Last week I showed you the natural beauty of Watkins Glen State Park.  This week, I will show you the other side of Watkins Glen, an internationally known and famous racing community. Life flows differently at this Watkins Glen.

Action Express Corvette, winner of the Daytona Prototypes, at speed during the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/200s, f/13, ISO 200, EV +0.3, 135mm focal length.

The Watkins Glen International race track has hosted Formula One, Indy, SCCA, NASCAR and, last weekend, Grand Am racing series since 1948. Grand Am features two classes of racers: The Daytona Prototypes and GT.  Both types of cars handle the curvy and hilly track found at the southern tip of Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country extremely well and very fast.

Doran Racing Daytona Prototype powered by Ford speeds down the backstretch at Watkins Glen International during the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/200s, f/8, ISO 200, EV +0.3, 105mm focal length.

The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen event is an endurance race which sets each racing crew to task.  The teams must prepare their cars to last the full six hours and be faster than all the other cars in their class.  A very tall order.

The APR Motorsport Audi R8 Grand Am GT running at the Watkins Glen International during the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/320s, f/10, ISO 200, EV +0.3, 220mm focal length.

After six hours and almost 200 laps around the 3.4 miles (5.43 km) course completed, the winner of the Daytona Prototypes was the Number 9 Action Express Corvette driven by Joao Barbossa and Darren Law with the GT class won by the Number 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro driven by the team of Robin Liddell and John Edwards.

Robin Liddell in the Number 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro takes the checkered flag for the GT class at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/2000s, f/4.5, ISO 1000, EV +0.3, 80mm focal length, cropped.

NOTE: Dusted off the Nikon D70 as I am still waiting for the D700 to be returned from Nikon.  The near perfect weather and bright sunshine helped the Nikon 80-400VR lens perform at its very best.