The Watkins Glen circuit was born out of the imagination of a law student, Cameron Argetsinger, who wanted to bring European style auto races to the town in which he spent his summer holidays. The first race took place October, 1948 on a mixed asphalt, concrete and dirt track, but it wasn't until 1956 the permanent circuit took shape.

In 1961 F1 showed up at the New York state circuit for the first time, and did so each year until 1980, despite François Cevert's fatal accident during the free practice in 1973. Financial worries put the Watkins Glen circuit in bankruptcy in 1971. It was bought out two years later by a partnership between Corning, a glassware company, and International Speedway Corporation, now the sole owner which owns, among others, the Daytona circuit.

"The Glen," considered the Mecca of American road circuits, once again opened its doors in 1984, and NASCAR took up residence in 1986 and has never left (the 2015 race will take place on August 9th). On the other hand, F1 hasn't returned and it wouldn't be until 2014 and the inception of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship - born of the merger between of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand Am Series - for Le Mans style cars to hit the track in the Finger Lakes region...as they had done in endurance's hey-day at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, from 1968 to 1981, hosting stars like Derek Bell, three-time winner, Jacky Ickx and Al Holbert.

Several parks pepper the Finger Lakes, but the most well-known is Watkins Glen State Park, the cliffs and waterfalls at which are breathtaking. This weekend, the harmony of the "falls" will be eclipsed by the roar of the competitors' engines at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen...

Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: Copyright - Richard Dole / IMSA

PHOTO: WATKINS GLEN (NEW YORK, U.S.), WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL, 6 HOURS OF WATKINS GLEN, JUNE 29 2014. The Watkins Glen circuit is considered the Mecca of American road circuits.