Next weekend we will join SVRA for the SpeedTour at Watkins Glen. This year because the timing of the Olympics delayed the usual NASCAR racing at the Glen so that it preempted the normal September SVRA date (after all the track is owned by NASCAR!) we are racing in August. Also, this year the weekend schedule does not include the usual full street course demonstration parade and the accompanying downtown experience.
Even though the weekend includes the full range of SVRA SpeedTour activities with TransAm and IGT races, each vintage group will get a practice session, two qualifying session and two races. There is also an enduro on Sunday morning that formula cars may enter if you would like more track time. The weather forecast starts with comfortable daily high temperatures in the 70s and ends with them in the mid 80s so on balance we should have good weather. Perhaps because the date is in August, the Classic, F70 and Indy Lights entry counts are lower than usual but that will have the benefit of making it easier to score Monoposto championship points.
As far as the racing goes, Watkins Glen is one of the iconic US tracks, its role in the heritage of both sportscar and Formula 1 racing, the natural terrain nature of the circuit coupled with the proximity of the “blue bushes” adjacent to the track makes it a memorable experience for even the most jaded of racers. If the speed of the uphill esses doesn’t excite you, the challenge of the bus stop and carousel, the very different corners in the boot (downhill laces, heavily banked toe, the heel and the flat turn 9) followed by turns 10 & 11 surely will.
There will be a Monoposto party hosted by Marc Giroux, Mark Clark and Paul Subject with their partners. The best time looks to be on Saturday at 5:30. If for some reason this must be changed, we will notify group 2 & 9 drivers during the weekend while they are on the false grid. The party will be in the GMT paddock area, directly east of the SVRA Tech area.
I look forward to seeing you at the Glen.
Travis Engen
President, Monoposto
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