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Bill Green to Speak at Center Jan. 19, 2008 International Motor Racing Research Center Historian Bill Green will kick off a year-long celebration of the Center's 10th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen with a talk at the Center on Saturday, Jan. 19. Green's talk will be the first of 2008 in the Center?s monthly talk 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 will speak about the early years of racing in Watkins Glen and how it all began. Green has been a fan of Watkins Glen racing since the first race 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. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. Call (607) 535-9044 for more information. Noted CanAm Car at Racing Research Center; Talk Set for Nov. 3 2007 The Nickey Vinegaroon USRRC/CanAm car is now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center.
The car’s illustrious history will be detailed by owner Tom Stephani in a Nov. 3 talk at the Center. The talk will be part of the Center’s ongoing Center Conversations series, which gives listeners a behind-the-scenes view into the racing world. The talk will be at 1 p.m. at the Center at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. It is free and open to the public. Stephani is the son of one of the original owners of Chicago’s Nickey Chevrolet, which sponsored four high-powered sports cars. The Vinegaroon won the Stardust Grand Prix in Las Vegas in 1966. At that time, the car was owned by Dan Blocker, “Hoss” of TV’s popular “Bonanza.” The car was driven by John Cannon and Bob Harris in the USRRC and CanAm. In addition to sharing the Vinegaroon’s story with audiences across the nation, Stephani is also entering it in vintage and historic events. Stephani acquired the car in 2002, after it was meticulously restored by Floyd Sable of Eden Prairie, Minn. The car is a 1965 Genie Mk10, built by Huffaker Engineering of California. It has a tube frame chassis, and its body is hand-laid Fiberglas. The Chevrolet engine is 358 cubic inches with 450 hp. It has a Hewland DG300, five-speed transmission. Cameron Argetsinger Retires as President of the Center Earlier this summer Cameron Argetsinger resigned as President of the Research Center. His presence here on a daily basis is sorely missed for the leadership and perspective he brought to our daily work and for the connection he represents to the history of racing in America.
Argetsinger’s story is well known. He conceived the idea of a road race in Watkins Glen and in 1948 organized and raced in the first post-war road race in America. It was an organizational feat of no small proportion as it first involved convincing the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) to sanction the event, and then persuading the village of Watkins Glen to host the event. Argetsinger overcame every obstacle and with the help of local enthusiasts and supporters the race became a reality. The 6.6-mile road course through the village streets and surrounding county and state roads was Argetsinger’s design and remains a landmark legacy of the early days of racing in Watkins Glen. The race track moved to a permanent facility outside of town and when Argetsinger brought the United States Grand Prix to the then 2.3 mile circuit in 1961 it ensured the international stature of Watkins Glen. He was the first race organizer to make Formula One a success in America and the race stayed in Watkins Glen for twenty years. Organizing a Grand Prix at that time meant negotiating individually with each Formula One team for their appearance and arranging every detail of transportation from Europe to America and return. Later Argetsinger worked with Jim Hall in Midland, Texas, as Executive Vice President of Chaparral cars before becoming Director of Professional Racing and then Executive Director of the SCCA. When he returned to his law practice in Montour Falls, New York, he remained involved in motor sports as commissioner of the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA). When Cameron closed his law practice in 2002 he accepted the invitation of IMRRC chairman John Bishop to become President of the Center. Bishop, now Chairman emeritus, is still vitally involved in Research Center activities. The founder of IMSA, Bishop is rightly credited with successfully bringing SCCA into the modern world of motor sport sanctioning, both professional and amateur when he previously led that organization as Executive Director. He shared his perspective on what Argetsinger has represented to the motor racing. “Everyone involved in road racing, both in the U.S.A. and internationally, whether enthusiast or active participant, owes a huge debt to Cameron Argetsinger. It is common knowledge that he organized the first post-war road races at Watkins Glen in 1948. What some historians have overlooked is that over the years, Cam’s creativity, persistence and courage were felt in his various roles: official, promoter, administrator, politician and, at times, stubborn insistence on doing things right. He was vital to the ever-upward development of the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Corporation, culminating in bringing the Formula One World Championship to the U.S.A. and providing a successful home for it for many years. Cam led the SCCA to bigger and better things when he served as executive director of the Club … not always a gratifying experience and a real test of his political skills. As a member of the ACCUS-FIA, Cam was in a better position than most to bring realistic goals to the boardroom and harmony among the various represented interests. In later times, he served effectively as commissioner of IMSA … a final settler of the inevitable disputes that crop up from time to time. I’m proud that our family has a longstanding friendship with Cam, Jean and the Argetsinger family.” On Argetsinger’s retirement his long time friend and collaborator Bill Milliken reflected on their shared experiences. “I cherish the memory of working together to create the regulations for that first race in 1948. These were the first regs the SCCA ever had and they set the future standard. It was Cam who insisted on mandating seat belts – it had never been done before – just a small example of what he accomplished in organizing that first race. As I think about it, it was so much more than the idea for just having a race – Cam always thought big and his insistence on becoming international in scope was what made Watkins Glen special and set the tone for the future of racing in America.When I was at Goodwood in England this summer for the Festival of Speed I was asked by so many people about Cam – Stirling Moss, John Surtees, Vic Elford, on and on. His place in the memories and hearts of international racing is secure. There is a great deal that we take for granted in racing today that wouldn’t exist without Cam. On a strictly personal basis I like to remember our first race together, at the Glen in ’48, and that the last race for each of us was when we co-drove Cam’s Alfa at Sebring in 1960. We did well too!” The IMRRC Council has named J.C. Argetsinger President.Cameron Argetsinger was named by the Road Racing Drivers Club as the 2007 recipient of the Bob Akin Motorsports Award during a reception at the Racing Research Center on Sept. 7. A distinctive trophy was conceived by the RRDC to honor the memory of long-time RRDC member and past president Bob Akin, who lost his life in a racing accident in 2002. Each recipient of this honor, considered the top award in motorsports for non-professional drivers, is selected by Akin’s son Bobby and RRDC members Brian Redman and Archie Urciuoli and approved by RRDC Chairman Bobby Rahal. The permanent trophy, listing annual winners, is on display at the Research Center. Urciuoli, who is a member of the Center’s Council, presented the award to Jean Argetsinger and sons J.C. Argetsinger and Peter Argetsinger. Having founded racing at Watkins Glen, Argetsinger raced his MGTC that first year and remained an active driver through 1962. “This year the award goes to somebody who is not only an icon in the racing world but a favorite son of Watkins Glen, and that is Cameron Argetsinger,” Urciuoli said at the Sept. 7 reception at the Center. “Cameron is having some health issues so he couldn’t be with us tonight, but his family will accept on his behalf. He was a champion of professional racing in America and open-wheel Grand Prix racing in particular. Besides all of his wonderful racing background, he had a real devotion to family and community.
“He and his wife Jean have had a real partnership in all the senses of the word, but, despite their community and sporting activities, they apparently still had some spare time because they had nine children, some of whom are here this evening.” Urciuoli went on to read excerpts from a letter written to Argetsinger by RRDC Chairman Rahal: “This award has been presented annually since 2003 to the person who best exemplifies the characteristics for which Bob Akin was known and respected: a passion for motorsports and a history of successful amateur racing, being well liked and respected by his peers with a reputation for good sportsmanship and fair play and a record of contribution to motorsports and the community. “Your history of participation, extensive and important contributions to our sport as well as your personal attributes and reputation clearly meet these high standards.” “On behalf of Cameron, I want to thank the Road Racing Drivers Club for this marvelous, wonderful honor,” said Jean Argetsinger. “This evening when I left Cameron he asked me to convey to all of you, everyone present, his love and best wishes for your continued support and enthusiasm for the Center. Thank you. “When he received the letter he was so pleased. Racing has been such a part of our lives, part of his life, for so many years. And we are grateful for all the fun we have had and all the wonderful people we have met.” Past recipients of the Bob Akin Award have been Sam Posey, Charlie Gibson, John Fitch and Jim Haynes. The trophy was designed by Steuben Glass in Corning, N.Y., and is given to an amateur, vintage or semi-professional American road racer who best exemplifies the extraordinary qualities and characteristics that Akin represented. The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 to promote road racing and driver safety. The RRDC today continues to recognize, promote and mentor road-racing drivers. Along with the Bob Akin Motorsports Award, the RRDC presents the Phil Hill Award annually to a driver, sponsor or sanctioning official who makes outstanding contributions to road racing, and the Mark Donohue Award annually to an outstanding driver at the SCCA National Runoffs. Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only.Sam Posey speaker at Open House October 13 2007
The Open House is the Center’s way of thanking its supporters. In addition to Posey’s 3 p.m. talk, other special activities and refreshments will be offered. The Open House officially begins at 1 p.m., though the Center will be open as usual starting at 9 a.m. All are invited, and there is no charge. Posey, of Sharon, Conn., had an eclectic career, driving everything from a Jocko Special Formula Junior to a Prototipi Bizzarini GT Strada 530, to a Caldwell McLaren, with stints in Formula 1, Can-Am, Indy 500, Trans-Am, IMSA, Formula 5000 and Le Mans. As an author, he wrote “The Mudge Pond Express,” which chronicles his life in racing, and “Playing With Trains,” about a passion he shares with his children, John and Judy, for model railroading. He has also earned recognition as an expert television commentator on Formula 1 racing and non-auto racing sports such as the Iditarod. In June 2004, Posey was presented the inaugural Bob Akin Motorsports Award by the Road Racing Drivers Club. The award honors the memory of long-time RRDC member and past president Bob Akin, who lost his life in a racing accident in 2002.Annual Vintage Weekend Auction Supports the Center’s Work This painting by Barry Rowe of England, dubbed “Flying Lap,” of Dan Gurney’s Eagle at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, 1967, is among the many noteworthy items that will be offered for auction Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 at the International Motor Racing Research Center. More than 100 items will be offered at live auction and silent auction to support the work of the Center.
The auction and party are part of the daylong activities at the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen, celebrating the motorsports history of Watkins Glen. BMW is this year’s featured marque. The festival is the part of a weekend of events focusing on vintage racing. At Watkins Glen International, the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix sanctioned by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, will be fielding hundreds of historic race cars. At the Center’s auction and party, the bar will open at 6:30 p.m. and festivities will begin at 7. The live auction will start at 8 p.m., and the silent auction will be under way throughout the evening. The evening also will include the presentation of the 2007 Bob Akin Award and an appearance by Grand Prix star John Watson. An historic 1937 BMW 328 will be on display. The food will be by Carol Bower Catering, and the bar will be by Watkins Glen International. A donation of $25 per person is requested. Pre-registration is available by contacting the Center with credit card information. Contact the Center at (607) 535-9044 or by e-mail at research@racingarchives.org.Raffle: 2007 Mazda Miata Touring Convertible.
The winner of the 2007 car raffle at the International Motor Racing Research Center will be literally in control at the wheel. This year’s winner will pick his or her own color and other amenities for a 2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 Touring Convertible. The annual car raffle is the Racing Research Center’s major fund-raiser. This year’s effort is sponsored by Chicago-Soft.com and Race-Cars.com. Only 2,500 tickets are now on sale at just $35 each. Purchasers also can buy two tickets for $60 or four tickets for $100. The drawing will be Dec. 8 at the Racing Research Center at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. The Miata MX-5 has been described by LATimes.com as having “eager and enchanting behavior.” “Feather-light, darty and capering, the MX-5 is like throwing a saddle on Tinker Bell. Few cars answer to the reins as willingly or as well as the MX-5,” the review continues. The winner of the Research Center’s raffle will receive the base model in the winner’s color choice. Options beyond standard equipment will be the responsibility of the winner. The winner also is responsible for paying taxes and title fees. The Center can accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Center by phone at (607) 535-9044, by e-mail at research@racingarchives.org, by fax at (607) 535-9039 or by regular mail at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY 14891. Tickets may also be purchased via the Web site. You may use our online credit card form or our Raffle Form (pdf) to make payment.Historian Egloff to Speak aboutCheckered Flag Roots Fred Egloff, a noted automotive historian and lifelong automotive enthusiast, will discuss at the June Center Conversations his groundbreaking research that led to answers about when, where and why a checkered flag was first used in car racing.
Egloff will talk about his almost 20-year quest for answers on Saturday, June 2, at the Racing Research Center. The free program will start at 1 p.m. All are welcome. “When many of the world’s most noted auto historians described it as the most frequently asked question about auto racing history, I was convinced that a well-researched and documented answer would be well worth the effort,” Egloff said at the time of the publication of his book. His research showed the checkered flag first made its appearance as a marker during the early years of the Glidden Tour rally-style events. A Packard Motor Car Co. employee had the idea to use a checkered flag at “checking stations” to help prevent speeding along the course. Copies of Egloff’s book are available at the Racing Research Center. The price is $20. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.Racing Research Center Historian Bill Green will delve into the Center’s and his own personal collection to present a slide show on racing at Watkins Glen, 1948 to the present, on Saturday, May 19.
The slide show is presented as part of the Center’s monthly talk 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. Green has been Center historian since 2004.Bugatti Talk April 28, Special Hours April 29 2007 The history of Bugatti in racing competition will be presented by Bugatti expert Richard Day Saturday, April 28, at the Racing Research Center.
Day, curator of the Bugatti Trust in Gloucestershire, England, will speak at 1 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public. The weekend’s special events continue on Sunday, April 29, when the Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in recognition of opening day at Watkins Glen International. Saturday’s talk comes as the Center has on display a 1929 Bugatti Type 35B. The car has been raced in competition since the 1930s and continues to be fielded today by its owner, Frank Allocca of Chester, N.J. The talk is part of the ongoing Center Conversations series, a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. On Toyota Opening Day at WGI, race fans have the opportunity to drive the 3.4-mile circuit to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a Kyle and Patty Petty organization for children with chronic illnesses. The cost is $20 per vehicle for three parade-style paced laps. Additionally, pace cars rides will be offered. Gates open at 9 a.m., with laps 10 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. For more information about Center Conversations, contact the Racing Research Center at (607) 535-9044. For more information about opening day at WGI, contact the track at (607) 535-2486. The Racing Research Center will have its first live Formula One race viewing of the season on Sunday, April 15. The Bahrain Grand Prix will be shown starting at 7 a.m. on the Speed channel on the Center’s large-screen TV. All are welcome, and there is no charge. The Center will open for other broadcasts during the season: Spain, May 13; Monaco, May 27; Canada, June 10; U.S., June 17; France, July 1; England, July 8; Germany, July 22; Hungary, Aug. 5; Turkey, Aug. 26; Italy, Sept. 9; Belgium, Sept. 16; Brazil, Oct. 21. Contact the Racing Research Center at (607) 535-9044 for more information. Mark Donohue's Eagle in the Spotlight March 31 2007 The 1972 All-American Racers Eagle #7225 now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center will be the centerpiece of a panel discussion Saturday, March 31.
The car is notable as the Eagle that carried Mark Donohue through his final USAC racing season in 1973. A panel of experts on the car and on legendary Donohue will lead the discussion that gets under way at 1 p.m. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY. The Eagle is owned by the Dresang family and the Utecht family of Hartford, WI. A photo montage and historiography of the Eagle will be presented during the discussion. The Eagle had a racing life of four seasons before it was ultimately surpassed in technology by the ground-effect cars of the late 1970s. In its time, #7225 was raced by Donohue, Gary Bettenhausen, Bill Simpson, Rick Mears, Steve Krisiloff and Bubby Jones. Though not a race-winner, #7225 is one of the few public examples of the 1972 generation of AAR Eagles. It has been restored back to its qualifying configuration from Indianapolis in 1973, though the history of its entire career has been respectfully documented as a tribute to the men and women who built and cared for the car during its golden era.
The discussion is part of the ongoing Center Conversations series, a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. For more information about the free discussion, contact the Racing Research Center at (607) 535-9044.NASCAR Great Rusty Wallace Leads 2007 Effort NASCAR great Rusty Wallace is on the pole for the International Motor Racing Research Center’s 2007 Sponsorship Team campaign, leading the way as the campaign’s chairman. Being part of the Center’s Sponsorship Team is a major way to support the Center’s mission of preserving the history of motorsports.
Last year’s successful Sponsorship Team campaign was led by Bobby Rahal. Other Sponsorship Team campaign chairmen have been Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, Sir Stirling Moss and Hurley Haywood. “As a member for the past five years of the Drivers Council of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, I have been proud to be associated with the single institution that represents the very highest standards in state-of-the-art storage, cataloguing and retrieval of historical records, literature, film and artifacts of racing,” Wallace states in his letter to Center supporters. Wallace joins Mario Andretti, Hurley Haywood, Sir Jackie Stewart and Bobby Rahal on the Center’s Drivers Council. Wallace’s background as a driver is in oval track racing, and most of his career has been in NASCAR, with a Winston Cup Championship in 1989 and 55 career wins. Wallace is known as a road racing specialist and won at Watkins Glen in 1987 and 1989 and at Sears Point in 1990 and 1996. He won the IROC race at the Glen in 1991, the year he won that series. He is now a color commentator for the IRL. The Sponsorship Team offers different levels of support. For more details, see Support the Center on the Web site. Legendary Bill Milliken to Speak at Center Feb. 24 2007
Bill Milliken is returning to Watkins Glen, where his name is part of local history, to celebrate the publication of his autobiography, “Equations of Motion - Adventure, Risk, and Innovation.” Milliken will talk about his extraordinary automotive and aeronautical career at the Saturday, Feb. 24, Center Conversations at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. The free program will start at 1 p.m. All are welcome.“How many 95-year-olds drive faster than their age?” asks Bentley Publishers’ notice about the book on its Web site. “William F. ‘Bill’ Milliken, Jr. does, because he practically invented the science of automobile handling. His work has made cars safer, more efficient, and most importantly from his perspective, a lot more fun.” It continues: “Milliken's automotive innovations have earned him the highest engineering honors, and his technical books are required reading for automotive engineers and students. But what really makes Milliken's life special is his lifelong adventure of making rollicking play of challenging work." Road & Track magazine credits Milliken with being one of the world’s foremost experts in vehicle dynamics. At the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories he led research developments that fundamentally changed how aircraft were designed. But for Watkins Glen race fans, Milliken’s place in history is as the driver who rolled his Bugatti on a sharp corner in the village in the first race in 1948. The site has been known ever since as “Milliken’s Corner."
He also competed at Bridgehampton, Pikes Peak, Sebring and many other tracks across North America for 15 years. He was chief steward at Watkins Glen for Formula Libre events from 1958-60 and the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix from 1961-70. For more information about Milliken’s book, visit Bentley Publishers Web site at www.bentleypublishers.com. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. One Lap Photographers to Share Stories Feb. 3, 2007 What makes a person want to spend a week in a car, traveling over 6,000 miles while losing a week of vacation and a lot of sleep, and at the same time taking 5,000-plus photos? Find out when photographers Steve Rossini and Angelo Lisuzzo speak at the Saturday, Feb. 3, Center Conversation at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. Rossini of Spencerport, NY, and Lisuzzo of Rochester, NY, are coming back with more stories about covering the legendary One Lap of America for Brock Yates and Car and Driver Magazine. And, after doing the One Lap for the past four years, they are still looking forward to year five. In 2006 and a rented Impala, they followed the teams from track to track, almost 5,000 miles, 17 states, 9 hotels, 1 deer, a second rented Impala and 5,000+ photos - all in 9 days. The talk will be at 1 p.m. at the Center at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. For more information, contact the Center at 607-535-9044.
Early Racing in New York to be Discussed (2006) Keith Herbst, author of “Daredevils of the Frontier,” will be the speaker at the November Center Conversations. His talk will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the International Motor Racing Research Center at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. Herbst’s book will be released early in December. It describes auto racing in Central and Western New York and eastern Ontario from 1935 to 1960. The book has a heavy emphasis on the mighty midgets of the 1940s and the transition to stock and sport cars in the ’50s. “The drivers were a unique breed, and they competed bravely at a time of racing's greatest hazards,” Herbst said. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. Call 607-535-9044 for more information. Center holding "garage sale" at Open House Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006 The International Motor Racing Research Center is cleaning out the back room just in time for the annual Open House on Saturday, Oct. 7. The speaker at this year’s Open House will be Leo Levine, racing historian and author of the classic series “Ford: The Dust and the Glory, A Racing History.” Framed artwork, race programs, posters, duplicate books and magazines will be available during this first Open House garage sale. Many one-of-a-kind items will be offered for fans of motorsports of all types. Watkins Glen race materials will be included in the sale. Hundreds of magazines, 1950s to current, will be offered, and all duplicate books will be discounted. No admission is charged, and refreshments will be available during the afternoon. The Center, located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, opens at 9 a.m. Levine’s talk will be at 3 p.m. Levine joins a long list of prestigious speakers who have entertained and educated at past events, which are the Center’s annual thank-yous to its supporters. It is an opportunity for friends to get re-acquainted with the Center’s collections and see what’s new – this year including the Dr. Frank Falkner Collection and hundreds of books donated by Peg Abbate of Brockton, Mass. Levine’s first volume of “Ford: The Dust and the Glory, A Racing History,” covering 1901-1967, was first published in 1968 and was re-published in 2001 as part of Ford’s celebration of 100 years in racing. Volume two, 1968-2000, was published in 2001. Levine worked for Mercedes-Benz of North America as one of the company’s general managers for 20 years and is now retired. He also was a sports writer for the New York Herald Tribune and raced cars in Europe and South America.Sebring September Topic; Harry Hurst, author of the recently published "12 Hours of Sebring 1965" will be the speaker at the September Center Conversations at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23. Hurst, also author of "12 Hours of Sebring 1970," will speak about his fascination with Sebring and legendary racer Mark Donohue. 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 International Motor Racing Research Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. The Center's annual Open House has been set for Saturday, Oct. 7. Leo Levine, racing historian and author of the classic series "Ford: The Dust and the Glory, A Racing History," will be the featured speaker at the popular event. Levine will join a long list of prestigious speakers who have entertained and educated at the Open House events, which are the Center's annual thank-yous to its supporters. It is an opportunity for friends to get re-acquainted with the Center's collections and see what's new - this year including the Dr. Frank Falkner Collection and hundreds of books donated by Peg Abbate of Brockton, Mass. Levine's first volume of "Ford: The Dust and the Glory, A Racing History," covering 1901-1967, was first published in 1968 and was re-published in 2001 as part of Ford's celebration of 100 years in racing. Volume two, 1968-2000, was published in 2001. Levine worked for Mercedes-Benz of North America as one of the company's general managers for 20 years and is now retired. He also was a sports writer for the New York Herald Tribune and raced cars in Europe and South America. The Center opens at 9 a.m., but the official start time of the Open House is 1 p.m. Be here then for refreshments and at 3 p.m. for Levine's talk. 'October Heroes' Honors Glen Motor Inn Greats (2006) WATKINS GLEN - The Glen Motor Inn, north of Watkins Glen on Route 14, has been host to the motorsports world for decades. The men and women who shared the hospitality of the Franzese family are now being captured in a colorful and fun poster by motorsports artist Roger Warrick titled "October Heroes." A similar future project will depict a gathering of racing greats at the Seneca Lodge in Watkins Glen. Warrick's original "October Heroes" painting, from which the posters will be made, will be sold at auction Friday, Sept. 8, at the International Motor Racing Research Center at 610 S. Decatur St. The party and auction at the Racing Research Center is part of the daylong Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen celebration of the village's racing heritage. The 7 p.m. event is open to the public for a suggested donation of $25 per person. The reserve bid for the "October Heroes" painting, which measures 20 inches by 30 inches, is $3,500, and the Center will benefit from the sale. The auction will be at 8 p.m. Warrick is offering a special incentive to interested buyers: The winner's image will be painted in among the more than 50 Formula 1 drivers and other motorsports dignitaries portrayed in the artwork. In the center of the piece is Victor Franzese, Glen Motor Inn owner, pouring a bottle of champagne. The painting will be on display at the Center all day Friday. Orders for "October Heroes" posters will be taken at the Racing Research Center and at its tables at the Grand Prix Festival on the Court House Lawn and at Lafayette Park. Artist Warrick and Jack Webster, owner of Classic Impressions motorsports book and art store in Centerville, OH, which is selling the posters, will be at the Center and also at the Festival tables. They also will be the Center's table at Watkins Glen International Saturday and Sunday, during the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix races, near the Pyramid souvenir shop. The poster will cost $30, and the Center will benefit from all sales.
Finished prints will measure 24 inches by 36 inches and will be accompanied by a key sketch identifying all the characters in the scene. Once his "October Heroes" project is completed, Warrick will be moving on to a similar painting and poster depicting the racing greats who have gathered over the years at the Seneca Lodge. Interested buyers may at this time purchase both posters for $50. The Seneca Lodge poster will show 50-plus drivers and characters from the first race in 1948 through the mid 1980s. Classic Impressions' Web site at www.racingpilot.com shows "October Heroes" under way and also a rough sketch of the future Seneca Lodge poster. For more information about the posters, contact the Racing Research Center at 607-535-9044 or research@racingarchives.org. Classic Impressions can be contacted at 800-488-7742 or racingpilot@mac.com. Derek Bell to host party, auction Sept. 8, 2006
Motorsports memorabilia, autographed items, fine art and photographs, many relating to Porsche, will be offered during the evening’s silent and live auctions. The bar opens at 6:30 p.m., with the festivities beginning at 7. The silent auction will be under way throughout the evening, and the live auction will start at 8 p.m. A $25 per person donation is requested. Bell, who is serving as grand marshal of the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International that weekend, began racing in 1964 in a Lotus Seven and went on to be successful in Formula 3. He raced Formula 2 in 1968 and debuted in Formula 1 at Monza. He was runnerup in the 1970 European Formula 2 championship, the same year he made his Watkins Glen debut. His career boasts two World Sportscar titles, five victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours and three in Daytona 24 Hours.Extensive motorsports collection donated to the Center , 2006 The papers, letters, photos, credentials and other items relating to motorsports collected by the late Dr. Frank Falkner have been donated to the International Motor Racing Research Center.
Center Curator Mark Steigerwald formally accepted the collection at a gathering July 15 at Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, CA. The shop, founded in 1951 by Harry Morrow, is a specialized bookstore dedicated to motoring and flying. Falkner was a slightly built, quiet, reserved, “English gentleman,” who had the talent to have had a life as a concert pianist, but who instead became a world-renowned teaching pediatrician. But this courtly man also figured prominently in many of the milestones of motorsports history. At the time of his death in 2003, he was professor emeritus and former chair of maternal and child health at the University of California, Berkeley, and an internationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric growth and development. Known by his friends and colleagues alike as a modern-day Renaissance Man and a consummate gentleman, Falkner left an imprint in fields as disparate as child health research and professional auto racing. His medical career spanned more than 55 years. Born in Hale-Cheshire, England, on Oct. 27, 1918, Falkner received his clinical training at two London hospitals during the "Blitz,” Nazi Germany's intense bombing of the city. He received his medical degree from the University of Cambridge in 1945. As a member of the British Racing Drivers' Club, Falkner was an avid race car enthusiast and, whenever possible, coordinated attendance at medical conferences with Grand Prix events. He served as the unofficial “team doctor” for several giants in the field of motorsports. Among his closest friends were Ken Tyrrell, founder of the Tyrrell Racing Formula One Team, and John Cooper, founder of the Cooper Car Co. Falkner's connections helped him launch the career of race car champion Danny Sullivan, who was a childhood friend of Falkner's son, Michael. Not only did Falkner send Sullivan to driving school in England, he persuaded Tyrrell to give Sullivan a driving test. Tyrrell hired Sullivan, who went on to a spectacular win in the Indianapolis 500 in 1985 and the 1988 CART championship. “I had never followed racing until Frank introduced me to the Mini Cooper and the Triumph TR-2,” Sullivan said. “I was 21 and bumming around New York when I told Frank I wanted to get into racing. He said that if I'm going to do it, he was going to make sure I did it right. I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren’t for Frank.” One week before Falkner's death, Sullivan carried Falkner from his home in Berkeley to the passenger seat of a new Porsche and gave the old racing enthusiast one last ride around the block. Sullivan is credited for keeping this very important collection intact and for its eventual delivery to the IMRRC. “Danny called and asked if we would look at some racing photos and letters for him. We did, and we were knocked back by the scope and importance of these pieces of motorsports history. … Our first thought, as was Danny’s, that this collection had to be keep together and be made available to motorsports historians.” Autobooks owner Chet Knox said. “We owe Danny Sullivan a tremendous debt of gratitude in that he saw and understood the historic value of these wonderful items, that’s why we refer to it as the ‘Sullivan Collection.’ … He honored his friend’s memory by preserving it, and we honor him in this effort. “All too often, close family members discard personal items upon the passing of a relative,” Knox continued. “Much motorsports history has been lost in that way or has gone into private hands, never to be seen again, nor shared by the public.” Among the important motorsports items now in the care of the Racing Research Center are papers such as the original entry blank for the Jack Brabham Cooper in the 1961 Indianapolis 500, an event that is considered by many to be the turning point in 500 racing equipment; letters from many of racing’s greatest heroes such as Stirling Moss, Roy Salvadori, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Colin Chapman, Leo Goosen, Tony Rudd, John Cooper and many more. Framed photographs, personally inscribed by their subjects to Falkner include candid shots of racing luminaries the likes of James Hunt, Rodger Ward, Frank Williams, Louis Stanley, Walt Hansgen, Bruce McLaren, Jody Scheckter, Emerson Fittipaldi, Vic Elford, Peter Revson, Bernie Ecclestone and Jochen Rindt.Host to the Racers to Speak, 2006 Victor Franzese has a varied involvement in motorsports. As owner of the Glen Motor Inn just north of Watkins Glen he has been host to the legends of racing; he owned a Can-Am team in that series’ heyday; and he continues to race in vintage events today. On Saturday, July 29, Franzese will share his stories of racers and racing at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The free talk will be at 1 p.m. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, N.Y. All are invited. In 1971, with the Glen Motor Inn guest book filled with the names of the greatest, Franzese, who had been busy in SCCA club racing, purchased a McLaren M12 as a rolling chassis and finished it in a shop in Montour Falls. The car was raced in the full 1971 Can-Am series, including that year’s event at Watkins Glen. The main sponsor of the gold and green car was Great Western Champagne, produced by Pleasant Valley Wine Co. of Hammondsport, leading to its nickname as the “Champagne Car.” The car was on display at the Racing Research Center in 2001. Ron Goldleaf drove the M12 for Franzese during part of the ’71 season, including its appearance in the Can-Am series race at Watkins Glen. Other drivers that year were Bob Nagle, who set a track record at Watkins Glen during an SCCA National event, and Gary Wilson. Franzese takes the wheel these days, in both Sportscar Vintage Racing Association and Historic Sportscar Racing events. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.Who first waved the checkered flag? One of the most puzzling beginnings in all of motor racing history is “Who first waved the checkered flag at the end of a race?” That is followed logically enough by “Where did that take place?”
Egloff, of Wilmette, Ill., is a noted automotive historian and lifelong automotive enthusiast active in several clubs. He is also a competition driver whose curiosity on the subject came about naturally. Egloff is no stranger to delving into history’s mysteries; he is an award-winning author for his extensive writings on the American West. According to Egloff: “My interest in the origin of the checker flag can be traced back to a conversation with Rene Dreyfus in 1987. It was at a VSCDA event at Road America, where Rene was the guest of honor. The question he raised was very fascinating, but I thought an answer would somehow be readily available. A couple of years passed before discussions with many old veteran racers, including Count Lurani, made me aware of how elusive the solution really was. When many of the world’s most noted auto historians described it as the most frequently asked question about auto racing history, I was convinced that a well-researched and documented answer would be well worth the effort.” Interestingly, Egloff’s research did not point toward any previously held theories. Without giving too much away, the checkered flag first made its appearance as a marker during the early years of the Glidden Tour rally-style events. A Packard Motor Car Co. employee, Sidney Waldon, had the idea in 1906 to use the checkered flag at these “checking stations” to help prevent speeding along the course. For the remainder of the story, copies of “The Origin of the Checker Flag” are available from the Research Center for $20. This paperback book also includes a few photographs and line drawings. Chapters on early 20th century road racing and a first-hand account from a winner of the Vanderbilt Cup race are included. See Shop IMRRC for book purchase details. Celebrating Indy racing at the CenterBookending the Indy 500 and the IRL race at Watkins Glen International, the Racing Research Center is celebrating the heritage of Indy car racing with presentations by distinguished historians. Their talks will be complemented by displays of Indy 500 materials from the Center’s collections. Gary Doyle, author of the new book “Ralph De Palma: Gentleman Champion,” focuses on pre-war Indy car racing on May 20. Doyle spoke at the Center three years ago after the release of his book “King of the Boards: The Life and Times of Jimmy Murphy.” Doyle spoke about Murphy and his victory in the 1921 French Grand Prix and the 1922 Indianapolis 500 driving a Duesenberg. On June 10, Council member and noted writer Brock Yates will talk about the post-World War II era of Indy racing, with his Edgar Elder-built 1960 Indy roadster as the centerpiece. The car arrived at the Center on May 1. Yates will be joined by Greg Littleton, co-author of “The Roadsters of Indianapolis, Glory Days, 1952-1966.” All talks start at 1 p.m. and are free and open to anyone. The displays will include photographs and programs from Indy 500s in the 1960s and 1970s from the Unsbee Collection and Indy 500 programs from the Center’s own collection. The oldest program on display will be from the 1928 race. On Sunday, May 28, the Center will open to show the ABC-TV broadcast of the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on its large-screen TV, starting at noon. On Sunday, June 4, during the Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix, the Center staff will be sharing information about their work at the Center’s display near the Pyramid at Watkins Glen International.E-Type Jag 2006 Raffle Car --- ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD The Jaguar E-Type Coupe Series I is the car known as the icon of the 1960s for Jaguar enthusiasts, and the Racing Research Center is offering a 1967 model as its 2006 raffle car.
Council Chairman Syd Silverman generously donated the car for this major fund-raiser for the Center. Color red, it has undergone a complete cosmetic and mechanical restoration. Tickets for the car will be $60 each or two for $100. The drawing will be Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. at the Center. This is the car described by the late Road & Track writer Henry Manney as “the greatest crumpet-catcher known to man.” Many consider the 1967 model to be the best of the series. The Jaguar has a 4.2-liter, six-cylinder engine and a five-speed transmission. It will be on display at the Center throughout the summer. It also will be at the Center’s booth at Watkins Glen International during the racing season. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the Center or by contacting us via telephone, mail or e-mail. An order form also is available on our Web site. We can accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards. You may use our online credit card form to make payment.Michael Argetsinger Speaks about Racer Walt Hansgen, 2006 Michael R. Argetsinger is returning to his home town of Watkins Glen to celebrate the publication of his book, “Walt Hansgen, His Life and the History of Post-War American Road Racing.” Argetsinger will discuss his book and legendary driver Hansgen at the Saturday, April 1, Center Conversations at the Racing Research Center. The free program will start at 1 p.m. All are welcome. Argetsinger, son of Cameron R. Argetsinger, founder and early organizer of racing in Watkins Glen, was raised in the world of motorsports and raced in Europe for 10 years. Today he competes in SCCA and vintage events. He owns and operates Michael Argetsinger Communications, a Chicago public relations firm, and is a member of the Racing Research Center’s Council. Walt Hansgen was one of the many great drivers Argetsinger grew up knowing. His book, published by David Bull Publishing, covers the entire spectrum of racing in the 1950s and 1960s through Hansgen’s diverse career. Argetsinger’s talk will be enhanced by the presence of the Stanguellini Formula Junior raced by Hansgen for Briggs Cunningham and now owned by Bill Gelles of Chappaqua, N.Y. Cunningham and Hansgen pioneered the Formula Junior class in America in this car in 1959. “The 1950s and 1960s were a time of tremendous change in racing. In this exciting, fast-paced biography author Michael Argetsinger shows how Walt’s life encompassed the conflict between amateur and professional racing, the extraordinary advances in technology, and the joyful ambition of his era. The result is a vivid account of the remarkable history of post-war American road racing,” according to the publisher’s notes.
“Through painstaking research and extensive interviews with Walt’s family and dozens of his friends, colleagues, and competitors, author Michael Argetsinger creates a compelling biography of Hansgen with an insider’s perspective on the vibrant history of post-war American road racing.” David Bull Publishing’s Web site is www.bullpublishing.com. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.Racing MGTCs and Honoring Denver Cornett, 2006 “Racing MGTCs and Honoring Denver Cornett” is the Saturday, March 4, Center Conversations program at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. The free program will start at 1 p.m. with an overview of the MGTC. Next, a panel of MGTC racers – past and present – will share their stories and take questions. The panel members will be Jim Carson, Jack Archibald and Frank Mount. Following that part of the program, race historian Bill Green will discuss Denver Cornett's career – with Cornett’s 1947 MGTC on display as the centerpiece – and his son, Denny, will also make some remarks. Then the floor will be opened up to stories and recollections about Cornett, who, unfortunately, will be unable to attend the program. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited.Bobby Rahal Leading 2006 Membership Campaign International Motor Sports Hall of Famer Bobby Rahal will be doing double-duty for the Racing Research Center: He is the newest member of the Center’s Drivers Council, appointed at the September annual meeting, and he has graciously agreed to serve as chairman of the Center’s 2006 Sponsorship Team membership campaign.
Long a supporter of the Center, Rahal invited fellow IRL team owners and drivers to an exclusive reception at the Center during the Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix weekend in September. In his invitation, he extolled “the congenial setting” of “this very special place.” “I am very proud to have been asked to chair the membership campaign and to join with such an illustrious group of fellow drivers on the Drivers Council. The Racing Research Center is doing fabulous work in ensuring the history of Watkins Glen and racing in general is being preserved for those in the future to enjoy,” Rahal said. In addition to the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, Rahal also earned inclusion in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the 12 Hours of Sebring Hall of Fame. Winner of the 1986 Indianapolis 500, Rahal was named Driver of the Year in 1986 and 1992. He won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1981 and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1987. He was CART champion in 1986, 1987 and 1992. Rahal founded Rahal Letterman Racing, formerly known as Team Rahal, following the 1995 season, when he partnered with late night TV talk show host David Letterman. Their driver Buddy Rice won the 2004 Indianapolis 500, and driver Danica Patrick was named the 2005 Bombardier IRL IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year. Previous chairmen of Sponsorship Team campaigns are Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, Sir Stirling Moss and Hurley Haywood. Rahal joins Mario Andretti, Hurley Haywood, Sir Jackie Stewart and Rusty Wallace and on the Center’s Drivers Council. For more information about the 2006 Sponsorship Team, contact the Center at 607-535-9044 or at research@racingarchives.org. A form also is located in the Support the Center section of this Web site. Perpetual Trophies on Display at Racing Research Center Scott Dixon’s name was not only added to a list of prestigious winners during this past weekend’s ROLEX 24 Hours at Daytona, but is the first name to appear on the base of the Cameron R. Argetsinger Trophy, now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center.
This year the 25th Running of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, Rolex Sports Car Series pairs up with the open-wheel cars of the IndyCar Series during the Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix, June 2-4th. In honor of these popular styles of racing, joining together during one great event weekend at The Glen, the International Motor Racing Research Center will feature an exhibit showcasing the perpetual trophies for both events now until the June race weekend. The Seneca Trophy, named after the popular Finger Lake located nearby the historic road course in scenic upstate New York, was established in 2004 when Scott Pruett and Max Papis took the checkered flag of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Four winners have already been etched into the trophy’s granite base, including last year’s race winners Tracy Krohn and Nic Jönsson of Krohn Racing/TRG. The trophy is a handcrafted Steuben Glass original standing approximately 2 feet tall and 6 inches wide, showing an illusion of multiple checked flags waving throughout the octagon shaped parameter. Steuben Glass, considered an American tradition in crystal, was established in 1903 by Fredrick Carder. The Cameron R. Argetsinger Trophy, named after the American road-racing enthusiast and founder of the first race ever held in Watkins Glen, was unveiled in March 2005. The sterling-silver cup stands over 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide and was crafted with similar likeness as the original United States Grand Prix, Pedro Rodriguez Memorial Piccirillo Cup that was presented at Watkins Glen International from 1971-1980. Argetsinger is currently the president of the International Motor Racing Research Center. The Racing Research Center will showcase the two prestigious event trophies from now until June 1, when the race season kicks off at Watkins Glen International. Race historian Bill Green will raise the ghosts of former race tracks in his talk "Lost Circuits" at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The free talk will be Saturday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, N.Y. Green, who is the Center's historian and the official historian for Watkins Glen International, will bring back the racing years - or in some cases, year - of tracks long-forgotten. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. Dan Gurney leading Center Membership Effort The 2005 Sponsorship Team campaign is well on its way to a huge success, under the chairmanship of motorsports great Dan Gurney. The Center was honored when Gurney agreed to lead this year’s effort to raise membership funds to support the Center’s work. Gurney long has endorsed the Center’s mission, serving as the host at the September 2001 auction and giving his support in many other ways. Gurney has had successful careers as driver, race car manufacturer and inventor, and long-term team owner. In a 15-year driving career, he became the top road racing star in America. He remains the only U.S. citizen to win a Grand Prix in a car of his own construction, in the 1967 Grand Prix of Belgium. In addition to Formula One, he posted victories in Indy car races, NASCAR, Trans-Am, Can-Am and sports car races. While his second and third career as a race car manufacturer of the Eagles, as well as team owner of All American Racers, started while he was still actively driving, it went into full gear upon his retirement in 1970. The Sponsorship team is the Center’s primary source of financial support. If you haven’t yet joined, please consider doing so. You can enroll through the Support the Center page of this Web site. Receiving issues of the newsletter, from the Racing Archives, is one of the benefits of membership. Center Hosting Alternate Fuels Panel - Part of IRL Festival Sept. 22 The International Motor Racing Research Center is participating in another automobile-associated first for the Watkins Glen area, as the inaugural Green Grand Prix Tour gets set to visit the historic village in September. Being planned as part of the Watkins Glen Indy Car Festival on Thursday, Sept. 22, the Green Grand Prix Tour will feature speakers on the latest in alternative fuel technology and a hybrid vehicle show. From 3-4:30 p.m., the Center will host a panel discussion highlighting vehicle performance and fuel efficiency and include a question and answer period. The forum, titled “Fast and Friendly: Hybrid and Alternate Fueled Vehicles” will include James Dunn, CEO and director of NASA’s Northeast Region Center for Technology Commercialization, speaking on fuel cell vehicle technology; Craig Vanbatenburg, owner of the Automotive Career Development Center, speaking on hybrid gas/electric cars and hybrid auto repair; Paul Heaney, founder and director of Electric Grand Prix Corp., speaking on electric vehicle technology; and Bob Gray, Mid-Atlantic director for World Energy Alternatives, LLC, speaking on biodiesel fuels. The forum is free and open to the public. From 5-7 p.m., 20 to 40 hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles will be on display on the Schuyler County Court House lawn as part of the Indy Car Festival, held both at the Court House and the Main Entrance of Watkins Glen State Park, on the east and west sides of Franklin Street (or state Route 14) in Watkins Glen. Judges will choose winners in nine categories. The overall purpose of the event is to increase market demand and use of advanced vehicles, which can help reduce dependence on foreign oil, while reducing the environmental impact of transportation. The 2005 Green Grand Prix Tour will offer an entertaining and informative event for people who own or have interest in advanced vehicles, particularly hybrid and alternate fueled. The event is also intended to elevate public awareness of advanced vehicle technology and educate the public about currently available advanced vehicles. It is hoped that this event for hybrid and alternate fueled vehicles will become an annual event and grow to the status of a formal fuel economy competition on the historic racing circuit. For the past 10 years, Dunn has organized the popular Tour de Sol Rally for hybrid and alternate fueled vehicles. Dunn resides in Westborough, Mass. Vanbatenburg delivers management and technical seminars nationwide and formerly owned Vanbatenburg’s Garage Inc. in Worcester, Mass. for more than 25 years. Heaney’s electric Cobra has been enjoyed by thousands, appearing on the popular Newton’s Apple TV program. The Electric Grand Prix Corp. is a tax-exempt organization dedicated to the support and stimulation of the technical innovation required to develop electric vehicle technology to a practical level. EGP also supports the position of Coordinator for the Rochester (N.Y.) Clean Cities Coalition, Genesee Region Clean Communities. Heaney resides in Honeoye Falls, N.Y. Gray’s World Energy is headquartered in Chelsea, Mass., and maintains the largest comprehensive nationwide network for biodiesel distribution. To enter the alternative fuel vehicle show, contact Robert Gillespie at (315) 536-7185, or visit www.glenspeed.com. For more information, contact the Schuyler County Chamber of Commerce at (607) 535-4300 or chamber@schuylerny.com. Writer and Driver Denise McCluggage will be the Featured Speaker, 2005 Writer and driver Denise McCluggage will be the featured speaker at the annual Open House at the International motor Racing Research Center on Saturday, Oct. 1. The Open House is the Center’s annual thank-you to its supporters. The event is an opportunity for everyone – old friends and new – to see what’s new at the Center and get re-acquainted with our collections. Among the special activities will be the drawing of the winner of the Unique Motorcars Cobra replica that the Center is raffling this year. The Cobra raffle is the Center’s major fund-raiser for the year. McCluggage is a successful writer and race car driver, and the Center is excited about welcoming her back to Watkins Glen. As a driver she has won trophies on three continents in rallying and racing. Chief among her victories: first GT, Sebring (Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta); Copa de Damas, Grand Prix of Venezuela (Porsche 550 RS); 1st in class, Rallye de Monte Carlo (Ford Falcon). 2005 raffle car a Cobra replica The Racing Research Center is excited to announce that this year’s raffle car is a Cobra replica, thanks to the generosity of the www.Race-Cars.com division of Chicago-Soft. Tickets for the car will be $60 each, or two for $100. The drawing will be Saturday, Oct. 1, during the Center’s annual open house. Only 1,500 tickets will be sold. The car will be on display at the Center throughout the summer. It also will be at the Center’s booth at Watkins Glen International during the racing season. Featuring a 302 Ford V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a five-speed transmission and the requisite side-pipe exhaust, this ex-show car of noted automotive paint supplier BASF has exceptional paint and attention to detail. Additional accessories include chrome wheels, "Monza" fuel filler cap and a beautifully finished, though characteristically stark, interior. There’s also a CD player - should the sound of the engine not be music enough for the winner’s ears! And the car is equipped with a convertible top for those less-than-perfect days. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the Racing Research Center and by contacting us via telephone, mail or e-mail. They may also be ordered through the Web site. We can accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards. Former Corning Artist Displaying Work at Racing Research Center, 2005 Hoppert’s interest in racing came early, as she attended her first race with her family at the Glen in 1949 when she was only 3. Their family gatherings at the Glen continued over the early years. Her parents are the late Charles Oliver and Connie Prescott of Corning. “There were eight guys between my cousins and brothers and there was me, the only girl. I was the only one to focus my interest on racing because I loved the people, the excitement, the sounds and smells, the outdoors, lap charts, stopwatches, the colors and competition! I've always been fascinated with mechanical things,” Hoppert says. She recalls at the age of 5 telling people that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Her early subjects included cars and drivers. “As a teen, my contemporaries adored Elvis and the Beatles, but I preferred the stars of Formula 1,” Hoppert says. Her formal art education was at Rochester Institute of Technology, School of Art & Design. She had a job interview for the Design Department at General Motors and was told that she’d have to be twice as good as a man to get a job there. “I didn't want to spend my energy just trying to prove myself, so I went to work for The Instructor magazine.” Hoppert met her husband, Bernt, at the Glen, and their honeymoon in 1969 was spent at the Nurburgring race course in his native Germany. Over the years, they have traveled to many tracks across the U.S., Canada and Germany. They are volunteers at Infineon Raceway near their home in Sonoma County, CA, and she also worked as a volunteer for the CHAMP Car race in San Jose. “After over 50 years of attending races as a fan, I'm really enjoying being part of the crew that helps make them happen,” Hoppert says. The Hopperts have a daughter, Kim, who is a tri-athlete; a son, Jeff, who cycles competitively and runs his Porsche in autocross events; and another son, Jochen, who is working on developing fuel cells for future cars.
Vic Elford Hosting Center Party Sept. 9, 2005 On Friday, Sept. 9, the Racing Research Center will join the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen in honoring the Alfa Romeo. As part of a day full of activities downtown, the Center will host a party and auction featuring the Alfa. Our host will be legendary driver Vic Elford, who will be grand marshal for the SVRA events at the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International Friday through Sunday, Sept. 11. The party will start at 6:30 p.m., with the auction starting at 8 p.m. Live and silent auctions will offer a variety of fine motorsports materials, including paintings and photographs. Everyone is invited, and admission is a donation of $20. Elford is one of the very few drivers to have won both American Crown Jewels of endurance racing: the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He also narrated the film “The Speed Merchants.” For more information about the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen, see its Web site at www.grandprixfestival.com. Always wanted to race at Watkins Glen? Well, now’s your chance - in miniature, anyway. (Aug. 15, 2005) Model builder Fred Van Orden of Churchville, N.Y., has built a 1/32- scale reproduction of the Watkins Glen track, based on the short course in about 1972. The one-of-a-kind track - entirely handmade - has the proper elevation changes, with the downhill grade from the start/finish line and the uphill grade through the esses. It also has extraordinary detail, from the blue guardrails to service roads and support vehicles standing by.
Van Orden has donated the entire track to the Racing Research Center for sale at its annual vintage weekend auction, this year Friday, Sept. 9. The minimum bid is $3,000, which includes free delivery and set-up within a 250-mile radius of Watkins Glen. There will be a nominal charge for farther delivery distances. “It should go to a good home where it will be permanently set up and enjoyed,” Van Orden said. The track will be set up throughout the day on Friday at the Center for all comers to view - and race on. The entire track takes up a 10 feet by 15 feet space. The course has four lanes and comes with Fly brand race cars that are highly detailed recreations of actual Watkins Glen Six Hours cars from the 1970-71 races: Mario Andretti’s Ferrari 512S, Jo Bonnier’s Lola T70, Mark Donohue’s Sunoco Ferrari 512M and the Salzburg 917K “Hippie Porsche.” The plastic racing surface in a four-lane Sport model track manufactured by Scalextric of Great Britain. The surface is inlaid on half-inch MDX wafer board, surrounded by quarter-inch hardboard, so that is is a flush and realistic roadway. The edges of the layout are encircled by 4-inch clear Plexiglas walls to prevent cars from falling to the floor. The track is integrated with two custom-designed Scalextric Sport timer/lap counters for each of the four lanes. The cars are driven by upgraded Parma 25 ohm controllers, and the track is powered by a high-tech MG, 0-20 volt, 10-amp adjustable power supply. It also can be run off a 12-volt car battery. It is designed in several sections for transportation and sits on four collapsible leg tables, altered for this track. No detail was overlooked, from the felt grass, trees, blue guardrails, tunnel bridges, service roads and support vehicles, spectators and their vehicles and track structures. In addition to the track, Van Orden also has constructed three dioramas of Smalley’s garage, where race tech inspections were conducted from 1948-1962. The 1/43-scale dioramas, priced at a minimum bid of $160, each has cars that depict a different era: early 1940s sports cars, late 1950s sports cars and late 1950s Formula One cars. Each comes with a clear plastic dust cover. Former Stock Car Racer to Speak, 2005 Norm Evenden will share his tales from the track at the August Center Conversations at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The free talk will be Saturday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, N.Y. Evenden, who lives in Horseheads, raced sports cars and stock cars from the 1940s through the 1960s. His talk comes a week after thousands of stock car fans descended on Watkins Glen for the Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen NASCAR race. Evenden still holds the record for the fastest time at Whiteface Mountain (N.Y.) Championship Hill Climb. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. Bridgehampton Races Expert to Speak, 2005 (May 23, 2005) Author Joel E. Finn will discuss the great days of American road racing, including the Long Island races at Bridgehampton, at the June Center Conversations. The free talk will be Saturday, June 4, at 1 p.m. Finn, a former Elmira resident, is a native of Syracuse and was first exposed to the races on the streets in Watkins Glen in 1950. He has been a regular there ever since. He went to race driving school at Watkins Glen when he turned 17 and has raced continuously at the track over the last 50 years. An avid historian of race cars and a collector of the records and memorabilia documenting American racing, he has written a number of highly regarded books on the sport. These include his histories of racing Ferraris and Maseratis. His book “American Road Racing: the 1930s,” examined the activities of organized road racing in this country that were the predecessor and model for road racing in the United States as it developed after World War II. His most recent book, “Bridgehampton Racing: From the Streets to the Bridge,” chronicles the development of road racing on Long Island in the early 20th century, the rise of the racing events at Bridgehampton in the middle of the last century, the glory days of the track in the 1960s and ’70s, and the track’s demise. Finn continues to actively compete in vintage and historic races at road courses in the United States and abroad. Center Conversations is a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and everyone is invited. Exhibit Showcases Artist’s Work, 2005
The opening reception for “Chasing the Track” will be from 6:30-9 p.m., and all are welcome. Nicholas is a candidate for a master’s of fine arts degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. The exhibit, which will be in place for several weeks, is his master’s thesis exhibit. Hosting the exhibit is a fitting role for the Racing Research Center, which has a mission of preserving the history of motorsports in all media - books, film, photographs, documents and fine art. Nicholas’s passion for racing took hold when he was 6, living in a suburb of Indianapolis. While his early work was straight photography, his efforts have evolved. “The body of work to be exhibited at the Center is an arrival, more than a departure, to a process of creating that best suits my interest to collect imagery and artifacts from every aspect of my life and to include those elements, both the personal and purely subject-related, along with my photographs in the work,” Nicholas says. He says he is inspired and influenced by artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Anselm Kiefer and Peter Beard. “I must also include the many motorsports photographers, past and present, whose images I collected as a child and wallpapered my room with and would study endlessly. It is they who brought me to photography, and to them I owe my endless appreciation,” Nicholas says. Nicholas earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from Youngstown State University in 1997. He has exhibited in Ohio, Buffalo and Rochester. Nicholas lives in Austintown, Ohio. Maserati Author to Speak Willem Oosthoek, co-author of the definitive book on the Maserati Tipo 54, “Maserati 450S: The Fastest Sports Racing Car of the Fifties, A Complete Racing History from 1956 to 1962,” will discuss this great car and his book at the May Center Conversations at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The free talk will be Saturday, May 21, at 1 p.m. Copies of this limited-edition book, released in March, will be available for sale during the event. Co-authored by Michel Bollee, the book is the first-ever published about the Maserati Tipo 54, better known as the 450S. It focuses in the works cars as raced in 1957, as well as the six privately owned cars in the U.S. of Tony Parravano, Jim Kimberly, John Edgar, Temple Buell, Ebb Rose and Frank Harrison. Every race in which one of the Tipo 54 Maseratis ever participated is covered in the book, from the 1957 World Championship to the North American racing scene between 1956 and 1962. The Tipo 54 made 119 race appearances, scoring 31 victories. Oosthoek is retired after 25 years in international banking. He lives in Weddington, N.C., pursuing a second career as motorsports historian and author. His articles have been published in Vintage Motorsport, Sports Car International, Vintage Racecar Journal and Il Tridente, the Maserati Club magazine. His first book, "Birdcage to Supercage," on the rear-engined Birdcage Maseratis, was published in 2004. Historian to speak about GT40, Ford racing, 2005The last production Ford GT40 race coupe to be constructed and sold as a completed car is now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center. Owned by Archie Urciuoli of Casey Key, Fla., GT40 P/1083 was the only GT40 sold directly by the factory. Center Historian Bill Green will offer two talks honoring the stay of this striking red machine. On Saturday, Jan. 15, he will speak about GT40 racing. On Saturday, Feb. 19, Green will speak about the Ford Motor Co. and racing. The talks are part of Center Conversations, a free monthly talk series that takes listeners behind the scenes of motorsports. The talks are informal, and all are invited. Both will begin at 1 p.m. at the Center at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen. The GT40 on display at the Center was first tested at Thruxton Circuit, Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom, by David Hobbs. It was sold through MRE Ltd. to Team Colegio Arte e Instrucao in Rio de Janeiro, owned by Sidney Cardoso, in 1969. It was raced through 1971, when it was sold to Wilson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi raced it intermittently under Bardahl sponsorship. He also used the GT40 as a road car. It began its vintage racing career in 1982, owned through 1992 by George Stauffer of Blue Mounds, Wis., and through 2002 by Jim George of Mt. Clemens, Mich. Urciuoli bought the car in 2002 and races it in vintage events. The engine, running gear and cosmetics were restored to the original 1969 configuration by Bob Ash and Jeff Sime. The GT40 will be at the Center through March. Argetsinger Named to SCCA Hall of Fame, 2005Cameron R. Argetsinger, president of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, has been included in the inaugural induction class of the new Hall of Fame of the Sports Car Club of America. He and nine other honorees will be inducted Jan. 29, 2005, at the SCCA National Convention in Kansas City, Mo. Argetsinger, founder and organizer of the first races in Watkins Glen, was one of the earliest members of the SCCA. In the early years of SCCAâs professional racing program, he served as director of professional racing and followed that with an appointment as SCCAâs executive director.
Also in the first class of Hall of Fame inductees are John Fitch and Bill Milliken, both great supporters of and frequent visitors to the Center. Fitch, who lives in Lime Rock, Conn., was SCCAâs first national champion in an era when that meant competing in all forms of sports car competition at events scattered across the entire country. He was the first American road racer to land a top level factory drive in Europe, blazing a trail for future American drivers. He also served as chairman of the Contest Board and a member of the Activities Committee. Milliken, who lives in Williamsville, N.Y., was one of the first SCCA members to enter his car in competitions, even before SCCA began to sanction such events. He was involved in many of the clubâs early speed contests as either a competitor or an organizer. Milliken served as vice president and as a member of the Contest Board, and he was elected to the very first SCCA Board of Directors. Perhaps his most significant contribution was that he authored the very first set of SCCA General Competition Rules. Party, Auction at Center Honor Rahal, the MG, 2004On Friday, Sept. 10, the Racing Research Center will join the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen in honoring the MG. As part of a day full of activities downtown, the Center will host a party and auction, honoring the MG as well as Bobby Rahal, grand marshal for the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association events at the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International Friday through Sunday, Sept. 12. The party will start at 6:30 p.m., with the auction starting at 8 p.m. A variety of fine motorsports materials, including paintings and photographs, will be offered in the live auction, as well as a silent auction. Everyone is invited, and admission is a donation of $20. For more information about the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen, see its Web site at www.grandprixfestival.com. Author Oliver to Speak about Lotus, Rindt at Center's Open House Oct. 2, 2004 In 1969, Jochen Rindt achieved his first Formula 1 victory in the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, driving the revolutionary Lotus-Ford. Thirty-five years later, the same Lotus 49 and the man who would become 1970 World Champion are being celebrated at the annual Open House of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen on Oct. 2. Michael Oliver, considered the foremost published authority on the Lotus race car, will be the featured speaker. An overview of Rindt's career also will be part of the program. The Open House on Saturday, Oct. 2, coincides with the stay at the Center of the Lotus 49, chassis number R6. Rindt won the Grand Prix of Monaco in the car in 1970, the year he became World Champion. The championship came posthumously, as Rindt was killed Sept. 5, 1970, in a crash in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Lotus 49 is privately owned and is on display from late July through the end of October. The open house will be from 1-6 p.m. Oliver's talk will be at 3 p.m. No admission is charged, and all are welcome. Oliver, of Witney, Oxfordshire, England, wrote "Lotus 49: The Story of a Legend" in 1999. It was followed in 2003 by "Lotus 72: Formula One Icon." Oliver has been following Formula 1 since he was a child and reckons he probably learned to count from the numbers on the sides of racing cars. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s he attended many major Formula 1, sports car and motorbike races in both the United Kingdom and Europe, and it is the memories of these events that have fuelled his desire to research, record and write about motor sport during that period. He has contributed features to a wide range of magazines including Motor Sport, Classic Cars, Chequered Flag and Vintage Racecar Journal. Oliver has also carried out road tests and product reviews for publications such as the Oxford Times, Bristol Evening Post and Birmingham Evening Mail. Porsche RaffleA completely restored and rebuilt 1981 Porsche 911 Carrera SC coupe is the grand prize in a major fund-raising raffle to benefit the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen (N.Y.). Thanks to the generosity of Brumos Porsche of Jacksonville, Fla., the vehicle is returning as a representation of the impressive and top-shelf work done by the Center. This brilliantly red 911 was offered as the Center's raffle car in 2002. After the winner was chosen, Brumos Porsche bought back the car. The 911 has been displayed in the Brumos Museum since then.
"We certainly appreciate the generosity of Brumos Porsche and Bob Snodgrass for giving us the opportunity to offer the Porsche as an incentive in our efforts to raise money to support the work of the Center," said Center President Cameron Argetsinger. "It's a beautiful car. The 2002 raffle was big success for us, and we are certain that this year will be no different." Snodgrass, a partner in Brumos Porsche, is a member of the Center's Council. The Porsche underwent a total cosmetic and mechanical restoration to Brumos' highest museum standards before it was unveiled to the public at a Brumos Boosters Brigade celebration during the Brumos Continental Historic Races weekend in November 2001 at Daytona International Speedway. It is valued at$30,999.12. Tickets for the Porsche raffle cost $59, and 2,500 will be sold. For two or more tickets, the price drops to $50 each. Multiple tickets must be purchased in a single transaction to receive the discount. The winning ticket will be drawn on Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Center, during the annual Open House. The drawing will be at 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by using check or credit card. Orders may be submitted by telephone, e-mail, fax, online order form, or mail. For more information, call the Center at 607-535-9044. View the printed poster and printable form. Formula 1The International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen is honoring the storied past of Formula 1 racing at the Glen by inviting fans to watch this year's races in the Center's Film Room. The Formula 1 season started March 4 in Australia. Other races since then have been in Malaysia, Bahrain and San Marino.The next stop on the schedule is Sunday, May 9, in Spain. For that race - and for the remainder of the 2004 season - the Center will open so that Formula 1 fans may watch the live broadcast on the Speed Channel, on the Center's large-screen television. The showings are open to all, at no charge. Coffee and doughnuts will be available. Though usually closed on Sundays, the Center's staff is pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for Formula 1 fans to get together to watch the races as they happen. On May 9, the Center will open at 7:30 a.m., the start of the race preliminary broadcast. Cunningham C4R, Lotus 49 on Display at the Center this YearThe International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen is welcoming two highly distinctive and historic race cars to the Center this year. A rare Cunningham C4R has begun a four-month stay at the Center, with its arrival on Sunday, March 14. The C4R was the most successful of the American race cars designed by Briggs Cunningham. The model debuted at Watkins Glen in 1952, driven by John Fitch. On June 5, Briggs Cunningham III, son of the racing legend, will speak at the Center about his father and the signature cars. Fitch will join him for the 1 p.m. The C4R is owned by the Collier Automotive Museum in Naples, Fla. It will be on loan to the Center for display through the end of July. The Lotus 49 driven by Jochen Rindt to victory at the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1969 arrives next at the Center, to remain on display through the end of October. The win at The Glen was the first Formula 1 victory for Rindt, who would earn the 1970 World Championship, tragically posthumously. The Lotus and Rindt's career will be celebrated at special activities during the SVRA vintage racing weekend Sept. 10-12. Among the events will be a dinner at which Nina Rindt, drivers, mechanics, photographers, journalists and enthusiasts of late 1960s will share their memories. Anyone interested in attending the dinner should contact Joe Willenpart at avondale@intercom.net for further details. The Lotus also will be the centerpiece of the Center's annual Open House, planned for Oct. 2. Phil Hill to lead 2004 Sponsorship TeamPhil Hill, first World Champion from the United States in 1961, will be the chairman of the 2004 membership drive for the Center's Sponsorship Team. Hill is a strong supporter of the Center's work and did not hesitate when invited to serve as 2004 chairman. "I cannot think of another man who so personifies what was fine and admirable about Grand Prix drivers in the post-war era," said Center President Cameron R. Argetsinger. "Great drivers they were, but the best of them were so much more - they had grace and wit and a myriad of interests and enthusiasms. Phil Hill represents all that to me, and America has never had a finer champion in any sport." Hill, who started his racing career in sports cars as a teenager in California, made his Watkins Glen debut in 1952. He drove a C-Type Jaguar during what would be the last weekend of racing in the village streets. During a career that lasted almost 20 years, Hill was the first native-born American to win the classic Le Mans 24-Hour race, an event he would win three times. He was the first American since Jimmy Murphy in 1921 to win a major European Grand Prix. Hill also won the 12 hours of Sebring three times, the Argentine 1000 km three times, the Grand Prix of Italy twice and the Belgian Grand Prix. His last race was the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch in England in 1967, which he won. Hill has twice hosted fund-raising events at the Center, most recently in June, during the Chemung Canal Trust Historic Races at Watkins Glen International. Hill was the grand marshal at the Historic Sportscar Racing event. Doug Nye at Watkins Glen - World's Foremost Racing Historian to Speak at Research Center Internationally acclaimed motorsports author and historian Doug Nye will be the featured speaker in October at the annual open house of the Racing Research Center. The open house will be Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1-6 p.m. Nye's talk will be at 3 p.m. No admission is charged, and all are welcome. Doug Nye, a resident of Surrey, England, is the author of more than 70 titles and has been honored with numerous literary awards. He has been a writer and editor for international motorsports magazines and has had a role in organizing major events including the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England, and the Adelaide Classic Rally in South Australia. Nye has worked with the Donington Grand Prix Collection, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and the Brooklands Museum, all in England, as well as the Dutch National Motor Museum and the Collier Museum in Naples, Fla. "Doug Nye's scholarship and accuracy in researching and chronicling the history of motor sport parallels the ideals and goals of the Research Center at Watkins Glen," said Cameron Argetsinger, Research Center president and the founder of racing in Watkins Glen. "We are honored at his acceptance of our invitation and to have the opportunity to introduce new friends to the Center." At the Oct. 4 event, Nye will screen rare footage of early Indianapolis, Brooklands and other pioneer race events, interspersed with his comments and insights. Much of the material has not been seen publicly in more than 50 years. Nye has recently published volume two of his definitive book on the British Grand Prix race team BRM. He has previously published what are considered the standards on other Grand Prix teams including Lotus, Tyrell, Williams and Cooper. Nye is the curator of an archive of almost 2 million racing images by photographers including Geoffrey Goddard, Franco Lini and Franco Zagari. He also writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph, Britain's national newspaper. Andretti to lead Sponsorship TeamRacing legend Mario Andretti is leading the 2003 Sponsorship Team member campaign for the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. Andretti's commitment to this effort continues his strong and active support of the Center's work. Andretti, 1978 World Champion, has been a member of the Center's Drivers Council since June 2001.
"When I visit the Center it rekindles those memories and I enjoy delving into the collections from all over the world," Andretti writes. The Racing Research Center is dedicated to the preservation of racing's heritage worldwide. The core of the collection is more than 2,500 reference books, as well as hundreds of films, race posters and programs, magazines, rare documents, club records and manuscripts and thousands of photographs. The diversity of materials held by the Center parallels the diversity of Andretti's racing successes. "When I first met Mario he had just won the pole at the United States Grand Prix in 1968; the following May he won the Indianapolis 500," said Center President Cameron R. Argetsinger. "His triumphs in motor racing are a virtual history of motor racing itself: from dirt tracks, to Grand Prix, to Indianapolis, to stock cars at Daytona, to sports cars at Watkins Glen and Le Mans, to World Champion in 1978 in Grand Prix." From his start on the dirt tracks of Pennsylvania, Andretti went on to victories in the Six Hours at Watkins Glen, the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. He was four-time USAC-CART Champion, and, of course, Formula One World Champion in 1978. He is only the second American to capture the World Driving Championship. Andretti takes on an important role in leading the Center's membership campaign. "Almost all of the Center's materials have been donated by those interested in the preservation of the history of motorsports. The Center's funding also is donated, as it receives no local, state or federal operating money," said Argetsinger. Funding comes through membership in the Center's Sponsorship Team, an endowment and outright gifts, according to Argetsinger. The Center also organizes a variety of fund-raising activities throughout the year, such as auctions and raffles. Cameron Argetsinger to Lead Research CenterCameron R. Argetsinger has been named president of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The appointment to lead a facility dedicated to preserving the history of motorsports brings Argetsinger full-circle, as he was the founder of racing in Watkins Glen. The 1948 rebirth of road racing in America initiated the evolution of Watkins Glen as a premiere international racing venue. "No one that I know in racing could possibly bring the same expertise and sense of organization and ethics as Cam Argetsinger," said John Bishop, chairman of the Racing Research Center Council. "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," Bishop said. Argetsinger replaces Executive Director Mike Rand who will be pursuing other ventures. Rand will remain actively involved with the Center as a consultant. "It's going to be fun," Argetsinger said. "Naturally it's a labor of love." Argetsinger has a rich history of involvement with motorsports, starting with founding, organizing and competing in the first race at Watkins Glen. Later, as executive director of the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Corp., Argetsinger was the first race promoter to make Formula 1 Grand Prix racing a success in America. He organized Glen racing for 23 years. From 1971-77, Argetsinger worked with the Sports Car Club of America as director of professional racing and as executive director. He returned to the Watkins Glen area in 1977, resuming his career as a lawyer. From 1986-1992, he was commissioner of the International Motor Sports Association, IMSA. Argetsinger is now in the process of retiring from his practice. Argetsinger will oversee a staff that includes a librarian and archivist and a historian. His responsibility will include day-to-day management of the Research Center as well as overall planning and direction and development of an endowment fund. "I want to provide for a fund-raising campaign for an endowment that will secure the long-term future of the Center. The Center has no debt, but it requires operating funds and we're going to need to expand someday. We're already running out of space," Argetsinger said. The Research Center, which opened its doors in 1999, is dedicated to preserving the heritage of international motor sports in all of its dimensions and variety. The impressive and ever-growing archival collection includes not only road racing and oval-track racing, but preserves materials encompassing the history of the entire spectrum of motor racing. Center Welcomes 'Poison Lil'
George Weaver's widow, Barbara Weaver of Rhode Island, who is a member of the Center's governing council, said she believed it appropriate for the car's first American showing in years to be in Watkins Glen, where it had an outstanding record. For the past two decades, the car has been on display at Donington Park raceway museum in England. The powerful V-8, 4.8-liter engined car was driven by Weaver in the 1948 inaugural race in Watkins Glen. Weaver led the first lap of the race, as he would every year on the original course through 1952. In 1949, the car known affectionately as "Poison Lil," led the Seneca Cup from start to finish, despite a damaged brake line that left a cloud of oil trailing on the final lap. Spectators in those early days easily recall the fearsome sight of the red and black Maserati roaring down Franklin Street. The memories of the sound and smell as well as the sight linger still. In 1951, Weaver again won the Seneca Cup, beating John Fitch in a Ferrari. Fitch called the Maserati "a phenomenal car." Later in the day, Weaver won the Queen Catharine Cup race in a LeMans Jowett Javelin Jupiter. In 1953 at the new "middle" course, Weaver led the race in his trusty Maserati for five laps before a connecting rod put him out. In 1955, Weaver bravely started the race despite broken bones, but shortly pulled off. The Maserati had rolled off the lift at the Atlantic station in the village, running over Weaver's foot. At the permanent circuit in 1956, Weaver became the first four-time winner in Watkins Glen history, winning the Seneca Cup in a 1948 4CLT Maserati. Weaver was not only a superb driver, said Cameron Argetsinger, a racing colleague, he also was a genius as a mechanic, giving the Maserati new life for each event.The 4.8-liter Maserati RI was one of four built at the Maserati factory in 1936. Driver St. James to Attend Race Fest, Speak at CenterLyn St. James, who has driven seven times in the Indianapolis 500 and was the first woman to be selected the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, will join NASCAR Winston Cup fans at the Racing Thunder in the Glen downtown party Friday, Aug. 9. As the guest of the International Motor Racing Research Center, St. James will be meeting fans and signing copies of her new book "Ride of Your Life: A Race Car Driver's Journey" at the Center's table on the Schuyler County Courthouse lawn. The book will be available for purchase. St. James will be at the festival from approximately 4-5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., she will give a talk at the Center. The talk, free and open to the public, is presented as part of the Center's monthly Center Conversations speaker series. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St. St. James made motorsports history at Watkins Glen in 1985 as the first woman driver to win an IMSA race driving solo when she won the Camel GTO division of the Serengeti Drivers New York 500 in a Ford Mustang. St. James is a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, a two-time competitor at the 24 Hours of LeMans and was named one of the Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century by Sports Illustrated for Women. "Lyn is honest, hard working, dedicated and passionate," says driver Darrell Waltrip. "She's also very good at what she does. Lyn has survived on her accomplishments and her ability. I've always admired her for that." Her book, published by Hyperion in May, details her journey from a young girl with a dream to the accomplished athlete she is today. St. James tells all about her uphill battle and shows how race car driving can apply to the challenges we all face in life. "This is the stuff of high adventure but only part of the tale, as St. James also gives us the fascinating inside story of her assault on the male bastion that was Indy. It is a can't-put-it-down book," says Walter Cronkite. Copies of "Ride of Your Life" will be available at the Center during her talk and throughout the weekend.  Lyn St. James celebrates her 1985 history-making victory at Watkins Glen as the first woman to win an IMSA race driving solo, with her win in the Camel GTO division of the Serengeti Drivers New York 500 in a Ford Mustang. Sandra Leitzinger to be Featured in ExhibitThe art of Sandra Leitzinger will be featured in a special exhibit hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen June 21-23 during Watkins Glen International's Sports Car Grand Prix weekend. The exhibit honors the memory of motorsports artist Leitzinger, who died Jan. 9 at home in State College, Pa. She was 65. Leitzinger was the wife of Bob Leitzinger, long-time IMSA and SCCA sports car racer, and mother of road-racing star Butch Leitzinger. Her children Chuck and Karen Kurtz also have been involved in motorsports. The art show is presented in cooperation with Leitzinger's family. The Center has works by Leitzinger in its collection, including a print of her signature piece, "Drivers Meeting." The Center was honored when Leitzinger's family designated it as a recipient for memorials in her name. The Center is working with her family to determine an appropriate use for the donated funds. The Center will have additional Sunday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the art show. Historic 'Alligator' at Research CenterWATKINS GLEN - The car that Miles Collier drove to victory in the 1949 Watkins Glen Grand Prix is now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. Known as the "Ardent Alligator" the car is a 1929 Brooklands Riley modified by the Collier brothers and fitted with a 3.9-liter Mercury Flathead engine and drivetrain. The car's history is as colorful as its bright red body and yellow wheels. Owner Pete McManus of Thornton, Pa., will discuss that history at the monthly Center Conversations on Saturday, March 16. The free talk will be at 1 p.m.
In post-war racing, the car's most significant victory was at Watkins Glen in 1949, when Miles Collier passed Briggs Cunningham on the last lap. Cunningham was at the wheel of a Type 166 Ferrari Spyder, the first Ferrari to race in the U.S. The car's nickname, "Ardent Alligator," was painted on its hood for the 1949 race. The name was a reference to the Colliers' home area in south Florida, west of the Everglades. Cameron Argetsinger of Burdett, founder of the Watkins Glen races, owned the Alligator for a while in the early 1950s. The Alligator continued to be raced until 1955. It was later destroyed when a building collapsed on it during a fire. A full restoration followed. The Alligator now competes in vintage sports car racing. The Alligator is will be on display until April. Howard Kimball of Elmira, NY was the lucky winner of the 2001 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER RAFFLE: drawing was Dec. 15, 2001 Spend an Afternoon with Brock Yates (Oct. 26, 2001)Noted motorsports journalist Brock Yates will be the featured speaker at a special event Saturday, Nov. 3, at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. "An Afternoon with Brock Yates" also will include a silent auction of motorsports books, photographs, prints and other items. The silent auction will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. Yates' talk about motorsports journalism will be at 3 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The public is invited. Admission is free. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur Street in Watkins Glen. The afternoon's activities are a special presentation in the "Center Conversations" monthly discussion series sponsored by the Research Center. "An Afternoon with Brock Yates" also is meant to serve as a thank-you to all who have supported the Center throughout the year. Yates, who lives in Wyoming, N.Y., is one of the most well-known and respected motorsports journalists. He is a featured columnist for Car and Driver magazine and a commentator for the Speedvision Motorsports Cable Network. Yates is the originator and organizer of the famed Cannonball Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dashes and the One Lap of America endurance event. He was the screenwriter for "The Cannonball Run" and "Smokey and the Bandit II." His books include "The Decline and Fall of the American Automobile Industry," "Dead in the Water," "Sunday Driver" and "Outlaw Machine." He also has written extensively for magazines including Life, Sports Illustrated, Playboy and Reader's Digest. His journalism prizes include the Ken Purdy Award for Automotive Journalism and the Playboy Award for Editorial Excellence. Yates has raced at Watkins Glen and in the 2001 season served as grand marshal of the Global Crossing @ The Glen in August. 1950 HRG Displayed at Center(Oct. 24, 2001) The HRG is owned by Gary Ford of Pipersville, Pa. The car is the same type as the HRG that won the Watkins Glen Queen Catharine Cup in 1949. HRG built the basic design from 1935 through 1955. In that time, only 245 cars were built. The car was restored in 1999 and has won major Concours awards, including Best of Show at the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen in 2000. The HRG will be displayed through December. Center to Benefit from One-of-a-Kind Spyder RaffleWATKINS GLEN -- Sept. 20, 2001 Only 1,000 raffle tickets will be sold at $100 each. Tickets will be offered until the drawing on Dec. 15 at the Center. The car will be delivered by Williams Toyota of Sayre, Pa. "We are grateful for the cooperation of Dan Gurney and Williams Toyota in this effort to raise important funds for the Research Center," said Jon Beckman, the Center's development director. He noted that dealership owner Randy Williams has long been an active supporter of the Center and Gurney recently hosted a fund-raising auction at the Center. The car raffle is crucial to the Center, which is supported solely by donations and fund-raisers. It opened in June 1999, with legendary driver Jackie Stewart as the honored guest. The Center welcomes casual race fans and serious researchers alike. The heart of the collection is more than 2,500 rare and reference books, periodicals, photographs and more than 1,000 race films. The library also collects fine art and rare race posters. Raffle tickets are available now and may be purchased in person or by mail, at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, N.Y. 14891. They also may be ordered by telephone, at (607) 535-9044. And they also may be ordered by e-mail, at research@racingarchives.org. Checks should be written to the Racing Research Center. Major credit cards also are accepted. Marolyn Rogers Appointed to CouncilWATKINS GLEN -- Sept. 20, 2001 At the same session, Council member Bryan Sperber, president of Watkins Glen International, was appointed as vice president. Council member Michael R. Argetsinger, principal in Michael Argetsinger Communications, a Chicago public relations firm, was appointed secretary. Rogers became involved with the Center in the very early days as she worked with her husband during the initial campaign to raise money to build the Center. "Having a facility where people can come to read, study, research and archive information relating to motor racing is very special, and I am proud to be involved with it," Rogers says. Originally from Statesville, N.C., she now resides in Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Fla. She developed a great interest in and love for the world of sportscar racing beginning in 1976 when she attended the Daytona 24-Hour race. She later went to work for IMSA as chief registrar, a job she held until 1994. It was during this period of her life that she got to know most of the people involved in IMSA racing and the world of corporate sponsors. "I loved being involved in that arena! It's like stepping into another world entirely when you go off to a race weekend. And then, on Monday, you go back to the 'other' world! The friends I made throughout those years are still good friends today," Rogers says. 2001 WGI Materials Now in CollectionWATKINS GLEN - Sept. 20, 2001 Mural Honors Bill Milliken
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Versatile driver, talented author and popular commentator Sam Posey will be the speaker at the Racing Research Center’s Open House on Oct. 13.
Egloff’s book, “The Origin of the Checker Flag,” was published by the International Motor Racing Research Center in 2006.
Porsche driving legend Derek Bell will be the host of the Racing Research Center’s party and auction Friday, Sept. 8, as part of the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen, this year celebrating the Porsche.
, 2005
Artist Tony Nicholas will share his passion for motorsports in an exhibit of his work that opens Thursday, June 9, at the International Motor Racing Research Center.
, 2005
Argetsingerâs involvement in motorsports spanned 23 years at Watkins Glen as race director and later executive director of the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Corp. He also served as commissioner for IMSA. He practiced law in Montour Falls and Watkins Glen for 48 years. Argetsinger has served as president of the Racing Research Center since September 2002.
This car, with its Ford Cosworth DFV engine, represented a great technological breakthrough in Formula 1 racing.
"Racing has always been a part of my life and with efforts of the International Motor Racing Research Center, the history and accomplishments that I have made will always be preserved," says Andretti in his letter to supporters of the Center.
Miles and Sam Collier brought the Alligator to the United States in 1934 and raced it with its original Riley engine for the Automobile Racing Club of America, predecessor to today's Sports Car Club of America. They exchanged the engine and mechanical components for a 1939 Mercury flathead V-8 engine and drivetrain shortly before World War II. 
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John Fitch has a big place in Watkins Glen racing history, starting with his first race here in 1949. Fifty years ago, in 1951, he was in a Cunningham C2R to take second in the Grand Prix and second in the preliminary Seneca Cup. He also won the Sportsman's Trophy that year. Fitch later would be key in the design of the racetrack in Lime Rock, Conn., where he lives. |
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Bob Lutz is a co-owner of the Cunningham Motor Co. with Briggs Cunningham III, son of founder Briggs Cunningham Jr. Lutz also is newly appointed vice chairman of product development for General Motors. He previously was chairman and chief executive officer of Exide Technologies, and he remains as chairman. He is former president of the Chrysler Corp. and is considered the "father" of the Viper. |
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Brock Yates is editor-at-large for Car and Driver magazine. He is closely associated with the annual Cannonball Baker Run road rally. Yates has long been involved in motorsports and is noted for his insider stories. |
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Bill Milliken is a Watkins Glen racing pioneer and will forever be part of the folklore because of his rollover in the very first year in the downtown corner that now bears his name. Milliken is an internationally respected engineer. |
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Ed Diehl has been a road racer since 1960 and was a driver with Bob Tullius. He has several regional championships and today races a Triumph Spitfire in SCCA regional and national events and a drives a vintage Saab in historic races. |
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Bill Bradshaw will be the master of ceremonies for The Legends Speak. Bradshaw was chief grid marshal for the U.S. Grand Prix and all other professional races at the Glen from 1963 through 1980. He also has served in many leadership roles in the Sports Car Club of America. |
For more information about the Festival, see www.watkinsglen.com/gpfest.
Montanari Art Show Slated for Center
WATKINS GLEN --Aug. 20, 2001
Motorsports artist Thom Montanari is presenting a show of his work at the International Motor Racing Research Center from Aug. 23-Oct. 9.
Montanari's work features fine art and illustrations from a wide array of racing genres and settings. Of particular interest are Montanari's evocative European architectural backgrounds for Ferrari and other classic marques.
An informal wine and cheese reception, sponsored by Vintage Racecar Journal, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 8, starting at 1 p.m.
All are welcome to come and meet Montanari. "Naturally I'm very excited that the Research Center is the site of my first one-man show. My purpose in this is simply to compliment the great preservation work they are doing there."
Montanari, of Hopewell, N.J., was the featured artist at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in 1998 and 1999 and was selected to paint the event poster for the 1999 Castle Hill Concours d'Elegance in Ispwich, Mass. Universal Studios contracted him to produce a limited edition lithograph based on Ralf Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and the BMW/Williams Formula One Team.
For more about Montanari, visit his Web site at www.avantimotorsports.com. For a sampling of his artwork, go directly to www.avantimotorsports.com/images/pics/121.jpg or www.avantimotorsports.com/images/pics/gto.jpg.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Racing Research Center is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center is located at 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen.
WATKINS GLEN --July 2001
In the spirit of remembering a thrilling moment at Watkins Glen, the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen has sponsored a photo billboard of Gilles Villeneuve in the rain in 1979.
Despite the treacherous conditions, Villeneuve masterfully controlled the Ferrari during this practice lap for the U.S. Grand Prix. He nearly broke the track speed record during the cloudburst of rain.
The shriek and shrill of hearing the V12 in the rain, through the hills, is captured in the photo by John A. Doddato of Big Flats, N.Y. The photo is titled "Break Away."
The billboard is located just north of Watkins Glen on state Route 14, one of the main entryways into the village. It is part of a series of billboards highlighting points of interest and characteristics of the region. The project is sponsored by the ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes. The billboards will be up through the end of September.
Film on Glen Racing History Now for Sale
June 1, 2001
The International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen now has for sale the film ?Watkins Glen, The Street Years: 1948-1952.? The one-hour film was produced in 1999 by PBS station WSKG in Binghamton, N.Y.
This acclaimed film includes interviews with Cameron Argetsinger, who had the original concept for races in Watkins Glen, and with some of the drivers who competed in those early events. Historians put the races into the perspective of the times, and local residents affected by the races recall the exciting moments.
The video costs $25. It can be ordered for mail delivery, for additional $3 for postage and handling. The phone number is 607-535-9044.
Racing greats join Council team
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Four racing greats, including two World Champions, have agreed to be the inaugural members of the Racing Research Center's new Drivers Council.
Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti, Hurley Haywood and Rusty Wallace will lend their incomparable expertise to help the Center develop its collections.
The Racing Research Center is dedicated to the preservation of the history of all motorsports. This non-for-profit facility, located in the home of American road racing, is unique because it is open to the serious researcher and casual fan alike. Its collections include more than 2,500 rare and reference books, fine art, photographs, programs, periodical and hundreds of films.
Stewart, Andretti and Haywood have well-established relationships with the Center, going back to its first days, when Stewart was the honored guest at the Center's opening in June 1999. While not as familiar with the Center's operations, Wallace is a welcome newcomer to the effort.
"It's certainly an honor and a pleasure to serve on the Council," says Wallace, who can boast of 54 NASCAR Winston Cup wins. "There is so much history that's wrapped up in motorsports. To be part of this exciting new project is quite a thrill. It promises to be very interesting."
Since it was established, the Center has been guided by a Council composed of racing aficionados, library professionals and civic and community leaders. The Drivers Council will enhance their efforts.
"I'm extremely pleased and delighted to welcome the Drivers Council," Council President John Bishop says. "With names like Andretti, Haywood, Stewart and Wallace, it gives us an unprecedented high level of support for the mission of the Center from the pinnacle of motor racing icons."
Haywood is an especially dedicated friend of the Center. The endurance-driving champion is chairman of the Center's 2001 Sponsorship Team membership drive. His letter has led to more than 200 people joining to support the work of the Center. New memberships are received every day.
He hosted a fund-raising auction in June 2000 and was here for this year's June event, hosted by Ron Fellows.
"This is a unique facility within which to research motorsports information," Haywood says. "Being able to give information to create better collections is just incredible."
Formula One World Champions Andretti and Stewart also have praised the Center's efforts. Andretti was here for a lengthy visit in May 2000, and Stewart was here for the opening.
At that time, Stewart accurately predicted the success of the Center, which is reflected in the creation of the Drivers Council.
"Don't think the job is over," he said then, "you will find that one day it will have to be expanded. The sport should be very proud."
June 8, 2001 - WATKINS GLEN - Phil McCray, who served as director and curator of the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen since its founding, has resigned to pursue a new venture in the field of archival services.
McCray will head Upstate Archival Consultants, a firm specializing in providing archival service and advice to historical societies, colleges and private collections.
"The first two years of the Racing Research Center have been a great pleasure for me personally, and I have met many interesting and gracious people in my time here," McCray said. "We have together accomplished a great deal in preserving the documentary heritage of motorsports."
Bryan Sperber, president of Watkins Glen International and a member of the Center's Council, will act as interim executive director for the Center until a new director is hired.
"Phil was instrumental in moving the Research Center from an idea to an internationally respected motor racing archive," Sperber said. "I'm disappointed that Phil is leaving us, but I'm excited that he will be moving into an area that will be a new challenge for him. I wish him much success in his new venture."
McCray assisted in the earliest days of the Center, which was conceived as a way to mark the 50th anniversary of racing in Watkins Glen. The Center opened in June 1999.
The Racing Research Center is dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. Its collections hold more than 2,500 rare and reference books, as well as films, fine art, photographs, programs and periodicals. The Center is open to all, from the serious researcher to the casual fan.
March 15, 2001 - WATKINS GLEN - One of the earliest MGs shipped by the factory in England to the United States is now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen.
The black 1948 MG TC was purchased from Inskip Motors on Long Island in early 1948. Elmira engineer R. Fred Snodgrass and his friend and fellow enthusiast John Riggs, also from Elmira, picked up the car, as well as an identical red one.
Snodgrass Sr. and his son, Bob, then age 6, attended the first race at Watkins Glen in 1948 in the MG TC. This "one-family" classic is on loan to the Racing Research Center by its owner Robert F. Snodgrass Jr. and the Brumos Collection of Jacksonville, Fla.
Snodgrass Jr., owner of Brumos Porsche in Jacksonville, has been a member of the Center's Council since the facility opened in June 1999.
"This beautiful MG has immense aesthetic and historical value. It also represents the great care and respect that can be taken with memories and motorsports," said Phil McCray, Center director and curator.
The car will be on display in the Center's atrium through June 3, the weekend of the Watkins Glen Historic Races at Watkins Glen International.
The MG TC stayed in Elmira until 1962, at which time Snodgrass Sr. was transferred to Minden, La. The MG was transported to Louisiana, where it remained until 1978, when the family relocated to Muncy, Pa., upon the retirement of Snodgrass Sr. Robert Soars of Muncy completed a full, frame-off restoration in 1984.
Subsequently, ownership of the car was transferred to Snodgrass Jr., who has shown the car in many events across the Southeastern United States with fantastic results. Numerous Best of Show awards and countless First Place trophies in local and regional competitions have been won from 1985 to the present.
The MG is perhaps one of the most correct of its type in existence. Under the bonnet, or hood, is a perfectly detailed and sewing-machine-smooth four-cylinder engine producing 54 horsepower. Top speed of 72 mph, coupled with the huge 19-inch wheels and skinny Dunlop tires, made racing these cars in the early days of Watkins Glen a real challenge, Snodgrass Jr. says.
Recent Happenings and Acquisitions
Spring 2001
On May 5th, Mrs. Jean Argetsinger spoke at the Research Center as part of our "Center Conversations." She discussed the social aspect of racing, including her acquaintance with the Collier brothers, Briggs Cunningham, and several of the international drivers of the early Grand Prix years.
A new exhibit is devoted to the Cunningham cars and Briggs Cunningham. Prepared by Center Historian Bill Green from his personal collection.
Center Historian Bill Green talks about collecting motorsports memorabilia at the inaugural gathering of the "Center Conversations" talk series on Feb. 17.
The Ray Heppenstall oral history is now available on this website. It's a candid and insightful account of the development of one of America's most innovative race cars, the Howmet turbine car. The Heppenstall exhibit in the Research Center will be mounted until late June.
The Brubaker and Ten Eyck memorial funds have allowed us to obtain some valuable, historic titles including Dick Wallen's complete set, and an exquisite boxed set, "The Legendary 2.3 Alfa Romeo" by Simon Moore
Recent accessions include rare films, European programs, and others. See Our Collections/Manuscript Holdings
The Research Center has recently made available a beautiful print from artist Bill Neale. Donated by Steve Earle of Monterey Historics, it depicts Dan Gurney winning at Palm Springs in April of 1958, driving Frank Arciero's Ferrari 375. Titled "The Third Race, The Second Win". $20. Copies signed by Gurney are forthcoming.
The Research Center is pleased to be able to announce the hiring of new staff members Historian Bill Green and Corporate Development Director Jon Beckman join the existing staff of Phil McCray, Director and Curator, Mark Steigerwald, Reference Librarian, and Glenda Gephart, Community Relations Director and Publications Editor. Noni Korf Vidal is our Webmaster, and Maggie Edgley serves as Conversion Consultant.
For the 2001 season, the Research Center will again be staging two benefit auctions, and we will again host numerous receptions, parties, and meetings.
Reference Librarian Mark Steigerwald is now builiding the bibliographic database, so that online access to our book collection will soon be possible.
Over the winter of 2000-2001 the featured race car in the atrium was Victor Franzese's McLaren. Press release below.
Jan. 8, 2001
WATKINS GLEN - A McLaren M12 that raced at Watkins Glen in the early 1970s is now greeting visitors to the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen.
The gold and green car, known as the "Champagne Car," is on loan from Victor Franzese, owner of the Glen Motor Inn, Route 14, north of Watkins Glen.
The McLaren will remain in the center through early spring. It is located in the atrium, which was specially designed to display a car.
Franzese is the original owner of the McLaren. He purchased it as a rolling chassis in 1971 and finished it in a shop in Montour Falls. The car was raced in the full 1971 Can-Am series, including that year's event at Watkins Glen.
Its main sponsor was Great Western Champagne, produced by Pleasant Valley Wine Co. of Hammondsport, leading to its nickname.
Ron Goldleaf drove the M12 for Franzese during part of the '71 season, including its appearance in the Can-Am series race at Watkins Glen. Other drivers that year were Bob Nagle, who set a track record at Watkins Glen during an SCCA National event, and Gary Wilson.
Franzese takes the wheel these days, in both Sportscar Vintage Racing Association and Historic Sportscar Racing events.
"It's fun to drive because it's a real race car," Franzese said. "But it's a real challenge because it's dangerous. It can get away from you."
Jackie Stewart Opens Racing Library with Memories, Optimism
GRAND OPENING, June 4, 1999 : 
two newspaper articles that capture the spirit of the opening
Glenda Gephart, The Watkins Review and Express
WATKINS GLEN- Jackie Stewart returned Friday, June 4, to a place of triumph and tragedy.
Standing in the new Watkins Glen Motor Racing Research Library the racing legend recalled moments that have brought him great joy in Watkins Glen, as well as moments of great sorrow.
But the occasion of his visit was one of pure joy and celebration as he officially opened the research library, culminating more than two years of effort.
The library, adjacent to the Watkins Glen Public Library, is considered to be the only of its kind in the world - an archival library dedicated solely to motor sports of all kinds.
The library opened to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
"This is a tremendous asset to the whole motor racing community," Stewart said, referring to the people and businesses that donated the almost $1 million to build and operate the two story facility. No local tax dollars were or will be used, library officials pledged.
"It's been rightly said that people will come from far and wide," Stewart said.
He noted that it has been generally hard to research motor sports. Not any more. Stewart said the curious and the serious will come, and they will be followed by more and more donations of material.
"There's enough for everybody here," said the three-time world champion and twice winner of the Watkins Glen Grand Prix.
Stewart retired as a Formula One competitor at Watkins Glen in 1972, after the death of his teammate, Francois Cevert.
His memories of Watkins Glen are strong and good, Stewart said.
Staying at the Glen Motor Inn on this visit was reminiscent of the Grand Prix days when everyone who was anyone stayed there. You really had to be someone special to get a table in the restaurant on Saturday night before the race, Stewart recalled.
"What a place that was! There wasn't a leading driver in the world who hadn't stayed at the Glen Motor Inn."
And then there was the Bog, a word Watkins Glen International officials still shudder over.
"I'm very sad that the Bog was taken away," he said, while describing the unruly behavior of that long-gone section of the track property.
"There was a great spirit at Watkins Glen. There was passion," Stewart said.
It was a passion noticed by all who came, he said.
Now, with the Motor Racing Research Library, many more can come and experience it through the books, films, posters, and other items.
Jackie Stewart Attends Racing Library Opening
Patrick Buchnowski of the Corning Leader
Watkins Glen -- After three years of planning, much fanfare and anticipation, the Watkins Glen Motor Racing Research Library opened Friday with ceremonies that included library officials, supporters and a visit from three-time world driving champion Jackie Stewart.
Stewart, who won the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1968 and 1972, said Watkins Glen is known worldwide as the mecca of motor racing.
"Watkins Glen ... you don't realize the impact of those two names around the world," Stewart said. "There is no place that I'd rather go for any major motor racing event. There is no one in the five continents that we travel or the 15 countries that we race in that would not know Watkins Glen."
On hand for the opening ceremonies were John Bishop, who founded the International Motor Sports Association, to whom the library was dedicated; Bryan Sperber, president of Watkins Glen International; Jean Argetsinger, library president; and Phil McCray, library director and curator.
From the steps inside the 5000 square foot facility adjacent to the Watkins Glen Public Library, Stewart praised organizers for their vision to build a facility housing more than 50 years of racing history.
It includes a growing collection of 2000 rare and reference books, manuscript collections, race program and poster collections, periodicals, and a film and print room for viewing rare historical race footage. The library also has its own website at www.racingarchives.org.
"There are many museums of cars around the world where people can either go to show respect to the sport or see some of the memorabilia that is collected," Stewart said. "But what you've got here, to have archives and have real research available is, I think, a tremendous asset to the whole racing community." Stewart, chairman of the Stewart-Ford Formula One racing team, reflected on memorable times, including his stays at the Glen Motor Inn, a motel and restaurant still owned by the Franzese family.
"There wasn't a leading driver in the world who hasn't stayed in the Glen Motor Inn," he said. "The day before a race, we all felt privileged when they found a wee table for us somewhere."
Memories of the race track linger like a fresh scent to the Scots-born driver credited with increasing the attention and popularity of motor racing.
"Watkins Glen is a place that's been kind to me, to win the Grand Prix of the United States, and I still have the trophy," he said.
"It's an ideal punch bowl," he joked.
The opening of the library means race fans and scholars will have a place to trace the history of racing," McCray said.
"As an archival center, we will house rare and historically valuable materials in an environment meeting the highest standards of archival storage," he said.
As the racing world becomes familiar with the library, more memorabilia will be added, Stewart predicted.
"So don't think the job is over - you will find that one day it will have to be expanded, Stewart said of the library. "The sport should be very proud."
Spearheaded by Argetsinger and John R. Saunders, former WGI president who is now vice president of International Speedway Corporation, the library is everything organizers imagined, Argetsinger said.
"We raised $1 million," she said. "The response has come from the motor racing world."
