$8.9M spent to establish performance driving school in Halifax County

HALIFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - Skip Barber Racing School, an automotive education and entertainment company offering driving and racing schools, will invest $8.9 million to relocate its headquarters from Connecticut and establish a performance driving school at the VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) in Halifax County.

Governor Glenn Youngkin made the announcement Tuesday, saying VIR will build a 25,000-square-foot facility within the Motorsport Technology Park to lease to Skip Barber for the operation.

The racing school chose Virginia for their headquarters over two other states.

“It’s an iconic company that is an absolute leader in everything they do. On top of that, they could have gone anywhere, and they chose to come here to Halifax County to the Virginia International Raceway. They chose it over top of Texas and California and lots of other states. It’s fun to see Virginia win particularly with such a great company,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The company will offer professional driver training, but also training for anyone who may want to improve their safety behind the wheel.

“Most of the business that we do is either corporate and group events, but it’s good for anybody who’s not been out,” explained Daniel DeMonte, chief marketing officer of Skip Barber. “It’s great for families, teenagers and seniors. A very important part of what we do is focused on the safety and security and confidence of daily drivers.”

The 25,000 square foot racing school will house 12 to 18 students a day, creating 24 new jobs for the area.

“They offer the full array, said Connie Nyholm, Co-Owner of VIR. “Because we have on site lodging, dining, shooting sports, we can supplement those activities with additional entertainment and, hopefully, keep the students happier, longer here in Halifax County.”

Construction for the new Skip Barbour Racing School has already begun and they say it will be operational this time next year.

“Our relationship with Virginia started with VIRginia International Raceway. The more our team worked with Connie Nyholm and VIR, the more apparent it was that Virginia and Halifax Country would be the ideal location for our new headquarters,” said Anthony DeMonte, CEO of Skip Barber. “The support the Governor’s office and Halifax County provides to motorsports businesses and the automotive industry is second to none.”

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