(Photos by David Whealon) – Want to know how much of a mad man David Whealon is? On the same weekend the dude was shooting photos at zMax Dragway for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals and then hauling tail up the road into Virginia for the images you are going to see below from the Pirelli World Challenge Series at Virginia International Raceway. The Pirelli World Challenge brings some of the coolest cars in the known universe together and they pound on each other and the track unmercifully.

We’re talking Mustangs, Camaros, Vipers, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and virtually every other exotic hardcore make you can think of. This is the modern face of sports car racing in the USA and the series is filled with well-sponsored and well funded teams. Oh, there were also open wheel cars racing at VIR as part of the event as well so fans got loads of different, cool stuff to look at and plenty of makes to cheer for.

The Grand Prix of Virginia was contested by more than 100 cars that were in a spread of about a half dozen classes. Like any other motorsport, there are “sportsman” classes and then the professional rank and file that are the cars which draw the majority of the crowd to watch.

We’ve got loads more photos to come and along with those photos we have more words and race info to share. This is your road racing appetizer, the main course is still to come!

Click the images below to expand them and then scroll on to see them all –