Watkins Glen is such a fantastic place. I go every year for the IMSA sportscar race and it’s just great. Amazing circuit- one of the best in the world. You can still drive on the original street circuit today. It is completely mental. How there weren’t more fatalities on that circuit is beyond me. There is one corner there called School House that has to be the most dangerous single corner anywhere. This corner makes Eau Rouge look like child’s play. It comes after 1.5 miles of flat out kinks and straights, and the corner is a slight right-left kink that leads into a downhill straight that- and this kink is insanely anti-banked. Like 15 degrees of anti-banking/camber. They should have called it School House of Death or something.
I grew up in Horseheads NY. I was 8 years old in 73. Now that I live in NC, I really miss the Glen. I remember “hippies” coming through town to go to Summer Jam.
I’ve been going to the Glen for 7 years. Been a flagger there for 2. I love learning everything I can about that beautiful track. I go 3-4 times a month to flag for different events and it’s such an amazing course
At 23:22 an interesting point was brought up regarding possible F1 return and how it would change the nature of the track. It absolutely would. My 'home' track Road America, very similar to the Glen, has undergone quite a transformation in the last 10 years or so, 'modernization' and 'upgrading' certain aspects of the track, including a complete re-pave after the '22 season. Even though it looks great and couldn't be smoother, it fundamentally changed the 'groove' forever, having never been altered since it's opening in 1955. They also took out some trees, added a go-cart 'motorplex' in the carousel, as well as construction of a paved golf cart paths all the way around the lengthy back stretch - which used to be cool, 'secret' section with few people, back in the woods where the speeds are impressive. Still a mighty track, but different in sort of a nostalgic, sad way.
I understand some changes to the track due to safety. The bus stop was added at Watkins Glen because of safety. And that change the track profile dramatically. But that had to be done for safety for all forms of racing at the Glen. F1 will change everything at Watkins Glen. The Scheckter Chicane will return. I remember Watkins Glen repave and it made the track very fast!
@@darena_film Yes, record qualifying and lap times at RA, most veteran drivers gushed about the brand new track aesthetically, but agreed it was harder to pass due to the way a track gets 'broken in' as the years go by. Many didn't want the re-pave as unnecessary, don't fix what ain't broke, right? Anyway, the few old natural terrain courses left ( Watkins, Mid-Ohio, Laguna, Road Atlanta, VIR, Portland) are special, not many compared to Europe. I like Barber, too, that's how to build a modern course, although not long enough IMHO...solid vid, hoist one with pops at the Glen for road racing fans who aren't lucky enough to be there next time! 🍻
My first time was 1972 too. Went to the USGP with my dad, as a high school kid…after I’d been reading about it in R&T for years. Magic. I’ll never forget camping at the track, waking up to the sound of a DFV being warmed up in the garage. Riding my mini bike in the bog was cool too. Good times!
Experienced many of the changes its gone thru from watching F1 to competing on it. My fondest memories are still there. Its one in a million and will continue for generations to come.
Just got back from my first time at the Glen. My dad and I camped for the Sahlens 6 hour. The race was amazing and the track was VERY impressive. We will definitely be going back next year. We have CTMP (Mosport) here in Canada, but now that LMP2 is the top class, the Glen will be our race of choice. Having driven Mosport on a bike, I hope to one day ride the Glen on a motorcycle!
Fantastic! I think they allow bikes on the track. I've seen it during the 6 Hours weekend in the past. But they may give you a speed limit or ride behind the safety car b/c the walls are too close the racing surface. Maybe someone will chime in who knows if they allow bikes on the track.
I've been going for the last 54 years, having made my first trip in 1970 at age 15. I attended the U.S.G.P. from 71-76, saw so many famous cars and drivers.
Loved the video, i love going up there for the sportscar race, heck my icon is literally me sitting on the front stretch at the 6 hours, very nicely done
This is a masterpiece! Fantastic work! The Glen is one of my favorite tracks yet I learned so many things from your video. I knew about the street racing but never saw footage before. Also did not realize there was an old config of the closed circuit. I will definitely download and play it. If you're local to the track, they host parade laps every year that you can take your street car out there, no helmet, follow a pace car. I regret not doing it when I lived nearish to the track. The Finger Lakes SCCA is also a good group to get in with if you want to try some grassroots racing. I grew up going to the NASCAR races, my first cup race was in 2005. As a Tony Stewart fan I loved seeing him win so much. I went to RIT so we used to ride our motorcycles and hang out there for amateur SCCA sports car and SVRA vintage racing weekends. I was crewing for Eric Kutil in his old EG Civc hatch back when he was running Hoosier Super Tour, and he swept the weekend. We partied so hard I took his bicycle at 2 AM and set my personal best lap time, 10 minutes, 2 Coor's 😆 Saturday he gapped the field by like 7 seconds, I told him "Lee Petty told Richard you've got to win as slow as possible or they'll think you're up to something!" Sure enough Eric was a stand-up guy, just a clean, talented driver, but the SCCA responded to his dominant season championship by slapping a restrictor plate on the B series Honda engines for the 2018 season. Eric moved on to Gridlife GLTC and is still winning races and championships there. I would love to take my Mustang up there to turn laps someday. Kind of hard being in North Carolina now, but I did drive it past the track when I was up visiting family. It's on my bucket list for sure! I'll keep practicing in Asseto Corsa for when that time comes!
@pete_bruschi_racing thank you for your comment! Some of my friends and family went to RIT. Like many New Yorkers, I also relocated to North Carolina. Have you taken your Mustang to VIR?
@@darena_film Don't need to see Verstappen lead every lap & win by 45 seconds - this series would tarnish the Glen - keep the snooty stuff in Miami/Las Vegas
Very good. I grew up going to races there in the late 80s and early 90s. I went back for the first IndyCar return race (and a couple 6 hours) in the 2000s. I now live in WV and have gone to ViR and Road Atlanta several times as well as COTA and the first Nashville IC street race. My father went to many of the same events your father went to in the 70s. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for Feedback and comment! I'm glad you like it! I hope to be back at the Glen next year. I moved to Charlotte few years ago, and I also attend a few races at VIR and Road Atlanta. IMSA weekend at Road Atlanta is insane!
Hey Dan. I'm about the same age as your Dad. I respect the work you put into making this video and the great job you did. I've subscribed for more track histories just like this and hope your channel does well. I'm an Aussie, a keen sim racer and always keen to get the backstory on the many brilliant US tracks that I've turned countless laps on, know so well and yet will never see in real life.
Easiest press of the subscribe button ever. I'm shocked there isn't more views!!! Keep up the content, and balance out your talking with the old clips. A few, especially the real old clips at the beginning, ran a bit long and I felt disconnected from learning about the track. I'm excited to see more of this series!
I actually live not far from 2 iconic places, The Glen and the Corning Museum of Glass. I find it surreal that the 2 places I live right next to have such a rich history, and one of them I grew up in. I have been to the Glen when they had nascar there a couple times not too long ago.
1997??? Dude, I was there for Formula 1 in 1973 and 1974. So, there! Great vid, though; the vintage clips are awesome. (And is it just me, or does your father have a Chicago accent?)
@@darena_film That's interesting; the accents are so similar! Anyway, beautiful part of the country, the Finger Lakes. Speaking of fathers, my late father fell in love with Bully Hill wines when we were there, and drank them for the rest of his life.
@@darena_filmHow about Road America? I know it’s not in the same part of the country, but its origins are similar to Watkins Glen and its layout is largely unchanged from its original version. As far as I know, it’s the only classic road course from the 1950s that can make that claim.
Super informative video! I love WGI and try to get there every year for the IMSA race. Such a wonderful weekend and you should check it out. Come say hi to me and my crew who set up shop in the toe of the boot!
The announcer says road courses are distinctly European and that oval racing is American. But the funny thing is that’s WRONG. Europe created high speed oval racing before the USA and the USA started with road courses. The first oval tracks for motorsports was Brooklyns and Monza. The first races in the USA was the Vanderbilt Cup, which continued to be a road course. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built as an oval to compete with Brooklyns and Monza for the highest speed raceway. Stock car racing started on ovals because there were a lot of old dirt tracks for horse racing, but those cars were for running moonshine and originally setup to be fast in corners as well as straights, essentially suiting them for street circuits
It's not clear why they can not. The new Next Gen cup cars can handle the boot. It could make the race longer. My theory is that the walls are too close to the racing surface at the entry of the boot. Or the blind corner at the exit of the boot. But if anyone has information on this feel free to comment.
I miss the 50¢ programs loaded with stories and local business ads, now that , (holding back the vomi+) nascar owns the track, the program costs $10, has nothing but nascar propaganda and no locar info / ads. 😞
went every year from 67 t0 1980 saw the bud man the bog the road and track cyclops did a kart race there did a bicycle race there saw the 6hr world sports car races there camped out had many a jenny
I preferred the 70's. The garage setup for F1 was an experience that will never be seen again. Overall, it was either dust or mud, sketchy outhouses, and car-b-ques. Ten times better than when NASCAR ruined the place.
I’m not going this year. But I do like that they move the race to September. When I was young, I remember getting sunburned because there’s no shade in the front stretch grandstand. Also the race start time was early afternoon in the late 90s and 00s
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Watkins Glen is such a fantastic place. I go every year for the IMSA sportscar race and it’s just great. Amazing circuit- one of the best in the world.
You can still drive on the original street circuit today. It is completely mental. How there weren’t more fatalities on that circuit is beyond me. There is one corner there called School House that has to be the most dangerous single corner anywhere. This corner makes Eau Rouge look like child’s play. It comes after 1.5 miles of flat out kinks and straights, and the corner is a slight right-left kink that leads into a downhill straight that- and this kink is insanely anti-banked. Like 15 degrees of anti-banking/camber. They should have called it School House of Death or something.
Very informative! Been enjoying watkins glen for the last 15 years now. It’s a gem. VIR and WG, 1a and 1b in America IMO
Awesome vid man!! Thanks for the lesson
I grew up in Horseheads NY. I was 8 years old in 73. Now that I live in NC, I really miss the Glen. I remember “hippies” coming through town to go to Summer Jam.
I’ve been going to the Glen for 7 years. Been a flagger there for 2. I love learning everything I can about that beautiful track. I go 3-4 times a month to flag for different events and it’s such an amazing course
I always wanted try being a track marshal!
At 23:22 an interesting point was brought up regarding possible F1 return and how it would change the nature of the track. It absolutely would. My 'home' track Road America, very similar to the Glen, has undergone quite a transformation in the last 10 years or so, 'modernization' and 'upgrading' certain aspects of the track, including a complete re-pave after the '22 season. Even though it looks great and couldn't be smoother, it fundamentally changed the 'groove' forever, having never been altered since it's opening in 1955. They also took out some trees, added a go-cart 'motorplex' in the carousel, as well as construction of a paved golf cart paths all the way around the lengthy back stretch - which used to be cool, 'secret' section with few people, back in the woods where the speeds are impressive. Still a mighty track, but different in sort of a nostalgic, sad way.
I understand some changes to the track due to safety. The bus stop was added at Watkins Glen because of safety. And that change the track profile dramatically. But that had to be done for safety for all forms of racing at the Glen. F1 will change everything at Watkins Glen. The Scheckter Chicane will return.
I remember Watkins Glen repave and it made the track very fast!
@@darena_film Yes, record qualifying and lap times at RA, most veteran drivers gushed about the brand new track aesthetically, but agreed it was harder to pass due to the way a track gets 'broken in' as the years go by. Many didn't want the re-pave as unnecessary, don't fix what ain't broke, right? Anyway, the few old natural terrain courses left ( Watkins, Mid-Ohio, Laguna, Road Atlanta, VIR, Portland) are special, not many compared to Europe. I like Barber, too, that's how to build a modern course, although not long enough IMHO...solid vid, hoist one with pops at the Glen for road racing fans who aren't lucky enough to be there next time! 🍻
My first time was 1972 too. Went to the USGP with my dad, as a high school kid…after I’d been reading about it in R&T for years. Magic.
I’ll never forget camping at the track, waking up to the sound of a DFV being warmed up in the garage. Riding my mini bike in the bog was cool too. Good times!
Sounds like 1972 was the best year at Watkins Glen
Experienced many of the changes its gone thru from watching F1 to competing on it. My fondest memories are still there. Its one in a million and will continue for generations to come.
Watkins Glen is my childhood. I was so excited to see NASCAR and IMSA every summer. And having fantastic time with my Dad.
Just got back from my first time at the Glen. My dad and I camped for the Sahlens 6 hour. The race was amazing and the track was VERY impressive. We will definitely be going back next year. We have CTMP (Mosport) here in Canada, but now that LMP2 is the top class, the Glen will be our race of choice. Having driven Mosport on a bike, I hope to one day ride the Glen on a motorcycle!
Fantastic! I think they allow bikes on the track. I've seen it during the 6 Hours weekend in the past. But they may give you a speed limit or ride behind the safety car b/c the walls are too close the racing surface. Maybe someone will chime in who knows if they allow bikes on the track.
RIP Cevert and Cornig gone waaaayyy too soon. Glen is scary beyond words
Don’t forget about jd mcduffie
@@DuddleBug5 and Russell Phillips
Vivid memories of first time there 1956, stayed in a farmer's house on a dirt road next to the just-built circuit.
I've been going for the last 54 years, having made my first trip in 1970 at age 15. I attended the U.S.G.P. from 71-76, saw so many famous cars and drivers.
Great video! I grew up about a mile away from that track, and it’s by far one of my favorites!
Rochester native here - loved the video! Can’t wait for the playoff race this year!
Yeah!!!!! did you enjoy all the Rochester references in this video? Have fun at the cup race!
Well made video! Good editing!Hello Marc!🇺🇸 You brought me here!😊
Thank you!!!
Loved the video, i love going up there for the sportscar race, heck my icon is literally me sitting on the front stretch at the 6 hours, very nicely done
Great video! I'm glad I'm here for your come up
Thank you!
This is a masterpiece! Fantastic work! The Glen is one of my favorite tracks yet I learned so many things from your video. I knew about the street racing but never saw footage before. Also did not realize there was an old config of the closed circuit. I will definitely download and play it.
If you're local to the track, they host parade laps every year that you can take your street car out there, no helmet, follow a pace car. I regret not doing it when I lived nearish to the track. The Finger Lakes SCCA is also a good group to get in with if you want to try some grassroots racing.
I grew up going to the NASCAR races, my first cup race was in 2005. As a Tony Stewart fan I loved seeing him win so much.
I went to RIT so we used to ride our motorcycles and hang out there for amateur SCCA sports car and SVRA vintage racing weekends. I was crewing for Eric Kutil in his old EG Civc hatch back when he was running Hoosier Super Tour, and he swept the weekend. We partied so hard I took his bicycle at 2 AM and set my personal best lap time, 10 minutes, 2 Coor's 😆 Saturday he gapped the field by like 7 seconds, I told him "Lee Petty told Richard you've got to win as slow as possible or they'll think you're up to something!" Sure enough Eric was a stand-up guy, just a clean, talented driver, but the SCCA responded to his dominant season championship by slapping a restrictor plate on the B series Honda engines for the 2018 season. Eric moved on to Gridlife GLTC and is still winning races and championships there.
I would love to take my Mustang up there to turn laps someday. Kind of hard being in North Carolina now, but I did drive it past the track when I was up visiting family. It's on my bucket list for sure! I'll keep practicing in Asseto Corsa for when that time comes!
@pete_bruschi_racing thank you for your comment! Some of my friends and family went to RIT.
Like many New Yorkers, I also relocated to North Carolina. Have you taken your Mustang to VIR?
F1 stay away from the Glen - We don't need $200 cheeseburgers & $50 beers
I agree!
@@darena_film Don't need to see Verstappen lead every lap & win by 45 seconds - this series would tarnish the Glen - keep the snooty stuff in Miami/Las Vegas
😂
Like there’s any chance F1 would race at an actual circuit lul
As someone born and raised in watkins glen. If herman tilke touches a thing about that circuit, I will turn into baba yaga
I did get to see an IMSA race there in 96. Great circuit with a of history. One day I will return.
thanks for the episode very well done. Love the Glen!
Thank you!
Very good. I grew up going to races there in the late 80s and early 90s. I went back for the first IndyCar return race (and a couple 6 hours) in the 2000s. I now live in WV and have gone to ViR and Road Atlanta several times as well as COTA and the first Nashville IC street race. My father went to many of the same events your father went to in the 70s. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for Feedback and comment! I'm glad you like it! I hope to be back at the Glen next year. I moved to Charlotte few years ago, and I also attend a few races at VIR and Road Atlanta. IMSA weekend at Road Atlanta is insane!
Hope to see you there for Petit!
Great well made video! Thanks for that work
Much appreciated! Thank you!
subbed for these track history vids hope to see more
Thank you! I'm about to start developing the next Track History
Hey Dan. I'm about the same age as your Dad. I respect the work you put into making this video and the great job you did. I've subscribed for more track histories just like this and hope your channel does well. I'm an Aussie, a keen sim racer and always keen to get the backstory on the many brilliant US tracks that I've turned countless laps on, know so well and yet will never see in real life.
Thank you for your comment! I hope you get to visit Watkins Glen in person!
Great watch man! My channel may be named after this track 😉
Thank you! I just subscribed you!
Loved it great work I'll be waiting to see your next video
Thank you! I got two videos right now in development!
Easiest press of the subscribe button ever. I'm shocked there isn't more views!!! Keep up the content, and balance out your talking with the old clips. A few, especially the real old clips at the beginning, ran a bit long and I felt disconnected from learning about the track. I'm excited to see more of this series!
Thank you! Also thanks for the feedback! Overtime I will nail down the balance.
Absolutely love Watkins Glen
Me too! I think it's one of the best tracks in the world.
do every US & Canadian track!
Working on it!
@@darena_filmSonoma. The only other nascar cup series rc from 1989-2017
Love Walkins Glen. Grew up in Rochester too
Amazing video!
Thank You!
Awesome video 🎉
Thank you!!! 🙏
Thanks!
And the 1973 concert was fantastic, my friends and I had a great time!!!
😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅
😂 did you leave your car behind after the concert?
@@darena_film not that time.
I actually live not far from 2 iconic places, The Glen and the Corning Museum of Glass. I find it surreal that the 2 places I live right next to have such a rich history, and one of them I grew up in. I have been to the Glen when they had nascar there a couple times not too long ago.
Im very lucky to be 15 minutes from the track
I attended 1966 on ticket number 5. I could be glimpsed in "Grand Prix" until it was trimmed.
My father was there at the glen an remembers the wreck an was sad an saw the change
Hah! Love this
Thank you!
1997??? Dude, I was there for Formula 1 in 1973 and 1974. So, there! Great vid, though; the vintage clips are awesome. (And is it just me, or does your father have a Chicago accent?)
My father and I are from Rochester, NY. Some people say that we have a little bit of Chicago/midwestern accent. Glad you like the video!
@@darena_film That's interesting; the accents are so similar! Anyway, beautiful part of the country, the Finger Lakes. Speaking of fathers, my late father fell in love with Bully Hill wines when we were there, and drank them for the rest of his life.
Simply by the grace of God that not more people were killed in the street race days, since only bales of hay separated the cars from the fans.
Why don’t we keep it in the north east and do Pocono next? :)
Maybe! also Lime Rock!
@@darena_filmHow about Road America? I know it’s not in the same part of the country, but its origins are similar to Watkins Glen and its layout is largely unchanged from its original version. As far as I know, it’s the only classic road course from the 1950s that can make that claim.
@@FlashoftheBlades Road America is definitely on my shortlist
Super informative video! I love WGI and try to get there every year for the IMSA race. Such a wonderful weekend and you should check it out. Come say hi to me and my crew who set up shop in the toe of the boot!
I’ve been to a few IMSA events at WGI before I moved to North Carolina. I think I’ll be back in the new year.
Stay at the Watkins Glen harbor when you come to my home state! You’re welcome for the referral
Thank you! I've been to the Watkins Glen harbor years ago!
Sorry to make this correction but its a pet peeve to me. It is Wat kins Glen not Waltkins Glen
The announcer says road courses are distinctly European and that oval racing is American. But the funny thing is that’s WRONG. Europe created high speed oval racing before the USA and the USA started with road courses. The first oval tracks for motorsports was Brooklyns and Monza. The first races in the USA was the Vanderbilt Cup, which continued to be a road course. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built as an oval to compete with Brooklyns and Monza for the highest speed raceway. Stock car racing started on ovals because there were a lot of old dirt tracks for horse racing, but those cars were for running moonshine and originally setup to be fast in corners as well as straights, essentially suiting them for street circuits
That film came out in 1972. If you want to watch that film, it’s called “25 Years of Speed: The Watkins Glen”
Is there a reason why NASCAR don't use the full course?
It's not clear why they can not. The new Next Gen cup cars can handle the boot. It could make the race longer. My theory is that the walls are too close to the racing surface at the entry of the boot. Or the blind corner at the exit of the boot. But if anyone has information on this feel free to comment.
Scheckter not Shekler
I miss the 50¢ programs loaded with stories and local business ads, now that , (holding back the vomi+) nascar owns the track, the program costs $10, has nothing but nascar propaganda and no locar info / ads. 😞
went every year from 67 t0 1980 saw the bud man the bog the road and track cyclops did a kart race there did a bicycle race there saw the 6hr world sports car races there camped out had many a jenny
In a few weeks I'm going to have a follow up video. The Bog will be in that video!
"Watkins Glen was named after Dr. Samuel Watkins..."
Sammy Watkins🏈
Go Bills!
I preferred the 70's. The garage setup for F1 was an experience that will never be seen again. Overall, it was either dust or mud, sketchy outhouses, and car-b-ques. Ten times better than when NASCAR ruined the place.
Who’s goin this September!?!?! I live in Ithaca to be close…
I will say a month ago in the gorge a rock almost killed my girl and I… so the circuit is better…
I’m not going this year. But I do like that they move the race to September. When I was young, I remember getting sunburned because there’s no shade in the front stretch grandstand. Also the race start time was early afternoon in the late 90s and 00s
Great video!
Thank you!