June 16, 2021
The Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour is coming to you live this weekend from Watkins Glen International, the site of the first SCCA race (road racing division, at least). Seven run groups, with practice at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 18 and qualifying in the afternoon, followed by a second qualifying on Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon features 25-minute timed races, while Sunday’s races stretch out to 35 minutes.
You Never Forget Your First: Watkins Glen, New York was the site of the first SCCA-sanctioned road race all the way back in 1948. Cameron Argetsinger, then a law student at Cornell, mapped out a 6.6-mile course through the streets of Watkins Glen and proposed a Grand Prix race to the city. They accepted, and the rest is history.
As in many places (think Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin and Pebble Beach, California, for two others), street racing got a bit too dangerous, a bit too quickly. That led to moving the track “up the hill” to a brand-new permanent road course in 1956.
Two fun notes on the opener at Watkins Glen: remember the “road racing division” note in the opening paragraph? SCCA’s first true sanctioned race was a one-mile oval at Langhorne Speedway in 1947 – can you believe that?
Oh, and that first SCCA road race may have arguably featured SCCA’s “creepiest” member (we said arguably, please don’t start naming names!). A cartoonist by the name of Charles Addams was entered at Watkins Glen – the cartoons he drew of his ghostly Family went on to inspire a franchise of tv shows, movies, and a theme song that will be stuck in your head all day long.
It’s Also The Last (ish): The Watkins Glen Super Tour, hosted this year by the Glen Region, is the last on the 2021 Hoosier Super Tour calendar. But it’s not the last opportunity to earn Super Tour points this season.
When it comes to the season-long championship, the point standings also include the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – coming up September 28 to October 3.
Hoosier Super Tour Champions earn a free set of tires, a commemorative trophy and jacket for their achievement. The points structure is the same as the U.S. Majors Tour with the best six Hoosier Super Tour races, plus the Runoffs finish, going toward deciding class champions.
Wherever You Are: Not in Watkins Glen this weekend? No problem! Hoosier Super Tour fans can follow all the action live online at SCCA.com/Live or click the banner on the front of SCCA.com to access live timing and scoring, as well as live video and qualifying/race calls supplied by Hoosier Super Tour Radio. And be sure to check out the SCCA Road Racing Facebook page to watch post-race winner videos and victory podium celebrations.
Photo by Mark Weber
