VIR Oak Tree

Wood chips and placemats

from a very special place

A Very Special Place

Unless you are a motorsports fan, you might not know there is a slice of heaven in southern Virginia. I certainly didn’t for years and I live less than an hour away.

Just over the central North Carolina border in a region dominated by farmland resides a world-class facility built for the sole purpose of motor vehicles driving fast. I mean really fast. Throughout its rich history, this remains true. Only there is more.

After attending a few events at VIR with my son, I found this venue not only serves as a racetrack but a special place to visit. Sure the racing is top-notch, but the people that bring it to life are just as much of a draw as the exotic cars and roaring engines. The entire atmosphere is dominated by people who join with a singular passion and anyone who has been to VIR knows exactly I mean. It is largely the people that make this a very special place.

The Painting

I’m not ashamed to admit am a sucker for nostalgia. So, as I attended more VIR events and learned more about this incredible venue, I discovered a significant part of its history is no longer physically present.

The Oak Tree Turn may be confusing to those who aren’t aware of the history because the tree is no longer standing. The stalwart that marked the famous section of the track fell due to natural causes in 2013 but the namesake remains.

I decided to recreate in oil paint what that scene looked like with the tree standing. Doing so brought me closer to the place that quickly rose to one of my favorite destinations. I hold very strong memories of spending time with my son at VIR and only hope the painting does the same for the people that knew the oak tree as it was.

“Hold On, I’ll Be Right Back” Part I

On an early morning in March, my son and I had the great pleasure of delivering the painting to Connie Nyholm, the owner and CEO of VIR. She welcomed us into her office and spoke as if we’d known each other for years. After seeing her around the facility multiple times that day, it strikes me she has that relationship with everyone.

During our conversation, Connie said, “Hold on, I’ll be right back.” Ryan and I had no idea what she was after.

After a minute, she returned with something in her hand. “Here, these are from a limb of the original oak tree. We had a local woodworker make these tokens from the actual tree that fell. There aren’t many of these remaining but I’d like both of you to have one.”

I can only imagine the look on our faces. Not only is this a treasured token, but what an incredible piece of nostalgia! We both treasure our wood chip and hold them close to our hearts.

“Hold On, I’ll Be Right Back” Part II

After delivering the painting, Ryan and I spent the day photographing cars and meeting nice people. Mid-day, I stumbled upon Ryan in a conversation with the gentleman working the false grid. He was idle for the moment and took time to tell us about some of the track history and pointed out his favorite vantage points for photography.

It was clear his break was about over but he turned to us and said, “Hold on, I’ll be right back.”

He walked over to his parked truck and came back with a few pieces of paper. He handed them to us over the fence and said, “Here is a picture of the track from the air. These are pretty old - you can even see the oak tree!” Seriously, you can’t make this up! “The back has track configurations and here are the spots I recommend. You know, these used to be placemats at the Oak Tree Tavern. I have a few in my truck and save them for special people that come to the track.”

We thanked him and extended our appreciation for his gesture as he quietly returned to his post. I’m certain he did this without any desire for recognition; I guess that is just how VIR wants it. I sure wish I got his name but did snap a photo of him so if he happens to stumble on this he’ll know he made a difference in our visit.

Video

To accompany the painting, I created a video that, I hope, captures the spirit of the oak tree and VIR at large. It represents how I feel, nevertheless.

So VIR, hold on, I’ll be right back! I can’t wait for my next visit as I continue to build memories of a very special place.