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Enhanced Grand Prix Festival planned for September 2015

Special to The Odessa File

WATKINS GLEN, Feb. 16, 2015– The Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen presented by Chemung Canal Trust Company returns in September to the home of American road racing.

The daylong celebration of the history of racing in Watkins Glen will be on its traditional Friday after Labor Day, on Sept. 11.

An enhanced schedule of activities is expected to extend the celebration through the weekend.

The opportunity to increase activities for both festival participants and observers is the result of changes to the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association’s 2015 schedule, which was altered due to a repaving project at Watkins Glen International. SVRA will be at WGI on July 24-26 for the Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver.

Over the last several years, SVRA’s September competition at WGI has attracted some of the largest vintage racing fields of the national season.

“We will miss hosting SVRA race cars downtown at the Grand Prix Festival,” said Carole Pierce, Watkins Glen Promotions director of events. “But the committee is working hard to develop a long list of new activities for our Stone Bridge Driver event participants as well as for the thousands of people who spend the day with us honoring Watkins Glen’s racing history.”

Pierce said the all-volunteer committee is looking at a diverse selection that could include events on both Saturday and Sunday.

The International Motor Racing Research Center, a Grand Prix Festival partner, already has announced it will be presenting a daylong program on Can-Am racing on Saturday, Sept. 12. Former Can-Am racer Oscar Koveleski and Jack Deren, chief mechanic for Koveleski’s Team Auto World McLaren, will be the program’s headliners.

From the re-enactment of race car technical inspections at historic Smalley’s Garage on Franklin Street to the arrival throughout the day of hundreds of vintage and classic sports cars at the end of their road rallies through the region to the fireworks over the Watkins Glen State Park gorge, the 22nd anniversary Grand Prix Festival will return racing excitement to the village streets.

“We look forward to seeing all our Festival friends again in September, and we’re truly excited about the new ways we’re going to enrich their Grand Prix Festival experience,” Pierce said.

For a look at past Grand Prix Festivals, go to the website www.grandprixfestival.com.

Photos in text: Scenes of passing vintage cars from a previous Grand Prix Festival in downtown Watkins Glen. (File photos)