Bill Green to Speak about Racing Collectibles

WATKINS GLEN – International Motor Racing Research Center Historian Bill Green will discuss the hobby of collecting race memorabilia on Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Center.

His talk is presented as part of the monthly series, Center Conversations. It will begin at 1 p.m. and is free and open to all.

The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen.

Green has been a fan of Watkins Glen racing since the first event in 1948, when he was 8 years old. His collection of race materials, now legendary, was started that day, too.

Green has written one book, “Watkins Glen, From Griswold to Gordon: Fifty Years of Competition at the Home of American Road Racing,” with J.J. O’Malley. He consulted on two other books about Watkins Glen: “Watkins Glen, 1948-52, The Definitive Illustrated History” by Philippe Defechereux and “The Glen, 50 Years of Road Racing Excellence.”

He has been Watkins Glen track historian since 1968, Glen Region SCCA historian since 1974 and Race Communications Association historian since 1998. From 1984-95, Green was deputy archivist for the SCCA.

Green has been Center historian since 2004.

For more information: Mark Steigerwald, Center director of Archives and Administration, (607) 535-9044 or by email at mark@racingarchives.org

Local KONI Challenge Team to Talk about ’09 Season on Saturday December 5th at 1PM

Jim Seafuse and Bret Seafuse, co-owners of the JBS Motorsports Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series team based in Montour Falls in Schuyler County will discuss their exciting 2009 season on Dec. 5 at the International Motor Racing Research Center.

The free talk will be at 1 p.m. It is part of the Center’s on-going talk series, Center Conversations.

Bret Seafuse co-drove the team’s No. 37 Trumansburg ShurSave Mustang GT with James Gue of Alpharetta, GA, to a second-place series finish during this year’s hotly contested championship .

They won the season-ending Bosch Engineering Octoberfest at Virginia International Raceway in October as well as taking the checkered flag at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL, in July. The team finished with nine top-five finishes in the 11-race championship.
This year was the team’s third full season in the KONI Challenge Series, Jim Seafuse said.

Jim began his racing career in 1992 with SCCA and also raced in the KONI series, but he hasn’t competed for three years, now concentrating on his duties as team co-owner.

Bret debuted in KONI in 2001, starting three races with a best finish of sixth.

Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.

The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. Call (607) 535-9044 for more information.

Artist John Rice to exhibit works at IMRRC
from September 10th through December 10th

John Rice has been working as an artist and illustrator for more than three decades. Born in the late 50’s in upstate NY, his love of racing was fueled by numerous trips to Watkins Glen, Utica Rome Speedway, Oswego Speedway as well as the Mile Oval at the New York State Fairgrounds.

After earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University in 1980, John moved to New York City, where his extensive body of work has included one of his favorite subjects, motorsports.

Balancing the esthetic qualities of realistic illustration with acute accuracy and fine detail, Rice’s work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Vintage Racecar, Esquire, Field & Stream, Saltwater SportsMan, and Outdoor Life Magazine and featured on ESPN Sports. His work has also appeared in many textbooks, textile and package design, advertising, television, and other media. Most recently, his art was shown at Grand Prix, New York in Westchester County, NY.

His motorsport art combines the detail of complex racing machines with the energy and life of his watercolor technique. His paintings capture the beauty, power, and excitement of both great cars and historic tracks of the world. Johns painting primarily depicts the “Golden Age of Racing”. His subjects have included the Maserati 250 F of the 1950’s through the Porsche 962C of the early 1990’s.

John's work can be found in the collections of Vintage Car Collectors, motorsports enthusiasts and racing fans nationwide. John Rice and his family currently reside in the Hudson Valley, New York.

Rice's exhibit, the second at the Center in 2009, reflects the IMRRC's commitment to the preservation of the history of motorsports through collections of books, photographs, films, documents, personal papers, magazines, fine art and other materials.

Racing Research Center’s October Open House
Features Champion Race Driver George Follmer

Versatile racing champion George Follmer will be the keynote speaker at the annual open house of the International Motor Racing Research Center on Oct. 3.

“Forceful George Follmer - a contender in any kind of racing he tried and a winner in most,” writes the Center’s 2008 speaker Pete Lyons on the website of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, into which Follmer was inducted in 1999.

The open house is a daylong event and is the Center’s way of thanking its supporters. Follmer’s talk will be at 3 p.m.
The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen.

Follmer is the only professional racing driver from the United States who has competed in Indy Cars, NASCAR, Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, Can-Am, Trans-Am and IMSA.

“George Follmer distinguished himself in every type of race car he ever drove – and he drove just about everything,” says Research Center historian Bill Green. “He was the USRRC Champion in 1965, Can-Am champion in 1972 and was twice Trans-Am champion – in 1972 and 1976. In addition to sports cars, sedans and prototypes, George raced in USAC, NASCAR and Formula 1. He scored World Championship points for Shadow in Formula 1, including a podium finish in 1973.”

“I am always happy to return to Watkins Glen where so many of the great race battles of the 1960s and ’70s played out,” said Follmer. “I like to remember the victories, including the USRRC and Trans-Am wins, but they are all great memories.”

In his first racing season in 1960, Follmer earned the honor of California Sports Car Club Rookie of the Year. He turned pro five years later, winning the SCCA’s 1965 United States Road Racing Championship driving a Porsche-powered Lotus. Follmer’s Can-Am championship in 1972 was at the wheel of the iconic Penske Racing Porsche 917-10. He won the Trans-Am championship the same year, driving the Roy Woods Javelin. His second Trans-Am championship came in 1976 at the wheel of a Porsche.

Follmer’s USAC career included an historic victory at Phoenix in 1969, marking the first Championship Trail win for a Chevrolet-powered car. His three consecutive appearances in the Indianapolis 500 from 1969 through 1971 were plagued with mechanical misfortune, scoring his best result of 15th in the 1971 event.

“Despite George Follmer’s reputation as a hard-nosed, pure racer, he never lost his essential sportsmanship,” said Michael Argetsinger, a member of the Racing Research Center’s Council and author of the recently released biography, Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence at Speed, from David Bull Publishing. “Mark Donohue, who competed fiercely against George as a rival and often as a teammate, had the highest regard for him as a man and as a driver.”

For his accomplishments at Watkins Glen, Follmer will be inducted into the Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame during the open house. The Walk of Fame is a project of the Watkins Glen Historic Committee, sponsored by the Center.
Other activities during the day will include the Center’s ever-popular annual “garage sale” and refreshments.
“We are delighted to have George Follmer at the Research Center to celebrate this important weekend on our calendar. This is our opportunity to thank our patrons for their generous support throughout the year,” said Mark Steigerwald, Director of Archives & Administration for the Research Center.

The Center is an archival library dedicated to the preservation of motorsports, all series and all venues. It is open to the public without charge and welcomes the casual race fan as well as the serious researcher.
It was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen, the home of post-World War II road racing in America. It opened in June 1999.

THE 9TH ANNUAL IMRRC AUCTION IS SEPTEMBER 11TH

Remember to Save the Date, Friday September 11, as the International Motor Racing Research Center conducts it’s annual Charity Auction. This gala event will be held at the Center from 6PM till 9 PM and has become a cornerstone event of the Grand Prix Festival/US Vintage Grand Prix weekend since its start in 2000.

The $25 admission charge covers free refreshments (wine, beer, and soft drinks) and hot & cold hors d’ourves throughout the evening. The silent auction begins at 6PM and continues until 8PM with an exciting live auction starting at 8PM In an effort to increase attendee participation this year anyone who is the wining bidder on an item with a final price of $125 or more will receive a one time credit of their $25 admission charge. In other words if you are the winning bidder on an item in either auction and your final bid is $150 you'll receive a $25 credit, making the final cost $125

The IMRRC emblazoned rear wing from the Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing number 99 car, a helmet signed by all the drivers who competed in this year Camping World Grand Prix at the Glen Indy car race and a gift Certificate from the Inn at Glenora are but a few of the items that will be available, with more arriving daily. IMRRC friends and supporters are reminded that donated items for this year’s event are still being accepted, so check your closet, basement, and garage for materials that could be added to our offerings and send them on! Remember it's for a good cause, all donations are tax deductible and they add to the excitement and success of the event. Thanks for your support and we’ll see you there.

“The Brothers Rodríguez” Author to Speak at Center

Author Carlos Jalife-Villalón will put racing brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez in the spotlight at the International Motor Racing Research Center on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Jalife-Villalón will discuss the pair – subjects of his exhaustive biography, “The Brothers Rodríguez” – as part of the Center’s monthly Center Conversations talk series. The discussion will begin at 1 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Until recently, Jalife-Villalón’s book has been available only in Spanish. He will have copies of the new edition available for purchase at his talk.
Documenting the racing careers of Pedro and Ricardo, the book is filled with photos that illustrate not only the racing exploits of both brothers but also the era that defined their careers in the 1950s and 1960s. Both were national heroes in their native country of Mexico, but they were known worldwide for their driving skill and daring.

In creating the English translation, publisher David Bull and author Jalife-Villalón made significant improvements to an already impressive volume, including the addition of new information discovered after the publication of the Spanish-language edition. The inclusion of an index is a welcome tool for researchers.

The International Motor Racing Research Center is an archival library dedicated to the preservation of the history of motor sports. Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, year-round. The Center’s Web site may be found at www.racingarchives.org. The phone number is (607) 535-9044.

Visit www.bullpublishing.com for more information about “The Brothers Rodríguez” and other motor sport titles.

Art Show Featured at IMRRC

Works by motorsports artist Greg Davis of Westline, PA, will be displayed at the International Motor Racing Research Center this summer, kicking off with an opening and reception on Friday, June 12. from 6PM-8PM at the Center. The opening of the show coincides with the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) event at Watkins Glen International that takes place June 12-14. The reception will be open to the public and the show will run through July 12th

In addition to his art career, Davis operates a vintage car restoration shop and competes in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) regional competition with a Laser F-Vee. His subject matter is almost exclusively sports and formula car racing and he works mainly with pen and ink wash and watercolors. “The functional beauty of these machines, the personalities and the history associated with the events involved has always inspired the artist in me. Some of my subject matter is based around the black and white photography that was so prevalent in the earlier racing magazines. I feel this era has a mystique and romance that these photos tend to project and I try to convey that through these images,” he said.

Hosting a show of work such as Davis’ reflects the Racing Research Center’s commitment to the preservation of the history of motorsports through collections of books, photographs, films, documents, personal papers, magazines, fine art and other materials.

IMRRC OFFERS RARE, ONE-OF-TWO PRODUCED, CORVETTE AS ITS 2009 RAFFLE CAR

The IMRRC raffle car for 2009 will be a 1984, one-of-two-ever- produced, Chevrolet Corvette originally owned by AJ Foyt’s long time sponsor and friend, the late Jim Gilmore. Painted  “hugger orange”, the color used on the Gilmore-Foyt Indy cars, this unique car has less than 19000 miles on the odometer and is in showroom condition. Also included is complete documentation as to it’s original ownership, including the original insurance card, the application for title in Gilmore’s name, owners manual, service records, and the original “window sticker”

Gilmore’s was the owner of Abraham Chevrolet located in Miami Florida and in 1984 he received authorization from then General Manager of the Chevrolet, Robert Stemple, to have two specially painted Corvette’s produced at the factory. One car went to AJ Foyt, with the other going to Gilmore. This limited edition vehicle is equipped with virtually every factory option available at the time including, the Z51 Performance Package, AG9 Six Way Power Drivers Seat, AU3 Power Door Lock System, L83 5.7 Liter V8, UJ8 Delco-Bose AM/FM Stereo with Cassette, V01 Heavy Duty Radiator, Z6A Defogger System Rear Window, and 622 AUU2 Saddle Leather Bucket Seating.

This unique, eye catching Corvette offers members and friends the opportunity to win a very rare car while supporting the Center at the same time and will most certainly be a repeat last years sell out. Tickets will be $60 each or two for $100 with only 1984 tickets available. Tickets are on sale begining May 15^th and the wining ticket will be drawn on Saturday November 14^th. Tickets can be ordered on-line at www.racingarchives.org, by telephone at 607.535.9044,by mail, at the Center directly (610 S. Decatur Street, Watkins Glen, NY 14891), or at Watkins Glen International during major race weekends.  Tickets are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the IRS

IMRRC and WGI announce exciting programs for the April 25-26 weekend

OPENING WEEKEND AT WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL TO FEATURE A MARK DONOHUE TRIBUTE

Weekend Long Celebration Includes the Release of the Donohue Biography Authored by Michael Argetsinger

Opening Day at Watkins Glen International has traditionally been the day that fans can drive the historic 3.4-mile road course to celebrate the opening of a new season.  Watkins Glen International (WGI) and the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) announced today that the 2009 activity will feature both the opening of the 61st racing season in The Glen and a two-day tribute to Mark Donohue and his cars.   Highlights of the weekend will include; the first release of the new Donohue biography, Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence at Speed, from David Bull Publishing, authored by Michael Argetsinger, a display and tribute laps with historic Donohue race cars at the track, and public availability of Donohue’s friends, family, and team personnel.

On Saturday, April 25th Mark Donohue racing enthusiasts will have a chance to get up-close with Argetsinger during the monthly “Center Conversation” hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) from 1 to 3pm.  Michael Argetsinger is the son of Cameron Argetsinger, the man credited with bringing road racing to Upstate New York and making Watkins Glen and Watkins Glen International household names worldwide. Argetsinger's first book,” Walt Hansgen: His Life and the History of Post-War American Road Racing” was critically acclaimed and received a Gold Medal for biography and was named Best of Books for 2006 at the International Automotive Media Awards.   The talk will focus on Argetsinger’s new book and will feature comments and recollections by some of the people who were part of Donohue’s career including; Karl Kainhofer, Malcolm Starr, Jerry Kroninger, Walter Czarnecki, John Woodard, Don Cox, Daniel Luginbuhl and Mark’s oldest son, Michael Donohue. Admission to this event is free and several of the former Donohue racecars will be on display before and after the presentation. 

On, Sunday, April 26th, Watkins Glen International will be the place to be for every Mark Donohue race fan. The new Donohue biography will be available for purchase to the general public for the first time and race fans will have the opportunity to have the book autographed by the author and several Donohue personalities. From 12-12:30pm fans will also be treated to” tribute laps” by some of the race cars that were driven by Donohue including: a Lola T70 Can Am car, a Eagle-Offy that raced in the 1973 Indianapolis 500, a 1968 Trans Am Camaro, Donohue's first race car - the 1961 National Championship winning Elva Courier, and the 1965 Shelby GT 350R that he drove to win the 1965 SCCA North East, B production championship - to name but a few. Immediately following the tribute laps, the cars, drivers and many of the people associated with Donohue’s career will conduct a meet-and-greet in the Gatorade Victory Lane, offering fans a chance to see the cars up close, take photographs and another chance to have their copy of the Donohue book signed by Argetsinger and the many personalities who will be in attendance.

Opening Day at WGI will once again offer fans the opportunity to drive The Soul of American Road Racing.  For only $20 fans will be able to drive three laps around the same turns as Mark Donohue and many other motor sport legends. Gates will open at 9:00am, with laps starting at 10:00am and ending at 3:00pm, including a half hour break for the Tribute Laps at noon. Sunday will also be the final opportunity for race fans to purchase tickets at Advance Sale discount prices. Further event and ticket information for the 2009 season at Watkins Glen International can be found at www.theGlen.com or by calling the ticket office at 866.461.RACE 

Drivers of alternate fueled vehicles, hybrids and fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered cars will have two unique opportunities to test their vehicles – and have a lot of fun while doing it – at the 5th Annual Green Grand Prix in Watkins Glen on May 2.

This year, organizers are offering the event’s signature road rally through the region, as well as a new fuel economy competition.

The participatory events are part of a daylong celebration of sustainable transportation. The Green Grand Prix is based at the International Motor Racing Research Center (www.racingarchives.org) on South Decatur Street in Watkins Glen and at the adjacent Watkins Glen school district grounds.

Activities include educational displays, speakers, cars on show, exhibits, music and food.

Both road events are open to anyone, and organizers anticipate vehicles that will include all hybrid models, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell cars and cars running on biodiesel, diesel, flex-fuel and pure electric. Organizers also expect many other interesting alternate fueled vehicles, such as those powered by vegetable oil, as well as by LP and compressed natural gas.

The Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally is the only official Sports Car Club of America road rally of its kind in the nation. The time-speed-distance rally covers more than 60 miles of scenic roadways

It honors the memory of well-known area environmentalist Doris Bovee, who taught for many years in the Corning-Painted Post school district and was known for her love of plants and birds. She also was involved with SCCA road rallies and was part of the Glen Region SCCA (www.glen-scca.org) at its inception.

After they return to the village, rally drivers and their navigators will park at the Racing Research Center.

The new ChicagoSoft Green Grand Prix Fuel Economy Run will offer its competitors the opportunity to set fuel economy records in various categories around the 80-mile perimeter of Seneca Lake. Fuel Economy Run entrants also will return to the Racing Research Center to take part in afternoon festivities.

Many sustainable energy and environmental displays and activities are planned between 1-5 p.m. All events bring together a diverse mix of vehicles and their owners, businesses promoting renewable energy and related products, environmental groups, students and faculty members from elementary to university level and the general public.

This year, the Schuyler County Earth Day celebration is partnering with the Green Grand Prix, with a focus on Green Energy.

All afternoon activities and displays are free and open to the public.

“This fun and exciting educational event emphasizes energy independence and a cleaner environment,” said Green Grand Prix founder Robert Gillespie, an area artist and hybrid owner who is passionate about increasing awareness of the vehicles.

The SCCA has a long association with world-renowned Watkins Glen, which has hosted competitive racing events for more than 60 years.

International Motor Racing Research Center Historian Bill Green will discuss the hobby of collecting race memorabilia on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Center.

His talk is presented as part of the monthly series, Center Conversations. It will begin at 1 p.m. and is free and open to all.

Green has been a fan of Watkins Glen racing since the first event in 1948, when he was 8 years old. His collection of race materials, now legendary, was started that day, too.

Green has written one book, “Watkins Glen, From Griswold to Gordon: Fifty Years of Competition at the Home of American Road Racing,” with J.J. O’Malley. He consulted on two other books about Watkins Glen: “Watkins Glen, 1948-52, The Definitive Illustrated History” by Philippe Defechereux and “The Glen, 50 Years of Road Racing Excellence.”

He has been Watkins Glen track historian since 1968, Glen Region SCCA historian since 1974 and Race Communications Association historian since 1998. From 1984-95, Green was deputy archivist for the SCCA.

Rob Dyson Looks at 25 Years of Professional Racing

Rob Dyson will bring his celebration of 25 years in professional racing to the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Dyson will be joined at the podium by his son, Chris, for the 1 p.m. talk. The talk is part of the monthly Center Conversations series. It is free and open to all. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St.

The day’s activities will include the selection of the winner of the Center’s 2008 raffle of a Cobra Replicar. Raffle tickets will continue to be sold right up to the drawing at noon.

Dyson began his racing career in SCCA club racing in 1974, establishing Dyson Racing in 1983. Based in Poughkeepsie, NY, Dyson Racing is one of the longest-running and most successful private racing organizations in the United States. Over the years, Dyson Racing has competed in IMSA GTO and GTP, SCCA, Trans-Am, Grand-Am and CART.

Dyson Racing has earned 17 championships, 61 wins, 56 poles and 156 podiums during in its 25 years in sports car racing.

“I think the biggest thing I take away from the past 25 years is that you’ve got to keep working at it and eventually with the right talent and the right bunch of guys behind you, you can succeed in this sport,” Dyson told a reporter earlier this year.

“It takes a lot of effort and a lot of heart. Racing is a very emotionally and physically demanding sport. It’s the type of sport that demands so much of you that you just have to step up to it. I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned over the years.”

The team currently competes in the LMP2 class of the American LeMans Series with Porsche RS Spyders. Drivers are Chris Dyson, Butch Leitzinger, Guy Smith and Marino Franchitti.

Chris Dyson and Smith finished in fifth-place in the ALMS season-ender Oct. 18 in the Monterey Sports Car Championship at Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. Leitzinger and Franchitti finished sixth.

The team finished the season third in the P2 championship. Franchitti and Leitzinger were fifth in drivers points, followed by Chris Dyson and Smith in sixth. Porsche won both the engine and chassis manufacturer championships, the latter by one point. Dyson Racing’s points made both those championships possible.

Rob Dyson is a member of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management Hall of Honor at Cornell University, where he earned an MBA in 1974. 

Legends of Watkins Glen Racing History
Jean Argetsinger and Bill Milliken to Speak 

Jean Argetsinger and Bill Milliken, both involved with racing in Watkins Glen from when it was just a dream, will share their memories of the people of racing on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the International Motor Racing Research Center.

Their 1 p.m. talk, part of the Center Conversations series, is especially appropriate as racing in Watkins Glen is celebrating its 60^th anniversary in 2008 and the Racing Research Center is marking its 10^th year of preserving the history of motorsports.

This talk originally was scheduled in April. It was postponed after the death of Cameron R. Argetsinger, Jean Argetsinger’s husband and founder and organizer of the first races in Watkins Glen.

From the earliest days, Jean was an integral part of the races, though she is fond of saying the people of the sport captivated her interest, not the cars.

She was one of the key people in the creation of the Racing Research Center to celebrate Watkins Glen racing’s golden anniversary, and she continues to serve on the Center’s Council.

Milliken competed in the early events, famously rolling his Bugatti in the first race in 1948 at the downtown spot now known as Milliken’s Corner. Milliken and Cameron Argetsinger met when Argetsinger first presented his idea of a road race in Watkins Glen to the Sports Car Club of America.

Milliken wrote the race regulations and served as head of competition for SCCA at Watkins Glen and in the Formula 1 years as steward of the meeting.

Between them, Milliken and Jean Argetsinger have countless stories to tell, and some will be shared on Nov. 8. The talk is free, and all are welcome.

The Racing Research Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. It is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No admission is charged.

For more information about the Center and Center Conversations, call (607) 535-9044 or visit the Center’s Web site at www.racingarchives.org.

Phil Hill – Gentleman, Sportsman, Champion

The Research Center at Watkins Glen honors the life and career of this great sportsman and friend.

For an American motor sport enthusiast or would-be race driver – there could be no better role model than Phil Hill.

Phil and mechanic Henry Pickett share a laugh at Glendale, 1955 (Jim Sitz Collection)

The quiet but intense man from Santa Monica simply did it all, and he did it with grace and style. Phil Hill was the first American World Champion, the first to win the classic Le Mans 24-Hour race, and the first since Jimmy Murphy in 1921 to win a major European Grand Prix.

When Phil Hill arrived in Europe on a full-time basis in 1956 he was a mature 29-year old and well established as the premier American road racing driver of his era. He had been an early participant in the rebirth of road racing in America, particularly in his native California where by the early ‘50s he was clearly the man to beat on circuits such as Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Carrell Speedway, Palm Springs and many others. By the time he first raced at Watkins Glen in 1952, he had attained a national reputation. At the inaugural race on the new Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake in 1955 Phil Hill in a Ferrari Monza won a thrilling duel from Sherwood Johnston in Briggs Cunningham’s D-Type Jaguar. People still recall this as one of the closest and most exciting races in the history of the Wisconsin circuit.

His international reputation was already developing. Epic drives in the Carrera Pan America – Mexico’s answer to Italy’s Mille Miglia – proved his mastery of rugged road racing under the most trying circumstances and honed his intuitive skills and ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

When Phil Hill joined the works Ferrari team in Europe for the 1956 season, he was very much the junior man on a team of giants. These drivers included Juan Manuel Fangio, Eugenio Castelloti, Luigi Musso, Peter Collins, Alfonso de Portago, Paul Frere, Olivier Gendebien and Maurice Trintignant. On this intensely hierarchical team, and despite being the sole non-European with the disadvantage of seeing most of the circuits for the first time, Hill quickly established himself as fast and dependable and co-drove the winning car with Trintignant at Kristianstad in the Swedish Grand Prix to clinch the manufacturers’ World Championship for Ferrari.

1958 was a year of growth and recognition for Phil Hill. He had his first real drive in a Grand Prix car in January during practice for the Buenos Aires GP. Impatient for his opportunity in Formula 1, and despite pressure from Ferrari not to do it, he drove a privately entered Maserati 250F at Reims for the French Grand Prix. This was the final Grand Prix start in the great Juan Fangio’s career, and also the race that claimed the life of Luigi Musso. For Phil Hill it was the beginning of a Formula 1 career that was to lead him to the World Championship.

This was also the year that Phil Hill won Le Mans for Ferrari – he repeated in 1961 and 1962 – co-driving with Olivier Gendebien and the Sebring 12-Hour with Peter Collins. His experience at Sebring that year helps to portray his unique character. He drove to Sebring, Florida, from Santa Monica, California, in the classic 1939 Packard he had personally restored. He entered the Packard in the Concours d’Elegance and won his class, and then drove the car back to California. And of course he had won the 12-Hour race itself for Ferrari – the first of three times he achieved that feat.

In October of 1958 Phil Hill helped make history at Watkins Glen. He qualified on pole position in a Ferrari 4.1 Testa Rosa for the International Formula Libre – the race that set the stage for Watkins Glen to eventually be awarded the United States Grand Prix in 1961.

By 1959 Phil Hill was one of Ferrari’s lead drivers in Formula 1 and sports cars. His victory at Monza in the1960 Italian Grand Prix was the first European Grand Prix win for an American in 39 years. It was also the last ever championship win for a front-engined formula one car.

Phil Hill’s championship year in 1961 has been well chronicled. Winner of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, he clinched the World Championship at Monza by winning the Italian Grand Prix. The tragic death early in the race of his teammate and closest competitor, Wolfgang Von Trips, along with 12 spectators, doubtless stole from this sensitive individual some of the satisfaction he richly deserved. The final race of the season, his home Grand Prix of the United States at Watkins Glen, should have been the site for his title celebration. Instead Enzo Ferrari withdrew his team in response to the Monza tragedy and Hill was honored at Watkins Glen as Grand Marshal.

Although never again to find himself in the right car at the right time in Formula 1 Grand Prix events, Hill remained a major factor in every race in which he competed. He won Can Am and World Championship sports car races where he was always a force to be reckoned with – and often a dominant one.

Phil Hill ended his driving career in characteristically understated fashion after winning his final race – the 6-Hour BOAC 500 World Championship of Manufacturers race at Brands Hatch in 1967. He was co-driving the works Chaparral with Mike Spence.

Since ending his racing days he fulfilled his many other passions and interests. These included restoration and collecting of objects of art ranging from musical instruments to fine vintage automobiles. Single throughout his race career, Phil Hill married in 1971 and enjoyed a happy and fruitful family life. Younger race fans came to know him as a prolific and uniquely insightful correspondent for the American magazine, Road & Track.

Author Pete Lyons to speak in Watkins Glen

Pete Lyons, noted writer and photographer, will be the featured speaker at the International Motor Racing Research Center’s annual Open House on Oct. 4.

Lyons is well known and popular in the racing world. His books and his years as the preeminent Can-Am scribe and as the top American writer on Formula One have left him with an enthusiastic following around the world.

His talk will be at 3 p.m. and is open to all. The Open House is a daylong event and is the Center’s way of thanking its supporters. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen.

Lyons is an appropriate keynote speaker for the Center’s Open House as it celebrates its 10th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen.
“The good old Glen was practically my home track as I grew up,” notes Lyons. “I've seen some of the world's greatest racing drivers, racing cars and racing there over many years. It'll be fun to be back.”

Lyons is the author of six books, including Can-Am and Can-Am Photo History, both for MBI Publishing. His work has been honored with the Dean Batchelor Award of the Motor Press Guild, an Award for Journalism given by the Road Racing Driver’s Club and the International Motor Press Association’s Ken Purdy Award. He also has contributed to such publications as AutoWeek, for which he is a senior contributing editor; Car and Driver; Racecar, for which is a former editor; Racer, Road & Track; Vintage Motorsport; Vintage Racecar Journal, in which appears his regular column “Fast Lines”; and many others.

The Historic Grand Prix Association periodically awards its Pete Lyons Cup to owners of vintage F1 cars whom Lyons feels best recreate the spirit of the historic times he remembers so vividly, according to his Web site, www.petelyons.com. Lyons lives in Southern California.

The Racing Research Center was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen, the home of post-World War II road racing in America. The Center is an archival library dedicated to the preservation of motorsports, all series and all venues. It is open to the public without charge and welcomes the casual race fan as well as the serious researcher.

Joel Finn to Discuss Book on Road Racing, ’48-’50

(May 9, 2008) – Motorsports author Joel Finn will discuss his newest book, “American Road Racing: 1948-1950, The Sport Revived,” at the International Motor Racing Research Center on Saturday, May 17.

The free talk will be at 1 p.m. The talk is part of the Center’s on-going series, Center Conversations.

Finn will discuss the difficulties of researching and confirming the information that fills the 435 pages of the book.

The challenge, he says, is determining “what actually happened compared to what people think happened.”

“American Road Racing” has more than 600 historic photographs of the cars, drivers and events, many never before published, as well as extensive race results charts.

Races at Watkins Glen are, of course, a major component of the book.

Finn, of Roxbury, CT, has been a competitive driver in road racing for more than 50 years. He has written a number of highly-regarded histories of road racing, including “American Road Racing: The 1930s” and “Bridgehampton Racing: From the Streets to the Bridge.”

Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.

Cameron R. Argetsinger, legend in American road racing, dies April 22

Cameron Reynolds Argetsinger, founder and organizer of the first races in Watkins Glen and president of the International Motor Racing Research Center from September 2002 until mid-2007, died April 22 at his home in Burdett, NY. He was 87.

In addition to his international involvement in motorsports, Argetsinger was an attorney, graduating from Cornell Law School and practicing law in Schuyler County, NY, for 48 years.

Argetsinger’s contributions to motorsports in America are virtually unparalleled.

Inspired by his love of fast automobiles and the area’s natural beauty, in 1948 he conceived, organized and drove in the races through the streets in what would become the world-famous Watkins Glen Grand Prix.

In that first race, he drove his MG-TC to a ninth-place finish. He remained active as a driver through 1960.

Cameron R. Argetsinger is in his Healey Silverstone at the 1950
Watkins Glen Grand Prix. With him is his mechanic, Tony Weinberg.

Argetsinger brought full international races to Watkins Glen in 1958 and in 1961 inaugurated the U.S. Grand Prix for Formula 1, which had a successful 20-year run on the Watkins Glen circuit. 

From the start, Argetsinger was a strong voice for international and professional road racing during a period in the 1950s and early 1960s when the political tides were directed elsewhere. He received the Grand Prix Drivers Association award for the best-organized Grand Prix in the world in an era when promoters negotiated with each team and handled all details of transportation and logistical movement of cars, equipment and personnel. He had the complete trust and confidence of all the European teams and drivers and settled everything on a handshake.

Ultimately, he restructured the entire payment system to accommodate the needs of promoting a major event in America and advanced many professional innovations essential to establishing the success that Grand Prix racing enjoyed in America during that period.

After leaving Watkins Glen in 1970, he was executive vice president of Chaparral Cars and was subsequently director of professional racing and executive director of the Sports Car Club of America, SCCA, from 1971-77. He also served as commissioner of the International Motor Sport Association, IMSA, from 1986-92.

“Nothing that Cameron did was ordinary,” said Bill Milliken of Williamsville, NY, a close friend and who served as head of competition for SCCA at the early Watkins Glen races and in the Formula 1 years would serve as steward of the meeting.

“Cameron’s interests were totally different than the average person. It’s amazing. He had the capability of dreaming pretty big dreams, and then he had the fortitude and strength of character to realize them,” Milliken said.

Argetsinger was appointed president of the International Motor Racing Research Center in 2002. At that time, John Bishop, IMSA founder and first chairman of the Center’s council, cited the experience Argetsinger was bringing to the post of president.

“No one that I know in racing could possibly bring the same expertise and sense of organization and ethics as Cam Argetsinger,” Bishop said. “Cam has done everything there is to do in racing, from being the pioneer road racing organizer, to top official, to president of a sanctioning body to commissioner of a sanctioning body. Nobody brings the breadth of experience that Cam has.”

Argetsinger was a member of the inaugural induction class of the Hall of Fame of the Sports Car Club of America in January 2005. He also is in the Schuyler County (NY) Hall of Fame.

Argetsinger was a visionary who made things happen. Despite his many professional successes, honors and recognitions, he always considered his family his greatest accomplishment.  He remained close to his children, was proud of the achievements of his grandchildren, and took great delight in his great-grandchildren.

He leaves his beloved wife of 67 years, Jean, their nine children, 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

In addition to the grand- and great-grandchildren, he is survived by Jean and his children J.C. and Joan of Montour Falls, NY; Louise and Tom Kanaley of Rochester, NY; Michael and Lee of Chicago, IL; Marya Smith of Elizabeth, IL; Margretta (Getchie) of New York City; Peter and Sjoukje of Sebring, FL, and Watkins Glen, NY: Rob and Elizabeth of Sunset Beach, CA; Sam and Joan of Burdett, NY; Philip (Duke) of Phoenix, AZ; and Susann Gary Argetsinger of Burdett, NY.

Argetsinger lived in the farmhouse near Burdett where his father was born in 1883, overlooking the family vineyard and Seneca Lake.  The only child of Attorney J. Cameron and Louise Williams Argetsinger, he was born March 1, 1921, in Youngstown, Ohio, and spent his childhood summers with his grandparents in Schuyler County.  During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the Army.

A funeral Mass will be conducted on Sunday, April 27, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church, Decatur Street, Watkins Glen. The family will meet with friends thereafter at the Racing Research Center, 610 S. Decatur St. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Racing Research Center. Arrangements by Vedder and Scott Funeral Home, Montour Falls, NY.

“A Tribute to Cameron Argetsinger” Planned for Saturday, April 26

The Center’s originally planned Center Conversations program on Saturday, April 26, of Jean Argetsinger and Bill Milliken sharing their stories of the early racing years will be, we hope, merely postponed. We sincerely hope that some day Jean and Bill will again agree to do this talk.

The plan now is to host a tribute to Cameron Argetsinger, who died Tuesday, April 22, led by Bill Green, with everyone in the audience invited to share their stories and memories.

The event will be at 1 p.m., next door to the Center in the Elementary School auditorium.

Porsche Expert to Speak

Author Jerry Pantis will share his love of Porsche in a talk Saturday, April 12, 2008, at the International Motor Racing Research Center, part of the Center Conversations series.

Pantis is the author of the recently released “The Porsche 904, 906 & 910 In The Americas.” It has close to 1,000 photos, driver biographies, race-by-race coverage of events in North and South America where a 904, 906 or 910 was entered, and detailed chassis histories for about 90 individual cars.

He says that putting the book together was a six-year labor of love as well as “ridiculously indulgent.”

“In the end, I’ve written a book that I wished existed on these cars,” writes Pantis of Pointe Claire, Quebec.

Historian to Speak about ‘Race of the Century’

One hundred years ago, in February 1908, six cars from four different countries left New York City heading west. Their destination: Paris. Historian and author Julie Fenster will discuss her book, “Race of the Century: The Heroic True Story of the 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race,” at the March Center Conversations on Saturday, March 29, starting at 1 p.m. at the International Motor Racing Research Center. The route that those early racers used stretched across more than 21,000 miles over three continents and six countries. Fenster’s book tells the fascinating tale of this great challenge. Fenster began her career at Automobile Quarterly. She has written several on a wide range of historical topics, including books on Packards and Corvettes. Fenster also has written for American Heritage, the NewYork Times and American History.Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. The Racing Research Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. It is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No admission is charged.

For more information about the Center and Center Conversations, call (607) 535-9044

Green Grand Prix Celebrates Alternate Fueled Vehicles

Watkins Glen, N.Y. (March 21, 2008) – Drivers of alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids have a unique opportunity to put their vehicles to the test and have a lot of fun while doing it at the 4th Annual Green Grand Prix in Watkins Glen.

Entries are now being accepted for the May 3 event’s unique time-speed-distance road rally through the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Central New York. The rally is the only road rally for alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids in the United States sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America.

The SCCA has a long association with world-renowned Watkins Glen, which is marking 60 years of competitive racing.

This year’s 4th Annual Green Grand Prix is hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.

The rally over miles of scenic roadways is one of the highlights of the daylong Green Grand Prix, based in downtown Watkins Glen at the Racing Research Center. After they return to the village, rally drivers and their navigators will join the public in a variety of educational activities throughout the afternoon.

The Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally is named in memory of a well-known area environmentalist. Bovee taught for many years in the Corning-Painted Post Area School District and was known for her love of plants and birds. She also was involved with SCCA road rallies and was part of the Glen Region SCCA at its inception.

The rally brings together a diverse mix of hybrid and alternate fueled vehicles, AFVs, and their owners, businesses promoting renewable energy and related products, environmental groups, students and faculty members from elementary to university level and the general public.

“This fun and exciting educational event emphasizes energy independence and a cleaner environment,” said Green Grand Prix founder Robert Gillespie, an area artist and hybrid owner who is passionate about increasing awareness of the vehicles.

“The Green Grand Prix gives people an opportunity to learn first-hand about alternative personal transportation and renewable energy initiatives. It’s quite fulfilling to see how it grows in scope and size each year,” Gillespie said.

Corporate entries in the 2007 road rally included Toyota, Lexus, Honda, General Motors, Ford, the Indy Racing League, the Windshield Installation Network, Autoglass Insurance Co., Magi LLC and the Ethanol Promotion Information Council, EPIC. 

In addition to hybrid and flexible fuel vehicles, organizers expect many other interesting AFVs, including a hydrogen-powered car, a wood-powered SUV and a vegetable oil-powered car, as well cars fueled by bio-diesel, electricity, LP and compressed natural gas.

Cars begin the rally at the historic Glen Motor Inn on Route 14 north of Watkins Glen. The rally is conducted at legal highway speeds.

All afternoon activities are centered at the Racing Research Center on South Decatur Street, including at adjacent facilities of the Watkins Glen Central School District.

The Wayne Technical and Career Center in Williamson, N.Y., will be bringing its student-made portable energy lab, which includes solar panels and a wind generator. Also featured will be an Electrathon electric race car from Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y. 

Organizers are expecting exhibited cars to include an electric vehicle built in 1914.

A panel discussion will address a host of sustainability issues, and Cornell University’s X-Prize Team, which has been working on a 100 mpg mass-producible car, is expected to do a presentation on its project.

Winners of the AFV design contest for young students, now in its third year, will receive their awards, as will participants in the morning road rally.

The Racing Research Center staff will be giving tours of the Center and discussing their work preserving the history of motorsports. The Center collects all types of materials on all series of racing and at all tracks, worldwide.

“Our partnership with the Green Grand Prix this year is a natural,” Center Director of Archives & Administration Mark Steigerwald said. “Our archives clearly show how racing – and therefore transportation – has evolved over the decades. The innovative people who took the risks 100 years ago are the forerunners of the people we see participating in the Green Grand Prix each year.”

For complete details about the Green Grand Prix, visit its Web site at www.greengrandprix.com. Registration information for the Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally is available there.

Learn more about the International Motor Racing Research Center at its Web site, www.racingarchives.org. The Glen Region of the SCCA has its Web site at www.glen-scca.org.

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