6 Hours of Watkins Glen

Six Hours of Watkins Glen
United SportsCar Championship

Venue	Watkins Glen International
Corporate sponsor	Sahlen's
First race	1948
First IMSA race	2014
Duration	six hours
Previous names	Watkins Glen Grand Prix
Most wins (driver)	Walt Hansgen, Derek Bell, James Weaver, Scott Pruett (4)
Most wins (team)	Briggs Cunningham (8)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Porsche (10)

The Six Hours of Watkins Glen (currently sponsored as the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen) is a sports car endurance race held annually at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. The race dates from 1948, and has been a part of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship, United States Road Racing Championship, World Sportscar Championship, IMSA GT Championship, Rolex Sports Car Series and currently the United SportsCar Championship.

History

Frank Griswold won the first Watkins Glen Grand Prix in this 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta^[1]

The first Watkins Glen Grand Prix was held in 1948 on a 6.6-mile course around Watkins Glen State Park and the village of Watkins Glen. Cameron Argetsinger, a Cornell law student and SCCA member, organized the event along with the local Chamber of Commerce. The 8-lap, 52.8-mile race was won by Frank Griswold in a pre-war Alfa Romeo 8C. In 1950, three spectators were injured during a support race, and driver Sam Collier was killed during the Grand Prix. The 1951 event became a part of the new SCCA National Sports Car Championship series. In 1952, twelve spectators were injured and one killed when a car left the circuit in the village.^[2] This led organizers to move the course to a hillside southwest of Watkins Glen for 1953. Drivers complained of poor visibility and run-off, prompting the construction of a permanent circuit, today called Watkins Glen International, in 1956.^[3]

In 1963, the race switched to the SCCA's new series, the United States Road Racing Championship. In 1968, the race was expanded to six hours, and joined the World Sportscar Championship. Along with the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, the Six Hours of Watkins Glen served as an American round of the WSC from 1968 until 1981, traditionally held during the summer. With the track's bankruptcy and the FIA's decision not to return the World Championship to the United States in 1982, the event was not held again until 1984. It returned as an event for the IMSA Camel GT Championship.

Under the control of IMSA, the event was radically altered and shortened. In the 1984 running, a break was held after three hours before the race began again and completed the next three hours. This event became known as the Camel Continental. A second event later in the year was also held lasting for just three hours or 500 kilometers, and was known as the New York 500. The Continental was modified once more in 1985, this time running sports prototypes in one three hour event, and grand tourer cars in a second three-hour event. By 1986, the event was shortened altogether, and became a single 500 mile race, then shortened once more in 1987 to just 500 km.

Cars dive into turn one during the 2014 event.

For several years IMSA kept the Continental as a 500 km race for prototypes in the summer, and the 500 km New York 500 for grand tourers in autumn. IMSA chose to drop the New York 500 in 1992, retaining the Continental as an event just for prototypes until 1995. In 1996, IMSA restored the Watkins Glen event to its historic format, combining prototypes and grand tourers once again.

By 1998, Watkins Glen chose to schedule the Six Hours as part of the new United States Road Racing Championship. This championship change was short lived, as the USSRC folded during the 1999 season prior to their second running at Watkins Glen, leaving an FIA GT Championship event as the year's sportscar headliner. In the wake of USRRC's collapse, the Grand American Road Racing Championship took control of the event, and retained the Six Hours since 2000 as part of the Rolex Sports Car Series. In 2014 after the merger of Grand-AM and the ALMS sports car series, IMSA regained control of the event under the United SportsCar Championship. The format of the face remains the same as it was under Grand-Am operation.

Race winners

First street course

Year	Drivers	Team	Car	Duration/Distance	Race Title	Championship
1948	Frank Griswold	Frank Griswold	Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B	50 mi (80 km)	Grand Prix Watkins Glen	Non-championship
1949	Miles Collier	Collier Bros.	Riley-Mercury Special "Ardent Alligator"^[4]	100 mi (160 km)	Grand Prix Watkins Glen	Non-championship
1950	Erwin Goldschmidt	Alfred Goldschmidt	Allard J2-Cadillac	100 mi (160 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	Non-championship
1951	Phil Walters	Briggs Cunningham	Cunningham C2R	100 mi (160 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1952	Briggs Cunningham	Briggs Cunningham	Cunningham C4R-Chrysler	100 mi (160 km)†	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship

† Not completed; race stopped after fatal accident involving spectators

Second street course

Year	Drivers	Team	Car	Duration/Distance	Race Title	Championship
1953	Walt Hansgen	Walt Hansgen	Jaguar XK120	100 mi (160 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	Non-championship
1954	Phil Walters	Briggs Cunningham	Cunningham C4R-Chrysler	100 mi (160 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1955	Sherwood Johnston	Briggs Cunningham	Jaguar D-Type	100 mi (160 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship

Watkins Glen International

Year	Drivers	Team	Car	Duration/Distance	Race Title	Championship
1956	George Constantine	Mary L. Constantine	Jaguar D-Type	50 mi (80 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1957	Walt Hansgen	Briggs Cunningham	Jaguar D-Type	100 mi (160 km)	Watkins Glen Grand Prix	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1958	Ed Crawford	Briggs Cunningham	Lister-Jaguar	100 mi (160 km)	Grand Prix Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1959	Walt Hansgen	Briggs Cunningham	Lister-Costin Jaguar	100 mi (160 km)	Watkins Glen Grand Prix	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1960	Augie Pabst	Meister Brauser	Scarab Mk II-Chevrolet	100 mi (160 km)	Watkins Glen Grand Prix	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1961	George Constantine	John T. Bunch	Ferrari 250 TR 59	100 mi (160 km)	Grand Prix at Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1962	Walt Hansgen	Briggs Cunningham	Cooper Monaco T61-Buick	100 mi (160 km)	Grand Prix at Watkins Glen	SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1963	Bob Holbert		Porsche 718 RS61	300 km (190 mi)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix	United States Road Racing Championship
1964	Jim Hall	Chaparral Cars	Chaparral 2A-Chevrolet	200 mi (320 km)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix	United States Road Racing Championship
1965	Jim Hall	Chaparral Cars	Chaparral 2A-Chevrolet	200 mi (320 km)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix	United States Road Racing Championship
1966	John Fulp		Lola T70 Mk.2-Chevrolet	200 mi (320 km)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix	United States Road Racing Championship
1967	Mark Donohue	Roger Penske	Lola T70 Mk.3-Chevrolet	200 mi (320 km)	Sports Car Grand Prix at Watkins Glen	United States Road Racing Championship
1968	Mark Donohue	Roger Penske	McLaren M6A-Chevrolet	200 mi (320 km)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Road Race	United States Road Racing Championship
1968	Jacky Ickx Lucien Bianchi	J.W. Automotive Engineering	Ford GT40	six hours 1,058.626 km (657.800 mi)	Watkins Glen Sports Car Road Race	World Sportscar Championship
1969	Jo Siffert Brian Redman	Porsche of Austria	Porsche 908/02	six hours 1,077.134 km (669.300 mi)	Watkins Glen Six Hours	World Sportscar Championship
1970	Pedro Rodríguez Leo Kinnunen Jo Siffert	J.W. Automotive Engineering	Porsche 917K	six hours 1,140.059 km (708.400 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1971	Andrea de Adamich Ronnie Peterson	Autodelta SpA	Alfa Romeo T33/3	six hours 1,090.189 km (677.412 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1972	Mario Andretti Jacky Ickx	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Ferrari 312PB	six hours 1,059.777 km (658.515 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1973	Gérard Larrousse Henri Pescarolo	Équipe Matra-Simca	Matra-Simca MS 670B	six hours 1,081.516 km (672.023 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1974	Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Équipe Gitanes	Matra-Simca MS 670C	six hours 1,048.906 km (651.760 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1975	Derek Bell Henri Pescarolo	Willi Kauhsen Racing Team	Alfa Romeo 33TT12	six hours 826.083 km (513.304 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1976	Rolf Stommelen Manfred Schurti	Martini Racing Porsche System	Porsche 935	six hours 945.647 km (587.598 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1977	Jochen Mass Jacky Ickx	Martini Racing Porsche System	Porsche 935/77	six hours 940.213 km (584.221 mi)	6 Hours of the Glen	World Sportscar Championship
1978	Toine Hezemans John Fitzpatrick Peter Gregg	GeLo Racing Team	Porsche 935/77	six hours 793.474 km (493.042 mi)	World Championship 6-Hours	World Sportscar Championship
1979	Don Whittington Klaus Ludwig Bill Whittington	Whittington Brothers Kremer Racing	Porsche 935 K3	six hours 951.082 km (590.975 mi)	World Championship 6-Hours	World Sportscar Championship
1980	Hans Heyer Riccardo Patrese	Lancia Corse	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	six hours 755.431 km (469.403 mi)	World Championship 6-Hours	World Sportscar Championship
1981	Riccardo Patrese Michele Alboreto	Martini Racing	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	six hours 940.213 km (584.221 mi)	Glen Six Hours of Endurance	World Sportscar Championship
1982 1983	Not held
1984	Al Holbert Derek Bell Jim Adams	Holbert Racing	Porsche 962	six hours 1,054.342 km (655.138 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1985	Al Holbert Derek Bell	Holbert Racing	Porsche 962	three hours	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1986	Al Holbert Derek Bell	Holbert Racing	Porsche 962	500 mi (800 km)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1987	Price Cobb Vern Schuppan	Dyson Racing	Porsche 962	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1988	Geoff Brabham John Morton	Electramotive Engineering	Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1989	Geoff Brabham Chip Robinson	Electramotive Engineering	Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1990	Chip Robinson Bob Earl	Nissan Performance Technology	Nissan NPT-90	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1991	Juan Manuel Fangio II	All American Racers	Eagle HF90-Toyota	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1992	Juan Manuel Fangio II	All American Racers	Eagle MkIII-Toyota	two hours, forty-five minutes	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1993	Juan Manuel Fangio II	All American Racers	Eagle MkIII-Toyota	500 km (310 mi)	Camel Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1994	Giampiero Moretti Eliseo Salazar	MOMO	Ferrari 333 SP	three hours	Glen Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1995	Butch Leitzinger James Weaver	Dyson Racing	Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford	three hours	Glen Continental	IMSA GT Championship
1996	Giampiero Moretti Max Papis	MOMO	Ferrari 333 SP	six hours 973.975 km (605.200 mi)	First Union 6 Hours of the Glen	IMSA GT Championship
1997	Butch Leitzinger James Weaver Elliott Forbes-Robinson	Dyson Racing	Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford	six hours 924.980 km (574.756 mi)	First Union 6 Hours of the Glen	IMSA GT Championship
1998	Giampiero Moretti Mauro Baldi Didier Theys	MOMO/Doran Racing	Ferrari 333 SP	six hours 949.392 km (589.925 mi)	First Union 6 Hours of the Glen	United States Road Racing Championship
1999	Jean-Philippe Belloc David Donohue	Viper Team Oreca	Chrysler Viper GTS-R	three hours	Bosch Sports Car Oktoberfest	FIA GT Championship
2000	James Weaver Andy Wallace Butch Leitzinger	Dyson Racing	Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford	six hours 931.632 km (578.889 mi)	Bosch Sports Car Summerfest	Grand American Road Racing Championship
2001	Didier Theys Mauro Baldi Freddy Lienhard	Doran Racing	Ferrari 333 SP-Judd	six hours 988.256 km (614.074 mi)	Sports Car Grand Prix at the Glen	Grand American Road Racing Championship
2002	James Weaver Chris Dyson	Dyson Racing	Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford	six hours 1,038.224 km (645.122 mi)	Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2003	David Donohue Mike Borkowski Scott Goodyear	Brumos Porsche	Fabcar FDSC/03-Porsche	six hours 927.184 km (576.125 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2004	Max Papis Scott Pruett	Chip Ganassi Racing	Riley Mk XI-Lexus	six hours 910.528 km (565.776 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2005	Tracy Krohn Niclas Jönsson	Krohn Racing	Riley Mk XI-Pontiac	six hours 832.800 km (517.478 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2006	Jörg Bergmeister Boris Said	Krohn Racing	Riley Mk XI-Ford	6 hours 855.008 km (531.277 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2007	Alex Gurney Jon Fogarty	Bob Stallings Racing	Riley Mk XI-Pontiac	six hours 927.184 km (576.125 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2008	Scott Pruett Memo Rojas	Chip Ganassi Racing	Riley Mk XX-Lexus	six hours 993.808 km (617.524 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2009	Scott Pruett Memo Rojas	Chip Ganassi Racing	Riley Mk XX-Lexus	six hours 1,020.840 km (634.321 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2010	Scott Pruett Memo Rojas	Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates	Riley Mk XX-BMW	six hours 1,037.130 km (644.443 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2011	Max Angelelli Ricky Taylor	SunTrust Racing	Dallara DP08-Chevrolet	six hours 944.820 km (587.084 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2012	João Barbosa Darren Law	Action Express Racing	Chevrolet Corvette DP (Coyote CPM-Chevrolet)	six hours 995.656 km (618.672 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2013	João Barbosa Christian Fittipaldi	Action Express Racing	Chevrolet Corvette DP (Coyote CPM-Chevrolet)	six hours 935.712 km (581.424 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen	Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
2014	Richard Westbrook Michael Valiante	Spirit of Daytona Racing	Chevrolet Corvette DP (Coyote CPM-Chevrolet)	six hours 1,045.152 km (649.427 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen	Tudor United SportsCar Championship
2015	Richard Westbrook Michael Valiante	VisitFlorida.com Racing	Chevrolet Corvette DP (Coyote CPM-Chevrolet)	six hours 875.52 km (544.02 mi)	Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen	Tudor United SportsCar Championship

References

↑ "Best of the Best: 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B wins Pebble Beach "Best of Show"". wot.motortrend.com. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
↑ Reuter, Cliff. "1952 SCCA Race Results". Etceterini. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
↑ Welty, Richard P. "Short History of Road Racing at Watkins Glen". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
↑ Jaslow, Russell. "The Ardent Alligator and The 1949 Watkins Glen Grand Prix". Auto Racing History. Retrieved 30 April 2010.

Ultimate Racing History: Watkins Glen archive
Racing Sports Cars: Watkins Glen archive
World Sports Racing Prototypes: SCCA National archive, USRRC archive, WSC archive, IMSA archive

External links

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