International Motor Racing Research Center

I recently took a road trip from Mendon, NY to Watkins Glen, NY to visit the International Motor Racing Research Center. This was the perfect day trip, traversing 75 miles through the countryside on a glowing early fall day through lazy farm fields giving up the last harvest of the year. You also drive several miles elevated high up the rolling hills parallel to glistening Seneca Lake lined with several vineyards, old barns and an occasional crossroad with and old gas station, farm store or mom and pop business out in the middle of God's country.

If you drive anywhere in Upstate NY in early October you get to see some of the most colorful landscape in the country and this trip did not disappoint.  While there I took a ride from the downtown area where the IMRRC is located, up the long hill to Watkins Glen International. I have included a few pics from way up there to show you how beautiful the setting is for this historic race track. If F-1 was still racing there, this is what the countryside would look like as the racing world always came to town in early October.  I would think the beauty of this place alone would be a reason to get F-1 back to the Glen.

Wishful thinking aside, take a look at what the 'Glen' has to offer and if you are anywhere near there, plan a side trip to see the IMRRC, the quaint downtown including Seneca lodge, Glen Motor Inn, etc. and the track itself.

The next major event that I'll be covering is Pistons and Props- Sebring Historics  December 1st through the 4th. This is a new event featuring HSR racing combined with vintage aircraft all in one location. It should be the perfect event to take you back in time, surrounded by some amazing aircraft and race cars. And the weather in Florida in early December is to die for!

So enjoy what I saw through my lens October 14th.

The Glen Motor Inn

World Class Racing - Out in the Country!

Falls Leaves Next To The Research Center Building

The IMRRC

Currently Featuring Trans Am Racing

Video Room

A Rare Item!

One Of Many Items On Display

Remember The Trans Am- I was There

Sidewalk Tributes

Two Minutes Away- Paradise/ Seneca Lake!

Track On The 'Hill'

Gorgeous View From The Track

It's All Quite Now

Seneca Lodge In September For The Vintage Races

Waiting For The Next Race

Go Visit and Be Inspired!

Watkins Glen Vintage Races Gallery

By popular demand, here are some more shots from the 2016 US Grand Prix Vintage races at Watkins Glen:  I had a blast taking these!

It's Miller Time

Audi  Ose

U.S. Vintage Grand Prix At Watkins Glen

Late summer in Watkins Glen, NY is a treat for anyone wanting to get away from it all; see the beautiful  scenery of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York and as a bonus, take in the excitement of a race.  This race weekend hosted a series of several races over a 3 day weekend with literally all kinds and classes of race cars. I was there for Sunday only but what a lot of racing in one day!

The U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen affords fans a broad spectrum of cars that will bring back memories for several generations of devotees of the sport. The weather cooperated again, as it did the previous weekend when the Indy Cars raced on the 3.37 mile track in under 1.5 minutes. The cars this time were not quite as fast, but they certainly were there to race, not just parade around the course. (See the result of pushing it a little too much in one of the pics below). I hate to see these cars get bent up but they do get fixed up again for another day.

I would consider this event one of the best bargains in racing as you get to see a little bit of everything and the action barely stops.  Here's a sample that only scratches the surface of what I got to see on Sunday, September 11th.  I started my day by stopping by the famous Seneca Lodge:

Historic Seneca Lodge, Watkins Glen, NY

Many After Race Parties Held Here

And then headed up the picturesque few miles to the track on Sunday morning where the action was beginning at 8:00AM!    Here's what the day looked like until I had to leave at 5:00PM and they were still racing.  A few of many fun shots of iconic race cars of our past:

Hope You Liked The Gallery- Now Headed Down The Hill and Home