Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Watkins Glen History and Notes

At Watkins Glen International:
History

· After several events were held on the streets of Watkins Glen, a permanent facility was opened in 1956.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1957, won by Buck Baker.

· After a six-year absence, NASCAR returned to The Glen in 1964 and 1965.

· After a 21-year absence, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to The Glen, and has run one race a year there since 1986. This weekend’s race will be the 27th running since its return in 1986.

Notebook
· There have been 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International since the first race there in 1957.

· Buck Baker won the first pole and race.

· Tim Richmond won the first pole and race upon the series’ return in 1986.

· There have been 17 different pole winners.

· The race winner has started first in nine of 29 races. The last race winner to start from the pole was Kyle Busch in 2008.

· Mark Martin leads all drivers with wins from the pole with three in a row between 1993, 1994 and 1995.

· 19 of the 29 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-five starting position.

· 21 of the 29 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· The deepest in the field that a Watkins Glen race winner has started was 18th by Steve Park in 2000.

· 18 different drivers have won races, led by Tony Stewart, with five.

· Jeff Gordon set the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for road-course victories with his victory in 2001, his seventh on a road course. He has since won two more (both at Sonoma), for a career total of nine.

· Three active drivers with more than one start have an average finish in the top 10: Marcos Ambrose (2.2 in four starts), Tony Stewart (7.0 in 13 starts), Carl Edwards (8.7 in seven starts), and Kyle Busch (9.2 in seven starts).

· Two drivers have scored their first career NSCS wins at Watkins Glen International: Marcos Ambrose (08/15/2011) and Steve Park (08/13/2000).

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Watkins Glen International winner: Kyle Busch (08/10/2008 – 23 years, 3 months, 8 days).

· Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Watkins Glen International winner: Geoff Bodine (08/11/1996 – 47 years, 3 months, 24 days).

Watkins Glen International Data
Race #: 22 of 36 (08-12-12)
Track Size: 2.45-miles
Number of Turns: 7
Race Length: 90 laps / 220.5 miles

- NASCAR

2 comments:

  1. What this doesn't say is they built the track when the street racing killed a teacher who was on the bridge over the Glen Gorge. How do I know this? I was born in the Glen, and that teacher? That was my mother's teacher.

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  2. Actually the races were moved to a new 4.6-mile course in 1953 after an SCCA grand prix race accident killed the lady and injured several others,the new course also used existing public roads. That course was used until 1956 when the current track opened. NASCAR didnt compete at Watkins Glen until 1957. My blog was to give the NASCAR history of the track.

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