Sports Car Builder Coming To VIR

TMI AutoTech, Inc. announced this week plans to locate its manufacturing, final assembly, testing, sales, service, parts and customer service operations in the Raceplex development at Virginia International Raceway (VIR).
The Halifax County site was chosen among competing locations in the north central and northwestern sectors of the US and in Canada.
TMI AutoTech, Inc., which will employ approximately 16 people, plans to occupy an existing 10,000 square feet building in the Raceplex development at VIR and invest $1.5 million in machinery, equipment and building up-fits.
The company said it expects to hire 75 percent of its employees from the local labor market.
TMI AutoTech, a U.S. subsidiary of Trak Motorsports, Inc. of King City Ontario, has recently received an exclusive North American license from Ariel Motor Company, UK to establish a facility in the U.S. to conduct manufacturing, final assembly, testing, sales, service, parts and customer service for the latest generation of the Ariel Atom motorcar, to be called the Ariel Atom 3 (www.arielatom.com).
Ariel Atoms are ultra high performance, open-wheel, two-seater supercars which have achieved global recognition and sales performance.
In making the announcement earlier this week, TMI AutoTech President and Chief Executive Officer David Goadby said the company found everything it was looking for in Virginia and in Halifax County.
“The people from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), VIR and the Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County were magnificent to work with,” Goadby said. “They teamed up to make by far the most professional and thorough proposal we received from the other locations we were considering
Goadby said the presence of the VIPER research facility and the new chassis dynamometer at VIR were also key factors.
“Not only do we gain access to state-of-the-art motorsports testing facilities, but we will also benefit tremendously by the presence of faculty and staff from the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), Virginia Tech and Old Dominion University at the site,” Goadby said.
Along with its initial $1.5 million investment in machinery, equipment and building up-fits, an additional substantial impact will be realized in local tourism and hospitality venues as potential buyers and existing owners of Ariel Atom vehicles visit the area, the Auto Tech President and CEO said.
“In addition to the manufacturing, sales and service end of our business, we also hope to be hosting periodic gatherings of Ariel Atom owners and aficionados from across the continent,” explained Goadby.
“And, we will continue to market an ongoing program called the Ariel Atom Experience, which provides single and multi-day hands-on driving sessions for individuals, corporate and group outings (www.arielatomexperience.com).
“The facilities at VIR are ideal for our needs—a magnificent track, superior hospitality and food, nearly year-round track availability and many other amenities”, Goadby added.
TMI AutoTech will also be doing business with various support businesses in the region.
“Our needs will include various light metal stampings, bending, forming and fabrication services along with sub-assembly and other services to support our business,” Goadby further explained.
William Fitzgerald, chairman of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, gave TMI AutoTech an official welcome to the area.
“This is great news for Halifax County and the Southern Virginia Region,” Fitzgerald said. “We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with the company, its employees and customers.”
Fitzgerald thanked the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission for its commitment of $50,000 from the Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund, which will be utilized for permanent improvements to the site to accommodate the company’s needs.
Mike Eades, executive director of the Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County, lauded the project as the latest addition to Virginia’s Motorsports Alley business cluster.
Virginia’s Motorsports Alley is a marketing partnership among the counties of Halifax, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, the cities of Danville and Martinsville, the Martinsville and South Boston Speedways, IALR, VIR and VEDP.
“TMI AutoTech’s announcement at VIR is the second major motorsports announcement in Virginia’s Motorsports Alley in as many months,” Eades said.
“Southern Virginia and Halifax County are becoming widely recognized as a serious contender for new and expanding motorsports related enterprises,” he added.
Eades thanked the staff of VEDP, VIR, the Tobacco Commission and the Virginia Department of Business Assistance’s Jobs Investment Program for their help in bringing TMI AutoTech to Halifax County.

Obama, McCain Win

Mike Huckabee edged John McCain in the Halifax County Republican Primary Tuesday, while Barrack Obama overwhelmed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary.
On the Republican side, Huckabee captured 1,053 county votes to McCain’s 876 votes and Ron Paul’s 160.
County voters followed the statewide Democratic trend awarding Obama 2,763 votes to Clinton’s 988.
With 63 percent of the precincts reporting statewide as of press time Tuesday evening, McCain was leading in the GOP Primary with 106,010 votes.
Huckabee, who was relying heavily on conservatives to prevent McCain from widening his lead, was in second place in the state GOP contest yesterday at press time receiving 98,586 votes to Paul’s 9,657 votes.
Obama was leading Clinton statewide with 80 percent of the precincts reporting at press time as the two continue to fight a divisive battle for their party’s nomination.
Obama led with 378,006 to Clinton’s 211,025.
County absentee ballots cast in the Democratic Primary included 18 for Obama, six for Clinton and one for John Edwards who has withdrawn from the race.
Absentee ballots cast in the GOP presidential contest included 12 for McCain, six for Huckabee and three for Paul.
Mitt Romney received four and Rudy Giuliani got a single vote. Both have withdrawn from the presidential contest.
Of the county’s 21,502 registered voters, 6,008 went to the polls to reflecting a 27.9 percent turnout for yesterday’s primary elections.
When voters arrived at the polls they were asked which primary they wished to vote in and were required to state their preference.
A person was not allowed to vote in both primaries, and no write-in votes were allowed in yesterday’s primaries, the registrar further explained.
Virginia’s Democratic ballot listed the names of Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Christopher J. Dodd, John Edwards, Dennis J. Kucinich, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson.
Virginia had 85 Democratic delegates at stake in Tuesday’s voting with delegate votes to be apportioned according to how well the candidates did in yesterday’s primary.
The Republican ballot included the names of Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Fred D. Thompson.
Of the GOP candidates listed on the ballot, those remaining in the presidential race are Huckabee, McCain and Paul.
The state had 60 delegates at stake in the GOP primary.
The final decisions about who will carry the party banners in the November election will be made at national conventions this summer.
The Democratic convention is scheduled for August 25-28 in Denver, Colorado.
The Republican National Convention will take place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota from Sept. 1-4.
This year’s presidential election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Concord Man Killed In Crash

A 19-year-old man, whose address was listed as Concord, Va., was pronounced dead at the scene Monday and his infant daughter severely injured as a result of a two-vehicle accident in the southern part of Halifax County, according to state police reports.
Sgt Dave Cooper said Stephen Layne Brumfield died when his 1989 Chevrolet Camaro pulled into the path of a 2000 Ford van driven by Tamika M. Fallen, 28, of Halifax.
Cooper said Brumfield apparently failed to stop at the stop sign where Rt. 711 intersects with U.S. 501. He said Fallen’s van was traveling southbound on U.S. 501 when the crash occurred.
Brumfield’s four-month-old daughter was airlifted from the scene to Duke University Medical Center, where a hospital spokesperson reported her condition as serious.
Cooper said Fallen and a passenger in her van, Wendy S. Fallen, 28, of South Boston, were transported by EMS personnel to Halifax Regional Hospital with, what he called, non-life-threatening injuries. A hospital spokesperson said both women were treated for their injuries and released.
Cooper said the crash occurred at 5:15 a.m. Monday. He said investigating Trooper R.T. Ridgeway declared both vehicles a total loss.
Two Halifax women were injured in a two-car crash Thursday night, state police said.
Trooper D.T. Spencer said a 1997 Ford Contour driven by 42-year-old Jacqueline E. Williams was struck at an angle by a 2005 Toyota Corolla driven by 23-year-old Cristal R. Phelps.
The accident occurred at 8:03 p.m. Thursday on State Rt. 360 (Mountain Road), at its intersection with Rt. 653.
Spencer said Phelps was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital for her injuries, where she is reported in good condition, according to a family member.
Williams was transported to Halifax Regional Hospital, where a hospital spokesperson reported she was treated and released.
Spencer estimated damages at $4,500 to the Ford and $6,500 to the Toyota, and charges are pending.

Obituaries

Doris Powell Conner
Doris Powell Conner, 81, of South Boston, formerly of Brookneal, died February 10, 2008, at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was the wife of the late Kenneth E. Conner Sr.
Mrs. Conner was born in Pittsylvania County, December 27, 1926, daughter of the late Samuel Currie Powell and Estelle Rigney Powell. She was a member of Brookneal Baptist Church and she and her late husband owned and operated Service Drug in Brookneal.
She is survived by one son, Kenneth E. Conner Jr. and wife, Carol, of Alton; one daughter, Deborah Conner Ottavio and husband, Ronald, of Raleigh, N.C.; three grandchildren, Greg Conner and wife, Kerin, of Durham, N.C., Sarah Beth Bohanon and husband, Drew, of Roanoke, Ross Conner and wife, Veronica, of Raleigh; one sister-in-law, Sue Conner Holloway of Richmond.
A funeral service for Mrs. Conner will be held at 11 a.m. today, February 13, in Henderson Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Jeaux Simmons and Rev. Brian Simmons with burial to follow at 2:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery, Chatham.
Memorials may be made to Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, 24592, Patrick Henry Boys Plantation, P.O. Box 1398, Brookneal, 24528, or your favorite charity.

Helen ‘Polly’ Anderson Bentley
Helen ‘Polly’ Anderson Bentley, 75, of Spruce Lane, Lynchburg, died February 12, 2008 at her home. She was the wife of the late Harvey T. Bentley.
Mrs. Bentley was born in Halifax County, June 18, 1932, daughter of the late Emmerson Paul Anderson and Ida Rice Anderson. She was of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by three sons, Donald Anderson and wife, Joey, of Lynchburg, Ricky Fallen and wife, Diane, of Gladys, and Robert Fallen and wife, Debra, of Brookneal; two step-sons, Ronald Bentley of Evington, Dickie Fallen and wife, Helen, of Halifax; three step-daughters, Jean Lloyd of Nathalie, Shirley Hunter of Brookneal, and Carolyn Tuggle and husband, Franklin, of Brookneal; four sisters, Dorothy Schade of Eldorado Hills, Calif., Linda Carr of Nathalie, Edna Epperson of Brookneal, and Shirley Almond of Lynchburg; 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; a number of nieces and nephews including Jeff Anderson and close friends. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Wanda Gail McMaster; a granddaughter, Cathy M. Harris; two brothers, Emmerson B. Anderson and Rayford Thomas Anderson; and one sister, Jenny Self.
A funeral service for Mrs. Bentley will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow, February 14, in Henderson Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Mike Ferrell and Mr. Lowell Owen with burial to follow in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:00 this evening, February 13, at Henderson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Brookneal, and at the residence other times.

Stephen Layne Brumfield
Stephen Layne Brumfield, 19, of Concord, died February 11, 2008, in South Boston as the result of an automobile accident. He was born June 13, 1988, in South Boston, a son of Randolph ‘Randy’ Layne Brumfield and Deana King Brumfield. He was employed with Lasco.
In addition to his parents, survivors include his girlfriend, Lauren Elizabeth Comer; one daughter, Grace Elizabeth Brumfield; one brother, Josh Tyler Brumfield of Concord; two sisters, Mindy Rochelle Collins and husband, Michael, and Kelly Michelle Brumfield, all of Concord; his paternal grandfather, Ollie Layne Brumfield of South Boston; and his maternal grandparents, Samuel and Alice King of Roanoke.
A funeral service for Mr. Brumfield will be held February 16, at 1 p.m. at Diuguid Waterlick Chapel in Lynchburg with the Rev. Dan G. Mason officiating.
The family will receive friends Friday evening, February 15, from 7:00 to 8:30 at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to www.diuguidfuneralservice.com

Stanley G. Bomar
Stanley G. Bomar, 60, of Clover died February 10, 2008.
He is survived by his wife, Trudy M. Bomar; sons, Byron and Jason Bomar, Thomas Patrick; daughters, Teresa Stieritz, Tracy Patrick; seven grandchildren; sister, Penny Cabaniss; brothers Jimmy, Steve, and Buddy Bomar; and numerous extended family and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Bomar will be private.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, 24592.

Mason C. Day Sr.
Mason C. Day Sr., 89, of Bill Tuck Highway, South Boston died February 12, 2008, at Hopewell Health Care.
Mr. Day was born in Halifax County on July 7, 1918, the son of the late Claude Easley Day Sr. and Luna Thaxton Day, and was first married to the late Gilmore C. Day, and then to Barbara Moore Day, who survives. He was a member of First Baptist Church and retired owner/operator of Mason C. Day, Inc.
In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters, Shirley D. Priminao and husband John, of Danville, Barbara D. Bass and husband Walter, and Sandra C. Sneed and husband Larry, all of South Boston; two sons, Mason C. Day Jr. and wife Dorothy, and Michael E. Day and wife Connie, all of South Boston; two stepsons, Forest Wilbourne of South Boston and Charles A. Wilbourne of Chesterfield; two stepdaughters, Rebecca W. Allen of Coventry, England, and Stephanie W. Bailey of Prince George County; one sister, Edith Medlin of Raleigh, N.C.; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and 11 step-grandchildren.
One granddaughter, Amanda Day, also preceded Mr. Day in death.
The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home tomorrow evening, February 14, from 6 to 8, and other times at his home, and at the home of Sandra and Larry Sneed, 1112 North Main Street, South Boston. They will also receive friends Friday, February 15, after the service at the home of Barbara and Walter Bass, 7040 Philpott Road, South Boston.
Funeral services for Mr. Day will be held February 15, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with the Revs. William Pyle, Ralph Harrell and Charles A. Wilbourne officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the First Baptist Church Building Fund, 815 North Main Street, South Boston. Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

Mae Powell Conway
Mae Powell Conway, 77, of Spotsylvania County died February 10, 2008, at her home. She was born to the late Herbert A. and Annie Powell.
Mrs. Conway was a federal employee for 29 years and retired as the executive secretary to the commanding officer, SUPSHIP, Newport News.
She is survived by two sons, Mick Conway of San Diego, Calif. and Rick Conway and his wife, Suzanne, of Haymarket; two daughters, Patricia Conway-Morana and her husband, Jack, and his sons, Patrick and Brett, all of Centreville, and Christy Maupin and her husband, Ron, of Spotsylvania; two grandsons, Jacob and Matthew Conway; one sister, Janet Domke and her husband, Eugene, of Corbett, Ore; four brothers, Victor Powell and his wife, Mary, of Halifax, Lester Powell and his wife, Shirley, Earl Powell and his wife, Shirley, of South Boston, and Lacy Powell and his wife, Audrey, of Altavista. One sister, Betty Vernon, also preceded Mrs. Conway in death.
The family will receive friends today, February 13, from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. at Found and Sons Funeral Chapels-Cremation Service, corner of Courthouse Road and Southpoint Parkway. A funeral service will follow at 12 p.m. at the funeral chapel.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Mary Washington Hospice, 5012 Southpoint Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407.
Friends may sign her online guest book at foundandsons.com.

Crystal Younger Henderson
Crystal Younger Henderson, 92, of Halifax died February 11, 2008, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Henderson was born in Halifax County June 1, 1915, the daughter of the late John Robert Younger and Pattie Midkiff Younger, and was married to the late William Randolph Henderson. She was a member of Halifax United Methodist Church where she was a member of the choir. She was a member of the Halifax Garden Club and the Halifax Woman’s Club.
Survivors include one son, Glen C. Henderson and wife, Sylvia Jennings Henderson, of Charlottesville; one grandson, David C. Henderson and wife, Alena, of Richmond; and two great-grandchildren, Justin and Andrew Henderson, of Richmond. She was also preceded in death by 11 brothers and sisters.
Funeral services for Mrs. Henderson will be held tomorrow, February 14, at 2 p.m. at Halifax United Methodist Church with the Rev. Randall Williams officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, February 13, from 7:00 to 8:30, at Powell Funeral Home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider South Boston Alzheimer’s Association, 301 Powell Road, South Boston, 24592.

Woods/Coleman Upsets AWNC II In Tourney Finale

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
Woods/Coleman Construction took a three-point halftime lead and pulled away in the second half for a 102-84 win over AWNC II in the South Boston Business & Industrial League Tournament championship game.
The loss was the first of the season for AWNC II, the number one seed for the tournament and it came courtesy of the number two seed, Woods/Coleman, which was led by Rodney Palmer’s game-high 40 points.
Three other players finished in double figures for Woods/Coleman, including Fred Price with 24 points and Dwight Green and Lymon Gregory, each with 13.
Josh Smith was high-point man for AWNC II with 38 points, while Clyde Waller, Aundray Harrington and Carlos Tankard finished with 17, 12 and 11 points respectively.
AWNC II had a slight advantage at the foul line, sinking 17 of 27 free throw attempts, while Woods/Coleman was 14-23 at the charity stripe.
Palmer and Smith were both on fire for their respective teams in the first half, Palmer with 19 points and Smith with a blistering 21, including four three-pointers.
Green and Price combined for 16 first-half points in support of Palmer, while Waller had 10 and Tankard seven to help keep AWNC II close.
The second half was a different story, with Woods/Coleman outscoring AWNC II 53-38 to pull away to the win.
Price had 17 second-half points, Palmer 16 and Gregory nine for Woods/Coleman, which hit eight of 12 from the line after intermission.
Smith held the hot hand again in the second half for AWNC II, hitting two more three-pointers among 17 points, while Waller added seven.
Palmer was named Tournament MVP following the championship game.
Regular Season Awards
Business & Industrial League regular season awards were announced Sunday, with AWNC II recognized as being Regular Season Champions (12-0), and Woods/Coleman Construction (10-2) as Regular Season Runner-Ups.
Clyde Waller of AWNC II was named Regular Season MVP. He averaged 17 points per game and shot 70.27 percent from the free throw line, finishing seventh in the league in both categories.
League Scoring Champion was Rodney Palmer of Woods/Coleman Construction, who averaged 24.18 points per game and shot 69.23 percent from the free throw line.
David Byrd of Lasco was named Top Free Throw Shooter in the league this season. Byrd hit 25 of 31 free throw attempts for a 80.65 percent average.
The Defensive Team Award went to Goodyear, which gave up an average of 48.50 points per game.
Individual Sportsmanship Awards winners were Dennis Torain of AWNC II and Leo Ferguson of ABB, while Kenneth Wilbourne of AWNC II was named Coach of the Year.

Jiu-Jitsu More Than Self Defense To Cole, Hatcher

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The practice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, more specifically Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, has become more than simply a means of self defense for Ronnie Cole and Mike Hatcher.
The goal-oriented Halifax County residents see the martial art as a way of expressing themselves in ways other forms of martial arts don’t offer.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, named for Grand Master Helio Gracie, piqued Cole’s and Hatcher’s interest after they watched the first Ultimate Fighting Championships in 1992.
Royce Gracie, son and student of Helio, won that first championship and several others using the unique style of Jiu-Jitsu developed in Northern Brazil.
“[Royce] came in at 150 pounds in an event with no weight classes or time limits and won the first four of five events,” said Cole, adding one of the smaller members of the Gracie clan later brought the style to the United States.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, as described by Cole and Hatcher, allows a smaller man to neutralize a larger opponent by means of leverage and control.
“It’s a grappling art, and leans more toward ‘ground work’ as opposed to other forms of self defense,” said Hatcher.
Locks are applied on the ground as opposed to standing up, he explained.
“The principle is to get the guy down, get control of him and then apply the locks. It leans toward leverage, control and position,” he explained.
Helio Gracie, a physically frail child, adapted the moves of jiu-jitsu to his body’s abilities, and passed it down to Royce and his other sons.
“Traditional Jiu-Jitsu leans toward more traditional forms of size and strength but Gracie Jiu-Jitsu does not,” said Cole.
“Helio would go out and take on all comers,” he explained.
“Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is based on real street fighting techniques. He realized you don’t have to stand up and strike a 200-pound man in order to beat him, you could ‘clinch’ him.
“Once you clinch a striker or boxer, he can no longer hit you, and even on your back, you’re still in good position.”
Cole and Hatcher were recently promoted to Blue Belt in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, while another county native, Jamie Ridgeway, is now a Brown Belt.
All three have trained under the tutelage of Professor Pedro Sauer, a 6th Degree Black Belt under Rickson Gracie.
Cole said that Sauer is one of the few highly skilled practitioners that have trained with the Gracie family currently living in the United States.
Sauer regularly attends one of his affiliate schools in Lynchburg, where Ridgeway now trains.
While acknowledging the controversy surrounding the Ultimate Fighting Championships and other events showcasing mixed martial arts, Cole and Hatcher point out that rules have changed to curtail some of the extreme violence seen in earlier times.
Those rules changes have made the sport safer, and the sport is safer now than boxing in Cole’s opinion.
“We think it’s safer than boxing, because boxers have to take many punches over the course of a bout. A UFC fighter can take two or three punches and if he can’t defend himself further, the fight is stopped.
“A UFC fighter can also go to the ground if his punches are not effective,” added Cole.
Once the province of pay-per-view events, mixed martial arts in general have gradually gained acceptance among many mainstream fans, according to Cole and Hatcher.
“Since Royce came over and won the first five titles, the rules have changed, now they have weight classes and time limits,” said Cole.
“It’s tried and proven… what’s so beautiful about this is that it takes about 10 years to get a black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, a lot longer than other martial arts.
“I’ve always had a false sense of security and I do it because I found it was comfortable for me,” added Cole.
“You can’t practice at 100 percent in most martial arts because of striking somebody, but when we roll and grapple, you can do that at 100 percent and no one gets injured,” continued Cole.
“You simply tap out.”
Hatcher, who has studied tae kwon do, boxing and Muay Thai, is also comfortable with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
“I’ve been doing martial arts since I was 13-years-old, nothing competitive, but I saw that getting a ‘ground game’ was something you needed to have in order to be a complete fighter,” he said.
There are some Gracie Jiu-Jitsu competitions that don’t involve striking and others that include submission fighting without striking, he added.
Cole noted that the influence of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is evident throughout mixed martial arts and continues to grow, with a great majority of fighters adopting some of its methods to their specific styles.

VIR, Carlisle School Form Motorsports Boarding School

Special To The Gazette-Virginian
Virginia International Raceway and Carlisle School are creating the first motorsports boarding school in North America.
The Academy of Motorsports, which is accepting students for the Fall 2008 term, will combine the area’s motorsports assets with the private education of Carlisle School, an International Baccalaureate World School for high school students located near Axton.
“The overarching goal of the Academy is to provide racing and academic excellence to young racers who often struggle to balance the two,” said Ted Settle, Academy spokesperson and director of Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development.
“This program offers future drivers real-world, hands-on experience in a variety of track settings and an unparalleled secondary school education.”
In a curriculum developed specifically with students in grades seven and above in mind, this program initially focuses on driver development and education, but will quickly expand to include engineering and other facets of the motorsports business.
Capitalizing on existing resources and partnerships with Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University and local community colleges, Academy students will have access to cutting edge research and engineering programs, according to Settle.
The students will obtain hands-on, behind-the-wheel time on the tracks of VIR, South Boston Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Education will also take place on Old Dominion University’s chassis and engine dynamometers and at the Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research (VIPER).
“The motorsports component of the Academy will be developed based on the individual student’s need,” explained Connie Nyholm, VIR Managing Partner.
“We can provide various vehicle training depending on the capability of the driver,” added Nyholm.
“This program has access to kart tracks, oval tracks, and road courses, so we are prepared to handle any type of driving situation.”
In the partnership, Carlisle School provides the college preparatory curriculum, including AP or IB courses, to ensure students are ready for further academic study in a college or university. Carlisle School boasts a 100 percent four-year college acceptance rate.
The Academy students will have the same academic standards as the traditional Carlisle students, according to officials. Students of the Academy will live in boarding facilities near Carlisle School’s main campus in Axton.
“I speak from experience when I say that it’s extremely difficult to successfully balance academics and competitive motorsports,” said Paulie Harraka, World Karting Association Triple Crown Champion, six-time WKA World Champion and rising NASCAR star.
Harraka, who was recently selected to participate in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, is an official spokesperson for the Academy.
“The Academy understands the difficulties that students are faced with and has put together an exciting curriculum that sets a student up for success on both fronts. This is an innovative solution to a problem race families have struggled with for years.”