Sixth Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History – November 4-5, 2022
After a hiatus of two years due to the pandemic, the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), partnering with the Society of Automotive Historians (SAH) and the Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce, presented the Sixth Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History in November. The Symposium has established itself as a unique and respected scholarly forum and has gained a growing audience of students and enthusiasts. It provides an opportunity for scholars, researchers and writers to present their work related to the history of automotive competition and the cultural impact of motor racing to their peers and to the motor racing community in general.
A full two-day program of illustrated talks, geared to both motor racing
scholars and racing enthusiasts, was presented at the Media Center on the grounds of the famous Watkins Glen International race track. In conjunction with the on-site sessions, open to the public at no charge, the Symposium was live-streamed to those who wished to attend remotely. Attendees were welcome to join us for the entire event or for individual sessions that are of particular interest to them.
The 2022 Symposium featured presentations by nineteen motorsports experts. Buz McKim, renowned NASCAR historian gave the keynote address, Moonshine and Its Connection to the American Auto Industry. Other highlights included a presentation by oval track racecar expert Gordon Eliot White on noted racecar designer and builder Harry Miller: The Man and the Cars and five presentations addressing the intricate and symbiotic relationship between motorsports and the media. A broad range of other subjects were explored, from
the politics of Grand Prix racing in the 1930s to the connections between musicians and motorsports. In addition, several noted scholars participated in Fifty Years After Title IX – On and Off the Track: A Roundtable on Women in Motorsports.
The call for papers for the 2023 Symposium will be announced in the spring.
New in 2022: A live stream of the symposium was available for the first time thanks to our friends at Gran Touring Motorsports. You can view all of the presentations on YouTube.
Detailed schedule and presenter information: Nov. 4 and Nov. 5.
A printable overview of the schedule for the two-day event can be found here.
