F1 - GP (General Purpose)

Chode ^ | 8/5/2009 | Chode

[Chode]

This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.

[Chode]

Vettel wants to/gets invite to bring his Red Bull to The Glen... will let us know next week!!!!!!

Watkins Glen track gets international attention

WATKINS GLEN—Watkins Glen International garnered international and national media attention this past week. The track was named one of the top tracks in the country to watch a NASCAR race by Matthew Henson in his story on 10Best.com.
Trailing only behind Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International outranks several renowned raceways including Michigan International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Talladega Super Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway.
“It was beautiful,” WGI President Michael Printup said. “It was not just the racetrack they talked about. They talked about New York State and the Finger Lakes area too. It is something to be proud about when people like that start writing about a region like ours.”
The article highlights Watkins Glen as being one of only two tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit to feature right turns, saying “it is regarded by many across the world as one of the best road courses in North America.” It also mentions the track’s specialization in campgrounds, saying it “has historically been one of the best tracks for RVing/camping.”
And the press coverage did not stop there.
Three-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel also released a press statement earlier in the month listing Watking Glen International as his top choice to race if he had the opportunity. Vettel said Watkins Glen was first on his list of five tracks in the world he would like to race on, above Le Mans in France, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the original Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Germany’s Norsdschleife during a press event for the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.
“I’ve heard lots of good things about it, as in it’s a proper circuit with lots of ups and downs and loads of history,” Vettel said. “F1 used to go there but not anymore, so I’d like to try that.”
In response, Printup issued a press release inviting Vettel to come and drive the course any time.
“Today, the three-time Formula One champion received a formal invitation from WGI President Michael Printup to bring his Red Bull Racing-Renault to The Glen anytime,” according to the release.
Printup said they have been in contact with Vettel’s lawyer, who said he will speak to Vettel and hopefully get a response from him by next week.

[Chode]

wrong link posted above, my bad... http://www.observer-review.com/watkins-glen-track-gets-international-attention-cms-3772

[nascarnation]

Awesome.
Of course Watkins doesn’t have the 10s of millions to be vacuumed up by Bernie so no race for you....

Would love to see F-1 at Road America and Road Atlanta also.
The bridge turn at Atlanta would be just like Eau Rouge at Spa.

[Chode]

yup... i'd LOVE to see the top four teams come and run solo laps to compete for setting the new track record!

[FreedomPoster]

I don’t think Road Atlanta has anything like the appropriate run-off areas for a modern F1. Then again, they do still race at Monaco . . .

[Lockbox]

a top ten list of the great American racetracks worth traveling to see

and Watkins Glen is 2nd to Las Vegas?

they're kidding aren't they?

[Chode]

go figure... wonder what the criteria was

[nascarnation]

I agree about Atlanta.
Never happen because of that.

[Lockbox]

NASCAR! Just because you can see the whole track from your seat does not make for a great track.

Then again maybe I should say the last time I was at the Glen I did see the whole track from my seat!

[Chode]

yup, between the new grandstands across from the pits and the number of trees they cut down, from half way up to the top you can damn near see the whole short track, and what you can't see you can watch on the big screen

[Chode]

it’s a gannett rag so, link only... but good info

No stopping International Racing Research Center
Watkins Glen’s road racing legacy and more on display

http://www.stargazette.com/article/20130601/NEWS01/306010045/No-stopping-International-Racing-Research-Center

[nascarnation]

Excellent. I need to add that to my list of places to visit.
Went to the Glen many moons ago, in the 70s.

[Chode]

you would love it... and they have thousands of hours of video to chose from that you can watch for free on the bigscreen tv

i got a $5000 tax write off in 1999 from all the stuff i gave them, some of which is still there and some they sold for revenue

[Chode]

no seat belts, no roll bars, No Fear!!!

Vintage Race Car Crashes, unreal...

http://devour.com/video/vintage-race-car-crashes/

[nascarnation]

The old days were brutal.

I recently read several books about American OW in the 20s and 30s and stock cars late 40s early 50s.

Driver and crew mayhem was expected but what is amazing is the number of spectator fatalities and serious injuries.

[Chode]

no doubt... hay bales are barely enough to stop a bicycle and that's all we had here at the Glen when the race went through town

[Doogle]

no seat belts, no roll bars, No Fear!!!....no sphincter muscle because it was stretched beyond recognition to encompass a 747.....

[Chode]

tooo funny...

[Doogle]

:)

[henkster]

The 1965-1967 cars were my favorites. The cars they had in Grand Prix, which I still remember watching at The Vogue theater in Broad Ripple at age 7 with my older brothers.

Beautiful cars, but they were too fast with no downforce. Coffins with wheels.