Meet the Richmond Raceway Team
Lori Collier Waran serves as Richmond Raceway’s first female track President. Originally from Hanover County, part of the Richmond metropolitan region, Lori knows just how special the area is. Lori launched her career in Washington D.C., entertaining government dignitaries, professional sports teams and corporations with Sodexho Marriot. After 8 years inside the beltway, Lori and her family moved to back to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia where she joined Auto Trader and started her nearly 20-year career in the media and communications industry. In 2006, Landmark Media tapped Lori to take the helm of the Richmond based media company, Style Weekly Media as Publisher where Lori led the team for nearly 15 years. She was the youngest Publisher in the United States for an alternative weekly at that time.
Building audiences and innovating has been a skill well honed by Lori throughout her career which is why most recently, NASCAR tapped Lori to take the helm at Richmond Raceway. She is thrilled to engage loyal fans and new fans and create an iconic fan experience for years to come.
Lori is used to living life in the “fast lane” with her husband of 26 years and two sons – one, a recent graduate of Virginia Tech and one in college at Virginia Tech. All of whom drive too fast.
Tonie Stevens joined Richmond Raceway in 2022 and serves as the Director of Event Marketing and Community Relations with oversight of the Group Sales team. In this position, she works closely with local media, businesses, and community organizations to build strong relationships and engage the community with NASCAR and the Raceway’s events. Her leadership in event marketing has helped enhance Richmond Raceway’s presence and deepen its connection with the local community.
A native of Loudoun County, VA and a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Tonie brings a wealth of experience to her current role, with a career that spans media sales, marketing, festival production, consulting, and distribution. She has worked with prominent organizations including the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control, VA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Style Weekly Media, the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and American Office/MOI, Inc.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Tonie is the co-founder of FETCH a Cure, a Virginia-based non-profit dedicated to supporting pet cancer awareness, education, and financial aid. Through the organization, pet owners in Virginia, Maryland, and DC can access financial assistance for lifesaving cancer treatments for their pets.
Kenny Hopkins is the Group Sales Manager at Richmond Raceway, where he brings his expertise in sales and a passion for motorsports to the team. Originally from Montgomery County, Maryland, Kenny graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Mass Communication from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
In his role, Kenny plays a pivotal part in managing group sales, working closely with clients to create memorable experiences at Richmond Raceway. His background in communications combined with his sales acumen enables him to connect with audiences and deliver outstanding service for groups of all sizes.
Outside of work, Kenny enjoys an active lifestyle. He loves playing basketball and can often be found enjoying time in the Northern Neck, where he spends his free time fishing and sailing. Kenny’s enthusiasm for both outdoor recreation and his professional endeavors makes him a dynamic asset to the Richmond Raceway team.
From Cobbs Creek, VA, Michael Persinger is the Ticket Operations Coordinator at Richmond Raceway. He has been attending races at the track since his early years, coming with his father to see Dale Jr participate in the Busch Series. After graduating from VCU, Michael began his career at Richmond in 2019 as part of the ticket sales team. He also assists with events at Martinsville Speedway and Darlington Raceway as part of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Louis Gilmore is a native of Binghamton, NY, and is a 1988 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, with a degree in Marketing Management.
Louis joined Richmond Raceway in June of 2002, as Director of Complex Sales and managed all sales and marketing efforts for the Complex during non-race event weekends.
In 2007, Louis assumed the role of Director of Business Development at Richmond Raceway and in 2020 was named Sr. Director Sales, Mid-Atlantic for NASCAR. Louis works with local, regional and national companies to providing creative ways to help drive their business leading into and during race event weekends at Richmond Raceway, Martinsville Speedway and Darlington Raceway.
Louis is married to his wife Julie of 25 years, has a 23-year-old daughter named Olivia and resides in western Henrico County.
Richard Vail joined the NASCAR family in 2018 working at Phoenix Raceway during his time at Arizona Sate University. Growing up around classic cars as an avid car-enthusiast, entering a career in the world of motorsports was a perfect fit. Richard now works as an Event Experience Coordinator in the NASCAR Mid-Atlantic region servicing Richmond Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, and Darlington Raceway.
Kent Winter, Director of Sales, Mid-Atlantic Region for NASCAR. He primarily oversees sales efforts for Darlington Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. However, he also manages a few accounts at Richmond Raceway as well. Kent had spent the past 5 ½ years as the Director of Sponsorships for the Meadow Event Park and the State Fair of Virginia. Prior to that Kent was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Weaver Media for one year (Spring 2016 – Spring 2017). Kent is no stranger to the Richmond Raceway property as he was also the Director of Sales and Corporate Partnerships from 2004 to the spring of 2016. Kent is married to his wife Jen, and they have two sons, Conner and Owen.
As a Richmond native and Virginia Tech graduate, Jack has always called the Commonwealth home. Jack’s roots at Richmond Raceway started with his great-uncle, Ernest Lloyd “Sonny” Hutchins, who raced in NASCAR’s Grand National/Winston Cup Series from 1955 to 1974. While he never got a chance to see his uncle race, he remembers the many stories Sonny told him about driving against legends such as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. When Jack isn’t working, he enjoys spending his time outdoors, cooking, and seeing live music. Joining the team in November 2022, Jack now assists in providing businesses and organizations with corporate hospitality options at Richmond Raceway for their NASCAR race weekends.
