Nor'easter Online Driving the Original Watkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit ...where Road Racing Was Revived... By Dave Weber 38RSR@PorscheNet.com Copyright © 1997 Porsche Club of America,  Northeast Region

This year Susana found a small brochure describing the original Watkins Glen circuit, and providing directions for a self guided tour. The copy sounded appealing, describing how one individual with an idea for a race revived road racing in the United States after World War II. That individual, Cameron Argetsinger, envisioned a world class road race using local streets and area roads. The circuit that was created, for races in the 1948 through 1952 period, was 6.6 miles in length starting and finishing on Franklin Street in front of the local Schuyler Court House. The more we read the more interesting it sounded, and we quickly decided to make time to drive the old course. We were joined without much hesitation by Peter Silowan, Linda LaBier, Kevin Gross and Phil Markhum.
 

So it was that we found ourselves staged at the start on a bright Sunday morning. The course runs clockwise from the front of the Court House, quickly taking a sharp right onto a long uphill climb past the famous Seneca Lodge. I guess the tradition of tight corners shortly after the start of a Formula 1 race got started a long time ago. The Lodge was headquarters for the 1948 race, and today you can finds lots of memorabilia in the bar off the dining room from races and drivers over the many years events have been held at the Glen.  As you start to crest the hill, approximately 1.3 miles from the start, you encounter the “White House “S”” a series of uphill curves named after the White House Corner at Le Mans. The white house no longer exists. Once through these curves the road straightens for approximately one mile. This straight section must have been a challenge as cars flew over dips and bumps in the road. The most major of which is a railroad underpass followed by a significant raise in the road. Speeds were no doubt high in this stretch.

"The Starting Line - on Main Street!"

 

At the end of this straight the road curves right then left up to the “School House Corner”. Named obviously after a one room school house that still exists, now as a private residence. Here the road turns abruptly right and steeply downhill. The course  descends rapidly through several turns into the state park. These tight corners, mostly blind, are a delight to drive.

"How about 135mph here!"

 

"Cornett’s Stone Bridge" appears quickly around the last bend at the three mile mark. Here Denver Cornett apparently rolled his MG into the creek. The narrow bridge’s outside edge represents the track out point, and was probably hit more than a few times. Very scenic, this spot would have been a great spectator viewing location. After the bridge the course sweeps through a couple of high speed bends, leading into a tighter twisting uphill climb out of the state park. At the top drivers encountered a very off camber left hand turn that must have sent numerous competitors off into the farm fields on either side.

"Cornett’s Stone Bridge"

 

Another short straight leads to “Archy Smith’s Corner” at the 3.7 miles mark, named after the dairy farmer who owned the house at the intersection. Today a large tree would greet anyone who broke to late and missed the 90 degree right. The tree probably wasn’t a concern in 1948. This Type 1 corner was very important as it leads onto the Railroad Straight.   A dirt road in 1948, this over one mile long straight saw cars running at their maximum. Concerns were the sheer cliff drop off on the south side, and a rail road crossing where drivers had to brake a bit for the bump which often resulted in airborne vehicles.

"Railroad Crossing - You'll be airborne at speed!"

 

At the 5 mile mark the cars swung left into “Friar’s Curve” which signaled the start of the descent back into the village. The curve got its name from the Franciscan Brothers who owned the neighboring land.  After a long bend left the cars entered “Big Bend” at the 5.4 mile mark. This curve makes Lime Rock’s Big Bend look wimpy. A huge / long sweeping noticeably downhill right curve that provides a breathtaking view of Seneca Lake harbor, and probably indeed took the breath away from the drivers who “frequently exceeded maximum!” They must have been very brave to tackled this corner at high speeds.

"Big Bend - Makes Limerock Look Wimpy..."

 

“Milliken’s Corner", at the 6.2 mile mark, is at the base of the hill. Named after William Milliken who overturned his Bugatti without getting hurt in the 1948 race, the corner marks a return to town streets with buildings on both sides. Drivers had to brake while going steeply downhill into this sharp left turn, followed shortly thereafter by a 90 degree turn back onto Franklin Street for the .4 tenths mile run to the finish line. I’m not sure how drum brakes of the era dealt with slowing cars from maximum while on a steep descent. Must have been rather scary.

As the brochure describes “For those who’ve never been here, a trip around the circuit is a lesson in motor racing history.” Many famous drivers have driven this and subsequent Watkins Glen courses. In the early days Miles Collier, winner in 1949, and Briggs Cunningham, second in 1948, drove here. Later on Phil Hill, Graham Hill, and Jackie Stewart came to the Glen. Today it’s NASCAR and IMSA, factory efforts and well paid drivers. They all, as PCA’ers do also, owe a debt of gratitude to those visionaries of years ago, who created the idea of road racing at the Glen.

We had a great time discovering this gem, and lapping it a couple of times. Next time you’re at the Glen you really should drive the original circuit. You’ll want to do it more than once, and at speed in your Porsche. The residents and local law enforcement probably won’t appreciate too much enthusiasm, plus you’ll want to stop and take a few pictures along the way. I know we did.