Is anyone planning to attend the Watkin's Glen 6 hours at the Glen IMSA race in June?

Dave K.

 

Yes. Someone is.

 

I'm planning to go with my son-in-law (big NASCAR fan but not sports cars) and 7 year old grandson. We are taking his camper. This will be the first IMSA race I have attended. I don't really know what to expect. Any tips would be appreciated, especially tips for the Glen. By the way, I used to live in Penn Hills, PA many years ago.

 

We'll be in Corvette Corral Sat & Sun rain or shine.

 

George one tip for me would be to create a cheat sheet that goes by car number. Include driver name, Team name, type of car. I haven't been to an IMSA race live in maybe 30 yrs but watch on TV once in a while. I hate the crazy car graphics w/ a number that looks to be 8 inches tall and unreadable unless at the perfect angle and distance. Back in the 70s we went to the Glen maybe 8 times for IMSA, CanAm, F1 etc. If there still is one inside the track, find an area for family camping. That will get you into the calmest, quietest area. Also plan to walk a lot. Other than the boot section (just too dang far to walk), you can slowly work your way around the inside of the track and we always enjoy seeing the different areas.

 

I agree with the walking part. Even the boot section. The Glen is one of the tracks where you can get quite close to the cars while they are running. You will have to wait your turn at the fence along the back straight but you can stand at the fence with a short distance from there to the guard rail that is between the cars and the spectators. You aren't sitting in some stands with people's heads blocking your view you are right there. As you progress up the straight toward the bus stop you will hear when the drivers drop off the throttle and start to brake for the bus stop. The area is a setup for motorhomes and some people will tape off the section their motorhome is in but I have never found anybody that stops people from walking through to get to the fence. There are track maps that show the walkways under the track that let you gain access to the boot area and if you don't mind a long walk you can go outside of the track and walk along the sole of the boot until you get close to the Turn 7 (Toe of the Boot) flag station.

Here are some track maps showing the areas you can get to. First is the official IMSA Map where I inserted some White Arrows showing the Pedestrian Tunnels.

The Corvette Corral is a good place to watch the action in Turn 1 (if hospitality tents don't ruin the view) into Turn 2 and up through the Esses. You can stand in one place and just pivot to see everything. If there is something blocking the view then move up the hill a little way and toward the center of that section of the track. Watching the race from the sole of the boot lets you see the cars coming through the toe of the boot (very difficult corner) and coming downhill into and through Turn 6. Excellent passing under braking area. I suspect the Daytona Prototype cars with their ground effects won't be slowing much for the bus stop or some of the other turns so watching their speed through some of the turns will be amazing.

The viewing area on the berm at the outside of Turn 11 gives a great view of cars coming out of Turn 10 into Turn 11 and down the front straight.

The second map shows a better view of the Pedestrian Tunnels.


The third picture provides a view of the elevation changes you will be hiking through to give you an idea you need good shoes, good sun protection and lots of water. Oh, yes if you have a car parked in the infield you may want to have some rain gear there. If a storm comes you can be in for a whip thrilling windy, flashing event. Summer storms on top of that hill can get quite exciting since it seems like you are in the middle of them.


Being a NASCAR fan if you decide to attend the NASCAR race don't purchase grandstand tickets on the front straight. The best seats are at Turn 10 or the ones between Turn 1 and Turn 2 (by the way that is where the original grandstands were placed when the track was built. The start-finish and the pits were between those two turns).

Have fun. The Glen is one of the World's Premier Race Tracks.

Bill

 

Thanks guys. That's great information. I'm really getting excited to see the race.

 

Don't plan on the Corral being the same as in past years. Friends of ours & Corvette Club members started the Corral a dozen or so years with about 6 cars. These people took the lead on getting volunteers, working with GM & the activities. Our friends are no longer doing the Corral. Have not heard of anyone taking the lead. WGI has been asked what the Corral will consist of. They will only say they don't know what the Corral will be. If opening day is any indication it will be F'd up.

 

I have been going to WGI for years (either on the track with my car or to see a race). I suggest walking around the track as there are so many great vantage points. On Friday and early Saturday if you want you can drive to areas as there are generally plenty of open spaces to park.

Here are some pics from previous IMSA races:

 

I never felt that Chevy/GM supported the corvette coral at WGI. I wish they did more.

 

They can’t even support the wheels they sell on their cars....

 

My Son and I are planning on attending. I'm driving our Ron Fellows #219 from NM to upstate NY to meet my Son and enjoy the race at a track I raced at back in the mid 60s.

 

The track website used to have a link to this site: http://www.glenphotos.com/ . This site has lots of photos of historic drivers and of course pictures of what things were like in the spectator area during the 60s and 70s as the baby boom generation came to age. The bog being one of the really bad highlights especially when the Greyhound Bus that brought some foreign tourists to the track was stolen and burned in the bog. Greyhound and F1 didn't appreciate the situation.

It also has pictures of Summer Jam 1973. The Rock Concert that was a disaster. 600,000 people roads jammed for 10s of miles in every direction from the track. The promoters only planned for 200,000 people and only rented 1000 portajohns, you can imagine what happened by the end of the first day. Local residents couldn't get home or go to town. Hundreds of broken down cars littering the roads for miles around the area (when somebody's car broke down other concert-goers picked them up and they left their junk car sitting alongside the road). People taking drugs meant for horses overdosing and needing helicopter evacuation from the site. It messed up life in the Southern Tier and Finger Lake Regions of NY for more than 5 days.

One other thing you need to do even if you aren't staying at the Seneca Lodge is to visit the bar at the Lodge. The bar has arrows shot into the walls by various celebrities/hunters, etc.

Bill

 

Thanks all. My grandson and I are attending. Great maps.

 

Got my tickets in the mail. What a crap set up this year. Corral is on the outside of the track. Supposed to have golf cart shuttles to inside. WGI hasn't answered if you'll be ale to drive into the track, park and walk around.

 

Wow. That does suck. Wonder why they are not having it inside like normal.

 

For the first time in many years, I did not attend the recent IMSA race at Mid-Ohio, because Corvette Racing was not there - nor was anyone else from GTLM.

That sucks (even though I know there are not many entries this year, and that IMSA is combining GTLM with GTD next year).

 

Asked around and last year due to Covid for the NASCAR race WGI submitted a plan to NY where almost everyone was moved to the outside of the track. Since NY has not hit the 70% vaccination mark yet and there are still restrictions maybe WGI kept the original proposal intact so that spectators could still come. If I find out more Ill give an update.

"Once the state hits the 70% mark, businesses will have the option to keep the COVID protocols in place or remove them. The general restrictions to become optional would include social distancing, masking, capacity restrictions, health screenings, COVID-19-related hygiene and sanitation procedures and the collection of contact information for contact tracing."

 

I have our hotel reservations for Fri and Sat. Do not intend to buy tickets in advance and will go based upon the weather forecast. Can buy general admission and paddock passes at the track. I crewed a 6 hour race here back in 1996 for Brix Motorsports. At that time GT-1 consisted of the Brix Olds Auroras, Corvettes, Mustangs, etc. We'll take folding chairs, find a good spectator location, leave chairs and walk around the track.

Dave K

Pittsburgh

 

We will be there not happy that the corvette Corral will be outside of the track. Was told yesterday by Watkins Glen we will be able to park inside the track however you must enter at Gate 6 I questioned where Gate 6 was to drive in as I did not see it on the map and was told the MAP on the website was out dated. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!