Watkins Glen

Touring Watkins Glen

Rockin' Around the Track

One of the "places to visit" in the Finger Lakes area is the historic raceway up in the hills southwest of Watkins Glen.  Sports car enthusiasts, Formula I race fans, and NASCAR fans have flooded into the International Raceway for events dating back to the inaugural professional race--a NASCAR event!!--in 1957.  What began in 1948 as a sports car race through the streets and back roads of the village of Watkins Glen became the International Raceway with the opening of the 2.3 mile circuit.  Soon Formula 1 racing came to what is known throughout racing circles as The Glen.  The last Formula 1 race occurred in 1980, and in 1981 the track closed in bankruptcy.  In 1983, a subsidiary of hometown giant Corning Glass partnered with International Speedway Corp. to purchase the race course and the sound of racing engines soon filled the air in south central New York.
So, we ventured out to The Glen.

The main entrance to the raceway.

 When we arrived, there was a practice session underway for sports cars.

 



Next came a collection of stock cars.



A diagram of the track and the grounds.

 

 For $25, we discovered that we could drive around the track for three laps behind a pace car.  It was explained to us that we would go two laps and then stop on the front stretch for pictures and a change of drivers, if someone else in the car wanted to drive.  Jack, Betty, JJ, and Rich all signed the waivers and we lined up with 13 other cars/pickups who were going to "do" The Glen. 





 



  Jack led off--after all, we were in his car!--and we romped around the track at 55 to 60 mph.  After stopping on the front stretch for pictures, Rich took the wheel for the last of the three laps.  As we exited the track just past Turn 1, we saw Ray and Tam in the grandstand bleachers.  They arrived in time to see the "parade" of novices tagging along behind the pace truck.

Jack says, "Boy, that was fun!  But it wasn't all that fast!"