Watkins Glen International – Opening Weekend April 24 – 25, 2010
Take your car for three paced laps following in the tracks of racing greats for about $20! Watkins Glen International is one of America’s pre-eminent road racing courses for over 60 years. WGI is located above picturesque Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes wine country. The International Motor Racing Research Center is also located down below in the village of Watkins Glen.
Last year’s event was personally momentous. Several months earlier, I took ownership of a 1993 500E. I flew half way across America and drove the car home. It performed flawlessly. I then won a free pass for WGI Opening Day 2009 from a local news station’s promotional event. My family has long-time motoring connections to the race track. As tradition dictates, I grabbed my closest willing relative (this time, my sister) & headed off to the track.
The weather conditions were perfect. Plenty of sunshine, yet cool enough to keep idling engines or marginal cooling systems from protesting too much. And what a turn out! The weather forecast along with a 2-day tribute to Mark Donahue and his race cars helped incite the most attendance for an opening day that I could remember. A tremendous cross section of motor vehicles was present, but only one 500E…me. I couldn’t wait to see what this stealthy Bahn-burner could do.
And wait I did. Now normally, three paced laps are just that…the pace car leads a group of about twenty cars three times around the track at about 60mph. No passing, tailgating or lagging behind to create excessive gaps between vehicles is permitted. The next group of 20 cars assembles and enters the track as the previous group exits. This year was different, however. Because of the great attendance, it took us about 2 extra hours to finally snake our way to the pace group staging area as less steadfast drivers bailed out along the way. I was determined not to be denied. I was just hoping that we wouldn’t run out of time before the event had to close for the day.
Perhaps the pace car drivers were feeling the same pressure because once we started down the track, I never saw them again until we exited the track three laps later! A late model special edition Corvette was in front of me. A new Mustang 427 was behind me. I only used my brakes during the first lap as I acquainted myself with the 500E in what turned out to be full bore track conditions! After that lap it was just gas, gears & adrenalin until the end. Indeed, there was no passing, but I had ample opportunity to punch that throttle and see what kind of fire that 5 liter 32 valve lung could breathe…effortlessly approaching 140mph on the long back stretch. What a RUSH! That Corvette couldn’t shake me & the 427 disappeared from my rear view mirror’s sight as I processed each turn. The Mustang would then finally fill my mirror as I set up for my next turn, only to have him disappear again until setting up for the ensuing turn.
My sister spent most of her time pinned into the corner of the Recaro seat by the G-force (we made sure our windows were all rolled up & seatbelts very secure). Into the second lap, the initially excited shouts of “Woo-Hoo!” transformed to screamings, pleadings & whimperings to slow down. She was just background music to me. I was locked-in, concentrating on maintaining safe driving conditions & amazed at the performance of this vehicle. It truly did track as if on rails. The only hint of tire scrub was on Turn 9, which is a left turn with right-cambered pavement. This turn was all too unnerving for her. As I punched the gas once more out of the turn, she screamed “You better slow down now! You just bought this car & I don’t wanta die”! I didn’t really listen to her until she said, “I’M GONNA PUKE if you don’t slown down”! That statement captured my attention. “Are you serious”?, I asked. With a flair that only George Castanza of Seinfeld fame could imitate, she gestured to the top of her throat and said, “I’m NOT kiddin’, It’s right HERE”!
I slowed down.
It was just about the end of the last lap anyway. Later inquiries confirmed she was totally serious about her predicament & fought hard not to paint my passenger compartment. In hindsight, it was also a good idea we decided not to grab an additional bite to eat as we waited in line.
The smell of heated brakes was pungent in the air as we paraded off the track. The Mustang guy, whose discs were smoking, was going to inform me that my brake lights were out until he finally saw them functioning as I exited the track. I thought I heard my sister say, “Well this ain’t Grandpa or his Mercedes you were following…” It took a full 30 miles for our heart rates to normalize as we headed back home. We “tee-hee’d” (like a pair of adolescents who safely took their parents car for a spirited joyride) all the way home regarding the incredulous performance of the vehicle. We will remember that ride forever. My only regret is not capturing my sister & the event on video. It would’ve made entertaining U tube footage.
Opening Day 2010 will be here soon enough. The conditions may not be the same as last year, and your experience may not be the same as mine was, but if you have the time & are within the geography, bring yourself to this event. The Finger Lakes region of New York provides plenty of other attractions for all interests. All the info you need is on-line. I plan on being there again. It would be nice to see another 500E enjoying the track, too.
Until next time,
Take your car for three paced laps following in the tracks of racing greats for about $20! Watkins Glen International is one of America’s pre-eminent road racing courses for over 60 years. WGI is located above picturesque Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes wine country. The International Motor Racing Research Center is also located down below in the village of Watkins Glen.
Last year’s event was personally momentous. Several months earlier, I took ownership of a 1993 500E. I flew half way across America and drove the car home. It performed flawlessly. I then won a free pass for WGI Opening Day 2009 from a local news station’s promotional event. My family has long-time motoring connections to the race track. As tradition dictates, I grabbed my closest willing relative (this time, my sister) & headed off to the track.
The weather conditions were perfect. Plenty of sunshine, yet cool enough to keep idling engines or marginal cooling systems from protesting too much. And what a turn out! The weather forecast along with a 2-day tribute to Mark Donahue and his race cars helped incite the most attendance for an opening day that I could remember. A tremendous cross section of motor vehicles was present, but only one 500E…me. I couldn’t wait to see what this stealthy Bahn-burner could do.
And wait I did. Now normally, three paced laps are just that…the pace car leads a group of about twenty cars three times around the track at about 60mph. No passing, tailgating or lagging behind to create excessive gaps between vehicles is permitted. The next group of 20 cars assembles and enters the track as the previous group exits. This year was different, however. Because of the great attendance, it took us about 2 extra hours to finally snake our way to the pace group staging area as less steadfast drivers bailed out along the way. I was determined not to be denied. I was just hoping that we wouldn’t run out of time before the event had to close for the day.
Perhaps the pace car drivers were feeling the same pressure because once we started down the track, I never saw them again until we exited the track three laps later! A late model special edition Corvette was in front of me. A new Mustang 427 was behind me. I only used my brakes during the first lap as I acquainted myself with the 500E in what turned out to be full bore track conditions! After that lap it was just gas, gears & adrenalin until the end. Indeed, there was no passing, but I had ample opportunity to punch that throttle and see what kind of fire that 5 liter 32 valve lung could breathe…effortlessly approaching 140mph on the long back stretch. What a RUSH! That Corvette couldn’t shake me & the 427 disappeared from my rear view mirror’s sight as I processed each turn. The Mustang would then finally fill my mirror as I set up for my next turn, only to have him disappear again until setting up for the ensuing turn.
My sister spent most of her time pinned into the corner of the Recaro seat by the G-force (we made sure our windows were all rolled up & seatbelts very secure). Into the second lap, the initially excited shouts of “Woo-Hoo!” transformed to screamings, pleadings & whimperings to slow down. She was just background music to me. I was locked-in, concentrating on maintaining safe driving conditions & amazed at the performance of this vehicle. It truly did track as if on rails. The only hint of tire scrub was on Turn 9, which is a left turn with right-cambered pavement. This turn was all too unnerving for her. As I punched the gas once more out of the turn, she screamed “You better slow down now! You just bought this car & I don’t wanta die”! I didn’t really listen to her until she said, “I’M GONNA PUKE if you don’t slown down”! That statement captured my attention. “Are you serious”?, I asked. With a flair that only George Castanza of Seinfeld fame could imitate, she gestured to the top of her throat and said, “I’m NOT kiddin’, It’s right HERE”!
I slowed down.
It was just about the end of the last lap anyway. Later inquiries confirmed she was totally serious about her predicament & fought hard not to paint my passenger compartment. In hindsight, it was also a good idea we decided not to grab an additional bite to eat as we waited in line.
The smell of heated brakes was pungent in the air as we paraded off the track. The Mustang guy, whose discs were smoking, was going to inform me that my brake lights were out until he finally saw them functioning as I exited the track. I thought I heard my sister say, “Well this ain’t Grandpa or his Mercedes you were following…” It took a full 30 miles for our heart rates to normalize as we headed back home. We “tee-hee’d” (like a pair of adolescents who safely took their parents car for a spirited joyride) all the way home regarding the incredulous performance of the vehicle. We will remember that ride forever. My only regret is not capturing my sister & the event on video. It would’ve made entertaining U tube footage.
Opening Day 2010 will be here soon enough. The conditions may not be the same as last year, and your experience may not be the same as mine was, but if you have the time & are within the geography, bring yourself to this event. The Finger Lakes region of New York provides plenty of other attractions for all interests. All the info you need is on-line. I plan on being there again. It would be nice to see another 500E enjoying the track, too.
Until next time,
Btw, were you running stock brakes?
