Watkins Glen International
| "The Glen" | |
|---|---|
Grand Prix Circuit (1992–present) | |
Short Circuit (1992–present) | |
| Location | Watkins Glen, New York |
| Coordinates | 42°20′13″N 76°55′37″W / 42.337°N 76.927°W |
| Capacity | 38,900 |
| FIA Grade | 2 |
| Owner | NASCAR (2019–present) International Speedway Corporation (1997–2019) |
| Operator | NASCAR (1997–present) |
| Opened | 1956 (as a permanent circuit) |
| Former names | Watkins Glen International Raceway (1982–2005) Watkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit (1948–1981) |
| Major events | Current: IMSA SportsCar Championship 6 Hours of Watkins Glen (1956–1981, 1984–2019, 2021–present) WeatherTech 240 at the Glen (1984–1991, 2001–2012, 2021) NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen (1957, 1964–1965, 1986–2019, 2021–present) NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Mission 200 at The Glen (1991–2019, 2021–present) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Mission 176 at The Glen (1996–2000, 2021, 2025–present) Trans-Am Series (1968–1980, 1984–1985, 1990–1998, 2009, 2012–2013, 2016–2019, 2021–present) Former: Formula One United States Grand Prix (1961–1980) IndyCar Series Grand Prix at The Glen (1979–1981, 2005–2010, 2016–2017) GT World Challenge America (1992, 1996–1998, 2007–2010, 2018–2019, 2021–2022) |
| Website | http://www.theglen.com/ |
| Grand Prix Circuit (with Inner Loop Chicane) (1992–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt and concrete |
| Length | 3.450 mi (5.552 km) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Race lap record | 1:23.9166 ( Sébastien Bourdais, Dallara DW12, 2017, IndyCar) |
| Short Circuit (with Inner Loop Chicane) (1992–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.450 mi (3.943 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 0:59.920 ( Davy Jones, Jaguar XJR-14, 1992, IMSA GTP) |
| Short Circuit (with Esses Chicane) (1979–1991) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.428 mi (3.907 km) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Race lap record | 0:59.920 ( Davy Jones, Jaguar XJR-16, 1991, IMSA GTP) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1971–1974, 1986–1991) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.377 mi (5.435 km) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Race lap record | 1:35.600 ( Chip Robinson, Nissan NPT-90, 1990, IMSA GTP) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (with Esses Chicane) (1975–1985) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.377 mi (5.435 km) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Race lap record | 1:34.068 ( Alan Jones, Williams FW07B, 1980, F1) |
| Sports Car Circuit (1971) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.430 mi (3.911 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 1:06.083 ( Denny Hulme, McLaren M8F, 1971, Can-Am) |
| Original Grand Prix Circuit (1956–1970) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.350 mi (3.782 km) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Race lap record | 1:02.600 ( Denny Hulme, McLaren M8B, 1969, Can-Am) |
| Second Public Road Course (1953–1955) | |
| Surface | Asphalt, cobbles, concrete, wood, dirt, steel |
| Length | 4.600 mi (7.403 km) |
| Race lap record | 3:10.800 ( Bill Spear, Ferrari 375 MM, 1954, Sports car) |
| Original Public Road Course (1948–1952) | |
| Surface | Asphalt, cobbles, concrete, wood, dirt, steel |
| Length | 6.600 mi (10.622 km) |
| Turns | 28 (approximately) |
| Race lap record | 5:13.500 ( Phil Walters, Healey-Cadillac Special, 1950, FL) |
Watkins Glen International, nicknamed "The Glen", is an automobile race track in the northeastern United States, located in Dix, New York, just southwest of the village of Watkins Glen for which it is named, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It is the former home of the Formula One United States Grand Prix, which it hosted for twenty consecutive years (1961–1980). In addition, the site has also been home to road racing of nearly every class, including the World Sportscar Championship, Trans-Am, Can-Am, NASCAR, the International Motor Sports Association, and the IndyCar Series. The facility is currently owned by NASCAR.
The course was opened in 1956 to host auto races previously held on public roads in and around the village. The circuit's current layout has more or less been the same since 1971, with minor modifications after the fatal crashes of François Cevert (1973), Helmut Koinigg (1974) and J.D. McDuffie (1991).
The site has also hosted several music concerts: the 1973 Summer Jam, featuring The Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead, and The Band and was attended by 600,000 fans; and two Phish festivals: Super Ball IX in 2011 and Magnaball in 2015.