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Watkins Glen International

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Watkins Glen International at a glanceChecked 2026-09-09

Length
3.45 mi5.552 km
Turns
11
Opened
1956
Capacity
38,900
Location
Watkins Glen, New York
Type
road course
Surface
asphalt and concrete
Owner
NASCAR
Address
2790 County Route 16
Circuit mapNew York · United States
USA Watkins Glen Race Track
Watkins Glen International track layout

Track map and layout

Watkins Glen International, known to fans simply as "The Glen," is a fast, flowing circuit carved into the hillside above Seneca Lake, built around a mix of quick esses and a couple of genuine set-piece corners. The signature feature is the Boot, an extended, blind, downhill loop added in 1971 that gives the lap its distinctive shape on the circuit map and demands a long commitment through changing camber before rejoining the main course. The Inner Loop, a "bus stop" chicane added to the back straight in 1992 just before the Outer Loop, slows the pace and creates the track's main overtaking zone. Combined with meaningful elevation change through the esses, The Glen rewards a smooth, momentum-focused driving style over outright braking aggression.

Named corners and sections

  1. The Esses.

    A fast, rhythmic sequence of direction changes early in the lap that sets the tone for the rest of the circuit.

  2. The Boot.

    An extended, blind, downhill loop added in 1971 that gives Watkins Glen its distinctive boot-shaped outline and is one of the most demanding sections on the calendar.

  3. The Inner Loop (the Bus Stop).

    A bus-stop chicane added to the back straight in 1992, just before the Outer Loop, after heavy crashes there. It is the main braking and passing zone for NASCAR and IMSA.

Configurations

  • Grand Prix Circuit (Long/Boot Course)

    3.45 mi

    11-turn full course used for IMSA, NASCAR and IndyCar

  • Short Circuit

    2.45 mi

    7-turn configuration that bypasses the Boot

Events and race weekends

Watkins Glen's biggest weekends are NASCAR's road-course race (moved to May for 2026) and IMSA's Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, both fixtures on the American motorsport calendar for decades. The Six Hours is one of IMSA's crown-jewel endurance events, drawing the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship field to the fast, undulating layout. Trans-Am, vintage racing (the Glen's own vintage festival dates back to 1948-era road racing celebrations), and club events round out a busy summer and fall schedule.

  • NASCAR Cup Series road-course race

    NASCAR Cup

    Go Bowling at The Glen; held in August or September before moving to May in 2026

    Annual event
    WhenMAY

  • Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen

    IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

    one of IMSA's marquee endurance races

    Annual event
    WhenJUNJune

  • Trans-Am Series

    Trans-AmAnnual event
    WhenJULJuly

Getting there and parking

Watkins Glen International sits in the Finger Lakes region of central New York, about 3 miles from the village of Watkins Glen at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. Most visitors drive, since the nearest commercial airports are in Ithaca, Elmira, and Syracuse; the two-lane roads through the surrounding vineyards get congested on major race weekends.

  • ITHIthaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH)about 45 mindrive
  • ELMElmira Corning Regional Airport (ELM)about 40 mindrive

Parking

General parking is included with most tickets; NASCAR and IMSA weekends draw large crowds and fill nearby lots early.

TipBook lodging in the Finger Lakes region well ahead of NASCAR and the Six Hours weekend, as the area's wineries and small towns have limited hotel capacity.

Hotels and camping near Watkins Glen International

The Finger Lakes region is a popular vacation destination in its own right, known for its wineries, and hotel and short-term rental stock is limited for a region that also hosts two of the biggest race weekends in the Northeast. Many fans camp on-site, while others base themselves in Watkins Glen village, Ithaca, or Corning.

Where to look

Watkins Glen village, Corning, and Ithaca are the main lodging bases; the wider Finger Lakes wine country offers additional inns and rentals a short drive away.

Camping

On-site camping is available for major events, with free general camping opening the Thursday before race weekends and limited electric hookups offered on a first-come basis for a fee.

RV

RV sites are available near the media center for a fee, typically including water and electric hookups; capacity is limited and sells out for NASCAR and IMSA weekends.

Drive or ride at Watkins Glen International

Open to the public through many HPDE and track-day organisers on the 3.4-mile long course, several of which offer novice in-car instruction and rental cars.

First time on track? Checklist · What it costs · Insurance · HPDE explained

Checked on each provider’s own site in October 2026. Prices are the lowest publicly listed and change often. Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you (disclosure).

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

Watkins Glen hosts a regular calendar of HPDE and club racing events run by organizations including NASA and SCDA, alongside Hooked on Driving open track days. The full Boot section makes for a genuinely challenging track-day layout, and most providers run multiple run groups by experience level.

Lap records

CategoryTimeDriverCarYear
IMSA GTP1:31.284Jack AitkenCadillac V-Series.R2026
NASCAR Cup (Short Circuit)1:10.540Martin Truex Jr.Toyota Camry2019
IndyCar1:23.9Sebastien Bourdais—2017

Drive Watkins Glen International in a sim

These racing games and simulators include Watkins Glen International as official content. Mods and community tracks are not listed.

  1. iRacing

    PC

    paid track

    Layouts4 layouts (incl. Grand Prix circuit; 2022 rescan)

  2. Assetto Corsa Competizione

    PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

    DLC: American Track Pack

    Layouts—

  3. Assetto Corsa EVO

    PC

    free update

    Layouts4 layouts (names not listed by Kunos); added in Early Access Release 0.5, included with the game

  4. Automobilista 2

    PC

    DLC: Racin' USA Expansion Pack (Part 2)

    LayoutsWatkins Glen GP; Watkins Glen GP (Inner Loop); Watkins Glen Short; Watkins Glen Short (Inner Loop); Watkins Glen STT (Super Trophy Trucks layout, Adrenaline Pack Pt2)

  5. RaceRoom Racing Experience

    PC

    DLC: Watkins Glen International (individual track purchase)

    LayoutsGrand Prix; Grand Prix with Inner Loop; Short Circuit; Short with Inner Loop

  6. Gran Turismo 7

    PS5, PS4

    free update

    LayoutsWatkins Glen Long Course, Watkins Glen Short Course (added in Update 1.17, Jun 2022)

  7. Forza Motorsport

    PC, Xbox Series X|S

    base game

    Layouts—

Building a sim rig? Four example setups from $279 → · Every real track in sim racing games

Checked against each publisher’s track list in October 2026.

Spectator guide

Watkins Glen's hillside site gives spectators strong natural sightlines across multiple corners from single vantage points, particularly around the Esses and the Boot. Grandstands line the front straight, while general-admission hillside areas around the rest of the lap are popular for their broader views and more relaxed atmosphere.

Seating

Grandstands along the front straight and start/finish, with extensive general-admission hillside viewing around the Esses and the Boot.

Best places to watch

The hillside above the Esses gives a sweeping view of several corners at once; the Boot offers a quieter, more technical vantage point away from the main grandstands.

Weather

  • June: mild Finger Lakes early summer, highs typically in the 70s°F
  • August: warm, highs in the 70s-80s°F, cooler evenings

History of Watkins Glen International

From village road races to a permanent circuit

Watkins Glen's motorsport story began in 1948, when sports cars raced on a closed circuit of public roads through the village itself, one of the first postwar road races in the United States. After a spectator was killed in a 1952 accident on the public-road course, organizers moved racing to a purpose-built permanent facility on farmland above Seneca Lake, which opened in 1956 as Watkins Glen International.

The Formula 1 years and reconfiguration

The Glen became the home of the United States Grand Prix from 1961 to 1980, hosting Formula 1's American round for two decades and drawing some of the sport's biggest stars and largest American crowds of the era. The circuit's layout evolved over time, most notably with the addition of the Boot in 1971, an extended loop that gave the track its distinctive shape, and later safety changes, including the Inner Loop, a bus-stop chicane added to the back straight in 1992.

NASCAR ownership and present day

After financial troubles in the early 1980s led to bankruptcy and the loss of the Formula 1 race, the track was rescued by Corning Enterprises and later became part of the International Speedway Corporation, ultimately coming under full NASCAR ownership in 2019 following NASCAR's acquisition of ISC. Today The Glen is a fixture on both the NASCAR Cup schedule, hosting one of the series' most popular road-course races, and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, whose Six Hours of The Glen ranks among the series' toughest endurance tests. The track remains deeply woven into the identity of the Finger Lakes region, with a strong club racing and HPDE community using the circuit throughout the season.

Frequently asked questions

How long is Watkins Glen International?

The Grand Prix Circuit (Long/Boot Course) is 3.45 miles (5.552 km) with 11 turns; a 2.45-mile Short Circuit bypassing the Boot is also used.

What is the Boot at Watkins Glen?

The Boot is an extended, blind, downhill loop added to the circuit in 1971 that gives the track its distinctive boot-shaped outline and remains one of its most demanding sections.

Did Formula 1 race at Watkins Glen?

Yes, The Glen hosted the United States Grand Prix from 1961 to 1980 before financial and scheduling issues ended F1's tenure there.

Can you do a track day at Watkins Glen?

Yes, organizations including NASA and SCDA run regular HPDE track days, and Hooked on Driving hosts open lapping events on the full circuit.

What is the Six Hours of The Glen?

It is one of IMSA's marquee endurance races, held each June as part of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Who owns Watkins Glen International?

NASCAR has owned the track since 2019, following its acquisition of previous owner International Speedway Corporation.

Which racing games and sims have Watkins Glen International?

Watkins Glen International is officially available in iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa EVO, Automobilista 2, RaceRoom Racing Experience, Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport. Some of these include it in the base game and others sell it as paid content; the table above shows which.

Other tracks nearby

Facts checked against 17 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.