- Stewart, Martin named drivers of the decade at WGI: Prior to the scheduled time for qualifying for the Centurion Boats at The Glen, Watkins Glen International honored two of NASCAR's greatest racers. Mark Martin and Tony Stewart were each named as a Driver of the Decade and inducted into The Legends of The Glen during a press conference held in the media center this afternoon. The Sprint Cup Series stars have etched their names in WGI history with a combined stat line of 7 wins, 19 Top 5's, and 23 Top 10's.
Stewart had one of the most dominating ten year runs of all-time from 1998 to 2007. He scored four wins over six years and captured a total
of eight Top 10 finishes. Stewart used his victory in 2004 to help propel him to his second career Sprint Cup Series championship.
In 2005, he become the third driver to win two consecutive Sprint Cup Series races at The Glen, but this time it came from the pole.
Stewart seemed to have a great appreciation for the prestige that goes along with being named Driver of the Decade along with legends such as Al Holbert, Sir Jackie Stewart, and Graham Hill.
Mark Martin was undoubtedly the man to beat at Watkins Glen International during the 1988-1997 time periods. During that ten-year span, Martin scored an incredible nine Top-5 finishes. Martin not only had three consecutive wins from 1993-1995, but all three of those wins
came from the pole. Martin's only result outside the top ten during that decade was a 28th place finish, which he achieved during his debut
at Watkins Glen International in 1988. Martin was unable to accept the award in person this weekend, but recorded a message to be shared with fans via the Sprint Vision Screen during the pre-race ceremony for Sunday's Centurion Boats at the Glen. In the recorded message, Martin discusses his experiences at The Glen and what the Driver of the Decade award means to him.(WGI)(8-10-2008)
- Several Bands Will Perform at Watkins Glen: Fans can rock the night away at the Saturday Night Concert on the Red Cat Summer Stage on Saturday, August 9. The concert, featuring Emma Mae Jacob, Ragged Sole and Delilah Why, will be another added bonus for fans purchasing a weekend ticket to the Centurion Boats at The Glen, August 7-10. The concert will be held near the Esses, and is scheduled to begin immediately following the Zippo 200. Admission to the concert is included in the price of a weekend ticket. Emma Mae Jacob, an up-and-coming country star, will perform the opening act for the concert and is expected to sing 3-4 songs from her new album, "Breaking All the Rules." Also featured at the Saturday Night Concert in the Esses will be Ragged Sole, a rock band out of Ithaca, NY. Delilah Why will be the third band showcased during Saturday Night's Concert. This Southern rock band from Nashville formed in 2005 when singer/guitarist Dave Sanford joined forces with guitarist Dan Smith and drummer Pete Pulkrabek. Cullen Tierney, the bassist, joined the group in 2006. Tickets for the historic 60th Anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen are on-sale. For more information and ticket orders, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website at www.TheGlen.com.(WGI PR)(8-6-2008)
- Emma Mae to perform national anthem at Watkins Glen: Emma Mae Jacob, a young country music star, will perform the National Anthems during the pre-race festivities for the Centurion Boats at The Glen on Sunday, August 10. Jacob will warm-up for her performance by opening for the Saturday Night Concert on the Red Cat Summer Stage on Saturday, August 9. Despite being just 16, Jacob moved from her family's home in California to Nashville to pursue a country music career. Jacob is expected to sing between 3-4 songs from her new album "Breaking All the Rules" during the Saturday Night Concert. The concert will be held near the Esses and is scheduled to begin immediately following the Zippo 200. Admission is included in the price of a weekend ticket. Tickets for the historic 60th Anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen are on-sale. For more information and ticket orders, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website at www.TheGlen.com.(WGI PR)(8-5-2008)
- Sunoco & Watkins Glen Provide Relief at the Pump: In light of rising gas prices and the economic hardships that many NASCAR fans are facing today, Watkins Glen International and Sunoco are trying to give fans a little relief at the pumps. Fans that purchase an $85 Turn 11 Grandstand weekend ticket for the Sprint Cup Series' Centurion Boats at The Glen can receive a $20 Sunoco gas card for each ticket ordered. The gas card can be redeemed at over 400 participating Sunoco retail outlets within a 300 mile radius of Watkins Glen International. The offer is good for one gas card per WGI ticket voucher with a limit of four ticket vouchers per household. To receive your gas cards, make a purchase at a participating Sunoco dealer and receive your Watkins Glen International ticket voucher. Once you have the voucher, call 866-461-RACE to order your tickets for the Centurion Boats at The Glen and mention "Sunoco." You will receive your gas cards with your tickets approximately two weeks prior to the event. The offer ends July 25, 2008. (Watkins Glen PR)(7-20-2008)
- Watkins Glen to be powered by Renewable Energy: Watkins Glen International, one of the nation’s most historic racetracks, will soon be leading the way towards reducing their carbon footprint with the help of Juice Energy. The 60 year old raceway, known worldwide as “The Glen,” has signed a new contract with Juice in an effort to lower their ever-rising electricity costs, and limit the track’s impact on the environment. Juice Energy, Inc. is a New York-based electricity supplier that utilizes unique methodologies to deliver electricity to their clients at the lowest possible rates. By constantly monitoring the energy markets, Juice creates custom solutions that bring the advantages of electricity competition to clients. At the same time, Juice offers clients access to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, making them a popular choice for businesses looking to curb their environmental impact. The new deal will cover all of The Glen’s electricity needs for the next three years. In addition, the track will become one of the first motor sports facilities in North America to adopt a greener electricity strategy with the purchase of wind power equal to 100% of their annual electric use. The green power purchase effectively offsets the track’s electricity related greenhouse gas emissions.(WGI PR)(7-8-2008)
- Holbert honiored as first driver of the decade: Al Holbert has been named "Driver of the Decade" for the 1978-1988 time period at Watkins Glen International. Holbert is
the first driver honored with the title "Driver of the Decade" and will be part of the inaugural induction class of "Legends of The Glen." During a ceremony held in the Media Center, WGI president Craig Rust presented a hand-blown vase from Vitrix Hot Glass Studio in Corning, NY and a specially framed picture of Holbert racing at The Glen to Kevin Doran. Doran, the crew chief for Holbert's win in the 1986 Camel Continental, accepted the award on behalf of the Holbert family. Holbert put on one of the most exceptional runs during a ten year period in WGI history. During the 1978-1987 time period, he claimed an incredible five wins including three consecutive Camel Continental GT victories. His first victory of the decade came in the Budweiser Can-Am on July 12, 1981 in a Holbert CRC-2. Holbert was selected for the honor by a six-member panel of Glen experts. The criteria were, in order of importance, number of Glen victories, number of Top-5 finishes, number of Top-10 finishes, average finish, records set, and the significance/impact of their performances.
The committee was required to consider the results from one decade at a time with the breakdown being as follows: 1948-1957, 1958-1967, 1968-1977, 1978-1987, 1988-1997, or 1998-2007. For more tickets and more information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website www.TheGlen.com. Holbert made 19 Cup starts with four top-10's.(WGI PR)(6-9-2008)
- Six drivers to be honored at Watkins Glen: The list of legendary drivers that have graced the streets of Watkins Glen and the twists of Watkins Glen International is almost second to none. The stars of all forms of racing - sportscar, open-wheel, and stock car - have come to The Glen for 60 years and many have left their everlasting mark on its history. As part of the 60th Anniversary of racing in The Glen, a selection committee of esteemed Glen experts analyzed the six decades that make up The Glen's history and determined the "Driver of the Decade" for each 10-year time period. The fortunate drivers that were selected will be members of the first class ever inducted into The Glen's hall-of-fame, the "Legends of The Glen."
Everyone that has ever been associated with the village of Watkins Glen and/or Watkins Glen International knows of the pride that comes from being the birth place of post-World War II American road racing. Numerous drivers accumulated impressive career stats at The Glen which made the job of the selection committee to pick the best of the best all the more difficult. A very specific list of criteria was provided to the committee to help them determine the most deserving drivers. The criteria was, in order of importance, number of Glen victories, number of Top-5 finishes, number of Top-10 finishes, average finish, records set, and the significance/impact of their performances. The committee was required to consider the results from one decade at a time with the breakdown being as follows: 1948-1957, 1958-1967, 1968-1977, 1978-1987, 1988-1997, or 1998-2007. Drivers could be nominated for more than one decade but their stats could not carryover from one decade to the next.
The "Driver of the Decade" selection committee was comprised of six individuals that combined for over 150 years of motorsports experience. The individuals tasked with selecting the cream of the racing crop were Craig Rust, president of Watkins Glen International; Bill Green, historian for Watkins Glen International; J.J. O'Malley, former director of communications of Watkins Glen International; Chris Gill, motorsports beat writer for The Leader; Chris P. Bacon, radio voice of "Track Talk" and 100.9 the Pig for the Twin Tiers at Backyard Broadcasting; and Henry "Hank" Kimball, a participant in many Glen racing events over the last 40 years. Drivers were selected through the use of a weighted voting
system, similar to those used to determine other sports' awards such as the Heisman Trophy. The selection process involved an opening round of discussion to nominate specific drivers and was followed by two rounds of voting. In the first round of voting, each committee member voted for up to six nominees with 1st place votes worth six points, 2nd place
votes worth five points, and so on. The three drivers that received the most points moved on to the second round. In the second round, members again used a weighted vote with 1st place votes worth three points, 2nd place votes worth two points, and 3rd place votes worth one point. The driver that received the most points won the title of "Driver of the
Decade" for that period of 10 years. Fans will have the opportunity to make their voices heard as to who they think will be named "Driver of the Decade" using a live poll located on the "Buy Tickets" page on TheGlen.com starting on Friday, April 25. This poll will change every three weeks so fans are encouraged to come back and vote each time.
The six winning drivers will be announced over the course of the 2008 season during the four larger event weekends; the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, June 6-8, Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen, July 4-6, Centurion Boats at The Glen, August 7-10, and the final driver during the U.S. Vintage Grand Prix, September 5-7. These drivers will make up
the first class inducted into the new WGI hall-of-fame, the "Legends of The Glen." At the end of the 2008 season, the "Driver of the Decade" selection committee will become the selection committee for the future members of the "Legends of The Glen." The committee will meet at the end of each year to evaluate potential inductees and then elect a
maximum of four honorees. Drivers, owners, track officials, and anyone that has had an immense impact on racing in The Glen will be eligible for election into the "Legends of The Glen."(WGI)(5-4-2008)
- Face Lift of Watkins Glen Pit Road Complete: The pit road project at Watkins Glen International was completed on Friday, April 18 and the Media Center is still on schedule to be completed in May. Ever since the Sprint Cup Series came to The Glen in1986, teams have been sharing pit boxes. The historic road course has added additional boxes since that time, but was limited to building a total of 41 due to the placement of the old Press Tower which was in front of pit road. This all changed when funds to build a new Media Center were approved in September 2007 and the subsequent demolition of the Press Tower two months later. The sudden increase in available space made it possible for changes to be made to pit road; the most noteworthy being the addition of two new pit boxes to bring the total to 43. This will allow every team in the Sprint Cup Series to have
their own pit box and will also provide additional space for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series when both the Daytona Prototypes and GT class compete during the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, June 6-8. The new boxes cover a total of 4,000 square feet and are located on the site of the old Press Tower. The changes on pit road and the work on the pit wall allowed for the widening of the space that allows cars to enter the pits from the garage area. The old space was 30 feet in length and it has now been doubled to a total of 60 feet which should allow cars to enter and exit pit road at the same time. The construction of the new Media Center began on December 12, 2007 and crews worked on the project through the winter. The new two-story building will have over 17,000 square feet of space and provide plenty of room to host the hundreds of media and series officials that visit
the track over the course of the season. The design also makes the Media Center a multi-use building with a meeting room, lounge area, and food preparation room on the 2nd floor. Tickets for the historic 60th Anniversary Season at Watkins Glen International are on-sale now. For more tickets and more information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website www.TheGlen.com.(WGI)(4-29-2008)
- Opening Day at Watkins Glen International is Sunday, April 27th, and marks the LAST day race fans can save money on tickets. Fans will also have the opportunity to
support NASCAR Day, this coming May 16th and drive the 3.4 mile Grand Prix course. A portion of the proceeds collected during Opening Day will be donated to a regional charity that benefits children with chronic illness. The regional charity and complete charitable giving program will be announced at a later date. Opening Day officially opens The Glen for the highly anticipated 2008 racing season at the historic road-course. This year the track will celebrate 60 years of racing in The Glen and will welcome back the stars of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series during the Centurion Boats at The Glen weekend, August 7-10 and the open-wheel cars and stars of the IndyCar Series for the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen, July 4-6. Fans can also catch the unique and popular Daytona Prototypes and GT class of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series with the 27th Running of the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, June 6-8. For only $20.00 per vehicle, fans can drive legendary Watkins Glen International for three parade-style paced laps or take a spin around the Soul of American Road Racing in a 2008 Toyota Camry - the official pace vehicle of Watkins Glen International. Gates open at 9:00 am, the first cars will hit the track at 10:00 am and laps go until 4:00 pm. Motorcycles are not permitted on the track.
April 27th also marks the LAST day to purchase racing tickets for all of the events at The Glen at the advanced prices. Fans can save as much as $15.00 on race packages and $11.00 on individual tickets. Save BIG on the premium "3-Pak" offer that can save fans up to $50 on reserved grandstand seating for the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen, July
4-6 and the Centurion Boats at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup and Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series races, August 7-10.
NASCAR Day has become the signature charitable event of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Foundation, which supports a wide range of worthy causes, including: enriching the lives of chronically ill children; expanding literacy; encouraging bone marrow donation; and fighting cancer. This year it will be celebrated on May
16th but fans will be able to do their part to support NASCAR Day during Opening Day. The cornerstone of the celebration is the distribution of collectible NASCAR Day lapel pins, which fans and other supporters can obtain in exchange for a $5 donation to the NASCAR Foundation. 50% of the funds raised surrounding NASCAR Day will be used locally. Pins are available at The Shop, located at 2 North Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen, NY from now until NASCAR Day. Pins will be available at Watkins Glen International, starting Sunday, April 27th, during Opening Day. Fans can also get their companies involved by going online and signing up to be a NASCAR Day Crew Chief. After signing up you will receive a FREE NASCAR Day Participation Kit that includes pins, a Crew Chief Manual, collection and donation envelopes and posters to help encourage fellow employees to contribute. To sign up your company or organization and get your FREE NASCAR Day Kit go to http://foundation.nascar.com,click on the "Become a NASCAR Day Crew Chief" icon and fill out the online form. Make sure to enter "The Glen" when asked for your promotional code to help benefit our local charity.
Tickets for the historic 60th Anniversary Season at Watkins Glen International are on-sale now! This year the season kicks-off with the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, June 6-7 paired with the NASCAR Camping World Series' East Division on Sunday, June 8. General admission tickets for Kids 12 and under are FREE
during the June 6-7 and July 4-6 event weekends when accompanied by an adult. Open-wheel racing returns for the 4th of July weekend during the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen, July 4-6, and the Centurion Boats at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup and Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series weekend highlights the summer action, August 7-10. For more tickets and more information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website www.TheGlen.com.(WGI)(4-16-2008)
- Reserved Camping for NASCAR race at The Glen is sold out: Camping sites during the Centurion Boats at The Glen and Zippo 200 race weekend continues to be a hot ticket at Watkins Glen International. The Soul of American Road Racing announced that reserved camping sites during the August 7 -10, Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series weekend are already SOLD OUT! The final reserved spot was sold in mid-February topping last year's pace of March 2007, once again setting the mark for the earliest date these popular
locations have been sold out at The Glen in ten years. General (non-reserved) camping passes during the race weekend are still available, but going fast! General camping during the NASCAR weekend can be enjoyed along the "Boot" through Gate 7 as well as outside the backstretch by Gate 1. General camping during the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen weekend is also available in the infield. General camping passes are still only $65 for the NASCAR weekend if purchased before Opening Day, April 27th. Tickets for the racing action at Watkins Glen International are on-sale now! For more tickets and more information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the site.(WGI PR)(3-26-2008)
- Watkins Glen unveils Media Center sketches: The construction of the new media center at Watkins Glen International is in high gear and on schedule for completion for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series weekend, The Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, June 6-8. The new 17,600-square foot building consists of a dedicated workroom
that can host over 180 members of the media on a deadline, a dedicated photographer's workroom, a press conference/large meeting room, radio station and sanctioning body workrooms and a lounge/cafeteria. The two-story building is set back approximately 125 feet to the east of the previous press tower which was demolished this past December. Both the first and second floors of the new building are already in place and the construction of the peaked roof began earlier this week. Help celebrate the 60th Anniversary of racing in The Glen by purchasing your tickets for the 2008 season now! Tickets can be purchased at The Shop, located at 2 North Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen. Gift Certificates worth cash value toward any ticket at Watkins Glen International can be purchased at the Information Center of Corning located in Centerway Square on Historic Market Street. For more information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website www.TheGlen.com.(WGI PR)(2-6-2008)
- Press Tower at Watkins Glen Demolished: Another chapter in the storied history of Watkins Glen International came to a close when Craig Rust, President of WGI, began the demolition of the historic road course's iconic Press Tower during a ceremony this afternoon. Members of the WGI staff and local media also took turns leaving their final "mark" on the building - with the use of a sledge hammer. The demolition of the Press Tower is segueing for a new state-of-the-art Media Center, which is expected to be completed in June of 2008. The Press Tower has been one of the most recognizable landmarks at The Soul of American Road Racing since its construction in 1971. With the loss of the Glen Club in early 2007, the Press Tower became the second oldest structure at The Glen behind the Main Operations Building. The 4,000-square foot building was part of a modernization project requested by Formula 1 that included widening the road surface of the entire track, relocating the start-finish line and building new pits and garage. The original structure also housed timing and scoring for The Glen until 2006 when Race Control was added to the top of the FrontStretch Grandstand. Over the course of its over 35 year history, the Press Tower hosted national and international media and officials from virtually every major racing series including NASCAR, IndyCar, Grand-Am, Formula 1, CART, Trans-Am, Can-Am, IMSA and SCCA.
The new Media Center will not be placed in the same location as the former Press Tower. Groundbreaking began on Monday, and the crew is in the process of pouring the concrete footers on the foundation of the new building. The building will be located approximately 100-150 feet east of the old press tower, in an area previously used for high-end team recreational vehicles (RV's), known as the Newel RV lot. For more information on tix, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office at 866-461-RACE or log on to the official website www.TheGlen.com.(WGI PR)(12-20-2007)
- Watkins Glen to have new media center in 2008: Watkins Glen International announced that funds for a new media center have been approved by the International Speedway Corporation Board of Directors. Construction of a new building is expected to begin very soon by Welliver McGuire Inc., a Schuyler County based commercial construction
services company, with the design provided by Hunt Engineers headquartered in nearby Horseheads, NY. Demolition of the current structure will begin soon and concepts and renderings for the nearly $4M project will be released when completed. Updates on the progress of the center will be available at www.theglen.com.(WGI PR)(9-13-2007)
