Since VIR is the home track of Blue Ridge Region, several members were volunteers at the Porscheplatz. Blue Ridge Region President Dan DeHart and his team, and members of other regions worked to keep activities organized.

Another event activity is the Hot Pit Experience, in which you are escorted behind the pit wall to watch a pit stop during an actual race. IMSA tour leader Diezel Lodder escorted us during the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race, and I watched two pit stops.

From behind the pit wall, it was an interesting experience watching the teams in action. During the pit stop of the Mitchum Motorsports BMW there was a sign indicating that pit was used by the Porsche No. 911 in the Tudor race (see sign above the crewman's helmet). It was interesting to watch the pit crews go from watching the race, to getting ready for the pit stop, to the fast and furious action of the pit stops. A pit stop is a beautifully choreographed performance.

The pit stop is finished for the BMW team.

During Saturday's practice session, fluid on the track caused both the No. 911 Porsche then the No. 3 Corvette to slide off the track, with the Corvette crashing into the Porsche and both coming to rest against the tire wall in Turn 3.

The accident resulted in a broken arm for Porsche driver Richard Lietz, who flew back to his native Austria to undergo surgery. Corvette driver Jan Magnussen was initially slightly dazed by the impact but was examined at the track medical center and cleared to race Sunday. Both the Porsche team and the Corvette team had their car repaired in time for Sunday's race.

The GTLM race was the most exciting with the winner decided in the last half lap. While the No. 17 Falken Tire Porsche driven by Wolf Henzler and Brian Sellers was leading on the last lap, they were passed by the No. 62 Ferrari driven by Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer.

After the practice crash and tub replacement the No. 911 Porsche was ready to race, but the Porsches did not have a successful Tudor day in GTLM. Both Porsches No. 911 and No. 912 suffered debilitating problems during the race, finishing 19th and 25th overall, respectively, and were not contenders except early. Porsche had a better showing in GTD as the No. 27 team of Patrick Dempsey and Andrew Davis finished a respectable third in class and 10th overall, earning the first podium finish for the team.

In the paddock, Porsche No. 912 undergoes race preparation just before Sunday's race.

At any race event, there is much more than practice and racing going on. People from all age groups enjoy the happenings at the track. Many car clubs have dedicated parking areas for their club members and car make owners.

Most have speakers and guests to give presentations. Many have prizes, like the set of Michelin tires and Hot Pit Experiences in our Porscheplatz. Freebies like posters, pens and other small items are readily available. Displays of new model cars and old collectables, including the two cars from the Ingram collection for the Porscheplatz, are frequent.

Walking through the paddock allows spectators to see the race teams in action, whether preparing the car for racing or making necessary repairs. You can watch as tire manufacturers install and change their customers' tires. And you can watch the cars driving through the paddock going and coming to their team area, or unfortunately being towed due to some problem.

Tudor racing is a team sport, but racing is much more than the cars, drivers and crews. Racing involves the fans in more ways than other sports. Walking through the pits with the cars and drivers there, autograph sessions and fan-friendly teams make racing a family sport. Where else can you walk up to the star drivers and receive friendly interactions?

I worked the Porschplatz registration desk and met many PCA members and Porsche owners from all walks of life. Some were attending their first event, for others it was one of many. So whatever you like to do involving race cars, there is a good chance some or all are happening at a major event in your area.