Nate has offered to bring his Morton’s BMW of Fredericksburg race bike, equipped for a passenger, plus leathers and helmet, and raffle off the ride of a lifetime to some lucky person. “It will actually be on the R1200S I won the National ASRA Pro Thunderbike Championship this season on,” announced Kern. Joining with Sasco’s Dave Handy, who is raffling a ride in his 1968 McLaren M6B Can-Am racer, Nate is just another of the local favorites who have stepped up to make the 2008 Holiday Laps bigger and better than ever before. “I will also have on hand the new BMW HP2 Sport, the most advanced Boxer engine BMW motorcycles have produced,” Kern added. “I really love coming to VIR,” says Kern, “and this is a chance to share that with someone, besides giving to the community in a way that is special for me and for the lucky winner.”

Holiday Laps is the track’s annual charity fund-raising event, where donors get to drive their own cars or ride their own motorcycles around the famed and history-laden road course in exchange for a donation of $25 in cash, new toys or non-perishable food items. All donations go to the local Salvation Army and help those whose holiday season might not be so bright this year. “We all get energized by this event,” said the track’s managing partner Connie Nyholm. “No matter what else is going on, we make time in our schedules to do everything we can for Holiday Laps. It’s fun watching the faces on people who come in after a session behind the pace car as they suddenly realize that driving a road course is a lot harder than it looks, even at the low speeds we run.”

Car and motorcycle groups gather from a radius of over 100 miles for this event, filling a pickup truck with toys and raising thousands of dollars for the Salvation Army each year. Holiday Laps is a part of the seasonal charity fund-raising effort by WAKG/WBTM and VIR. WAKG and WBTM hold on-air auctions of prizes and services to raise funds for the local Salvation Army, with VIR just one of many area businesses contributing to the cause, joined at Holiday Laps by car enthusiasts and regular citizens from a wide area. Some of the people attending drive session after session, filling a pickup truck bed with donated toys.

“It’s just amazing to know they’re willing to help us out,” said Captain Allen Tanner of the Salvation Army. “This allows us to take what we saved from not having to purchase items for those who don’t get adopted on ‘Angel Trees’ and get additional things for families in the area.”

VIR’s Oak Tree Tavern, the restaurant in the 1840s Plantation Club House, will be open to the public that evening, as it is every week, Thursday through Sunday. The Club House features fun dining in the full-service restaurant and the Irish-style Connie’s Pub. Reservations are accepted but not required. Make your reservations by calling 434.822.7700, ext. 117. The track’s Pagoda Restaurant in the paddock will be open all day, with proceeds from sales adding to the day’s fundraising activities. WAKG’s and WBTM’s auctions include prizes consisting of race weekend tickets, nights in the Lodge at VIR and many more prizes from VIR and other local businesses with proceeds from the sales benefiting the charities.