SOUTH SIDE – One of the biggest races of the year returns to Southside’s Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend. The IMSA Weathertech Championship starts on Friday.

Connie Nyholm, co-owner and CEO of the raceway, says it’s an adrenaline-filled weekend for the whole family.

“I would be shocked if there weren’t over 30,000 people here this weekend,” said Nyholm. “It’s about closeness and personal experiences. So it’s fun. If you’ve been here once, you’ll come back.”

Maja Zuber just graduated from Virginia Tech. She is now interning at VIR and living out her love of racing.

“I grew up playing a lot of sports, so I’ve always been really into athletics and everything. But for some reason, when I tried to really watch and follow a sport, it never clicked,” Zuber said. “But then when I started watching Formula 1 racing, it just clicked. Within about a week, I knew all the drivers and followed them. Now I’m a huge fan and watch them as often as I can.”

This weekend, Zuber will meet other women like her at a Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) workshop, an opportunity for college students from across the country to network with female mechanics, pit crew members, trainers, drivers and other women in the industry.

“In an industry where men dominate, it’s a little bit hard to feel left behind or lost or not noticed,” Zuber said. “Sometimes you feel a little bit disrespected or something like that. But then when you know that there is support from women in motorsport, it really makes you feel better. And you can be completely open and be yourself, knowing that they’re going through the same things you’re going through.”

“It’s really just about the community,” she said.

In a male-dominated sport, Nyholm said, the only thing that should matter is the need for speed.

“In my opinion, gender should never be an issue. But unfortunately, sometimes it is. And you just have to put that behind you to show your worth,” Nyholm said.