EASTERN SWING

Dispatches from a Trio of 356-Friendly Events

Part 1: Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival

Words & photos by Kobus Reyneke

From the November / December 2019 Registry Magazine - With Bonus Photos

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This event has been on my bucket list for many years. Finally, the stars lined up for my buddy and I to travel the three hours west to find out what it’s all about. We were not disappointed.

Several events were held during the weekend of September 6–9, but the Friday concours, followed by the 1948–1952 Watkins Glen street race reenactment, is really special. Watkins Glen hosted the first post- WWII road race on October 2, 1948. The 6.6-mile circuit ran through the village streets, starting and ending in front of the Schuyler County Courthouse. According to the event website:

 ... to close the public roads for the event, it was necessary to have permits from six governmental entities: the state, county, village, Town of Reading, Town of Dix, and the New York State Parks Commission. It was also necessary to have a permit from the New York Central Railroad to stop the trains during the race, as the course crossed the tracks.

Newly refurbished with sparkling sidewalks, checkered pedestrian crossings, and bars galore, Watkins Glen was the perfect host to hundreds of spectacular cars and many thousands of spectators.

Happy hour at the Seneca Lodge is a mandatory stop according to racers and veteran spectators. We found lots of cool cars outside and a lively scene within.

The racing on Saturday and Sunday was as good as it gets. With the Lime Rock Historic Festival occurring the weekend before, I expected to see many of the same cars, but few seemed to race both events. The track is in amazing shape, with recently upgraded track and facilities. Drivers tell me it’s one of their favorite tracks, and I can see why. Except for NASCAR, all races run the long course that includes the dogleg. Wooded backdrops make for fantastic photo opportunities.

Only two 356s raced, but the infield was packed with amazing cars, including a beehive Carrera parked next to a newer A. They both participated in the track parade, with their drivers and passengers displaying broad smiles.

A personal highlight was meeting Vic Skirmants and his wife Barbara. As many of you know, Vic specializes in rebuilding 356 gearboxes; I’m happy to say my car’s restorer, Gaswerks Garage, sent mine to Vic for a total rebuild. I’ve put almost 5,000 miles on it since, and it still runs like a dream. Vic’s race car ran into a gearbox issue and had to swap boxes between races, but Vic made it back onto the track to set a blistering pace.