6 Hours of Watkins Glen

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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 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Six Hours of Watkins Glen
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
VenueWatkins Glen International
Corporate sponsorSahlen's
First race1948
First USCC race2014
Duration6 Hours
Previous namesWatkins Glen Grand Prix
Most wins (driver)Walt Hansgen, Derek Bell, James Weaver, Scott Pruett, João Barbosa (4)
Most wins (team)Briggs Cunningham (8)
Most wins (manufacturer)Porsche (12)

History

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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.[clarification needed] 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 race remains the same as it was under Grand-Am operation.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 race to be moved to Road Atlanta, as New York state authorities would not allow NASCAR Holdings to host events.

Race winners

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First street course

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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

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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

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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
  Jacky Ickx
  Lucien Bianchi
  J.W. Automotive Engineering Ford GT40 six hours
1,058.626 km (657.800 mi)
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
  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 MS670B 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 MS670C 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 Montecarlo Turbo six hours
755.431 km (469.403 mi)
World Championship 6-Hours World Sportscar Championship
1981   Riccardo Patrese
  Michele Alboreto
  Martini Racing Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo six hours
940.213 km (584.221 mi)
Glen Six Hours of Endurance World Sportscar Championship
1982–1983 Not held following track bankruptcy and the end of the United States Grand Prix being held at the circuit in 1980
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
  Fredy 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 Six 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
2016   Filipe Albuquerque
  João Barbosa
  Christian Fittipaldi
  Action Express Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP
(Coyote CPM-Chevrolet)
six hours
1,077.9 km (669.8 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2017   João Barbosa
  Christian Fittipaldi
  Filipe Albuquerque
  Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R
six hours
1,090 km (680 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2018[5]   Misha Goikhberg
  Stephen Simpson
  Chris Miller
  JDC-Miller Motorsports Oreca 07-Gibson
six hours
1,105.3 km (686.8 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2019   Jonathan Bomarito
  Olivier Pla
  Harry Tincknell
  Mazda Team Joest Mazda RT24-P six hours
1,154.5 km (717.4 mi)1
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2020 Moved to Road Atlanta due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021   Jonathan Bomarito
  Oliver Jarvis
  Harry Tincknell
  Mazda Motorsports Mazda RT24-P six hours
1,090 km (680 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2022   Filipe Albuquerque
  Ricky Taylor
  Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 six hours
900 km (559 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2023   Nick Yelloly
  Connor De Phillippi
  BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 six hours
1,115 km (693 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
2024   Dane Cameron
  Felipe Nasr
  Porsche Team Penske Porsche 963 six hours
822 km (511 mi)
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Notes

^1 Race record for distance covered.

References

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  1. ^ "Best of the Best: 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B wins Pebble Beach "Best of Show"". wot.motortrend.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
  2. ^ Reuter, Cliff. "1952 SCCA Race Results". Etceterini. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  3. ^ Welty, Richard P. "Short History of Road Racing at Watkins Glen". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  4. ^ Jaslow, Russell. "The Ardent Alligator and The 1949 Watkins Glen Grand Prix". Auto Racing History. Archived from the original on 2010-03-11. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Official Race Results" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 2018-07-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
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