Toyota Racing and Richmond Raceway took over the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Tuesday to promote the upcoming Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 20-21.
Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson along with Toyota Racing driver of the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Erik Jones and crewman on the No. 11 Toyota Camry Caleb Hurd joined Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier at various stops around campus to speak with college students and meet with the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Wilson and Hurd both graduated from Virginia Tech.
“Having the chance to come back to my alma mater of Virginia Tech was truly a humbling experience,” said Wilson. “Having the chance to share the day with Erik (Jones), Caleb (Hurd) and Dennis (Bickmeier) and show them around my old stomping grounds made for a great afternoon. We were all so impressed with the engineering students, the entire staff and cadets — hopefully there’s a few new Toyota Racing fans among Hokie Nation.”
The day began with the group speaking to a group of Virginia Tech engineering students in Goodwin Hall. The group then proceeded to have a special encounter with Virginia Tech football coach Justin Fuente and defensive coordinator Bud Foster. The coaches showed the Toyota Racing group as well as our Richmond President around the Athletics Center.
The tour included the weight room, trophy room, and the Hokie Legend wall. The tour completed at the indoor practice field, where the entire group participated in some football exercises. The group continued their day by making additional stops around campus including checking out the robotics lab, a smart building, and autonomous vehicle lab.
“It was cool to bring the college tour to Virginia Tech today,” said Erik Jones, driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry. “It was great to share the day with two alumni who I’m so close with and really get a feel of what their college experience was like. It made this visit that much more meaningful.”
In addition to visiting with students throughout the day, the group spoke to students about NASCAR and encouraged them to attend the upcoming Toyota Spring Race Weekend at Richmond on April 20-21. College students can receive a ticket to the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race for $24.
“Richmond Raceway is always looking for ways to engage with college students throughout the Commonwealth, and being able to join Toyota Racing at Virginia Tech makes for a special day,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “I was able to share motorsports stories with students and hopefully inspire them to attend a NASCAR race in the future. Thanks to our dedicated partners at Toyota for helping spread the word about the upcoming Toyota Spring Race Weekend. I look forward to welcoming David (Wilson), Erik (Jones), and Caleb (Hurd) back to the Capital City on April 20-21.”
Jorts & Tanks
Richmond’s new college program, Jorts & Tanks, will take place on Saturday, April 21 from noon to 6 p.m. in the Covered Arena, located beside the Midway. The new program is open to all college students with a ticket to the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 and a valid ID. Jorts & Tanks will feature a tailgate party with six hours of music from Virginia bands in partnership with WVCW, Virginia Commonwealth University’s independent college radio station. For more information, visit richmondraceway.com/jorts&
Share
