RACING · WATKINS GLEN
Early September · Watkins Glen International
The Event
A four-day vintage racing festival run by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association at Watkins Glen International, featuring hundreds of historic race cars — pre-war sports cars, 1960s Trans-Am, early Formula One, and every flavor of historic GT. It's more reunion than race weekend: drivers bring their families, the paddock is open, and the crowd is small enough that you can walk up to a car you've only seen in books.
Quieter than NASCAR, deeper than a car show, and a pitch-perfect pairing with Finger Lakes harvest timing — historic cars by day, a winemaker's dinner by night.
What to Expect
Four days of historic racing across multiple class groups
Open paddock — walk among the cars and talk to drivers
Concours-quality car displays in addition to on-track sessions
Significantly smaller crowds than NASCAR weekend
Perfect overlap with early-harvest timing at partner wineries
Why This One Matters
“The motorsport weekend for people who care about cars — quiet paddock, open pits, and some of the most important race cars in the world on track.”
Planning Your Stay
Pair It With
DINING · WATKINS GLEN
A restored 1876 train station on the Seneca lakefront — seafood, steaks, and the best sunset dining table in Watkins Glen.
Visit →DINING · WATKINS GLEN
Watkins Glen's family diner since 1955 — breakfast, lunch, dinner, checkered tablecloths, and the kind of warm service that keeps locals coming in every morning.
Visit →BREWERY · HECTOR
Farm brewery between Watkins Glen and Corning. Outdoor seating, serious brews, unhurried pace.
Visit →