These upcoming events will turn Watkins Glen into a 'race fan's heaven'. What to know.

For three weeks starting in late August, and continuing through mid-September, Watkins Glen and the surrounding area will be a racing heaven, extending the tourism season through the final days of summer, according to Dawn Burlew, president of Watkins Glen International.

On Aug. 22-25 the Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix will be held at WGI in a celebration of motorsport’s past, along with the cars and the people who have made the sport what it is today. The on-track portion of the weekend will also include the Trans-Am Championship.

Next up on the first Friday after Labor Day, on Sept. 6, the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival will be held and fill much of the downtown of Watkins Glen area with customers and racecar fans alike.

Capping it all off is the Go Bowling at the Glen Weekend scheduled for Sept. 11-15, about a month later than NASCAR traditionally makes its annual visit to the Finger Lakes.

WGI NASCAR tickets sales are on par with the past

NASCAR's trip to Watkins Glen International had been held in August since 1986. This year, though, the stock car circuit pushed WGI's date back a month and included the track's 2.45-mile short course in the Cup playoffs for the first time ever.

Watkins Glen is playoff race No. 2 of 10, the middle event of the round of 16 that begins Sept. 8 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Will the playoff intrigue lead to more interest in tickets? Sales for the September race are in line with past events, Burlew said.

“We gauge it based on timing, whether it's in August or September,” Burlew said. “We are some 30 days off, so we are right on par with where we need to be for our camper sales and our admission tickets are doing well.”

Kip Zeiter, Coordinator of Visitor Services and Outreach at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, said there originally was some uncertainty about the impact on ticket sales when the date of the race was changed because kids would be back in school, potentially affecting family travel plans.

So far, though, the change has had no negative impact on interest levels.

Burlew said watching the NASCAR race live at the Watkins Glen International road course is on the bucket list for many people, but the race is just one part of the fun.

Concerts will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the Go Bowling at the Glen Weekend, and several changes and additions have been made to the WGI fan zone.

“This event is an economic driver for the region,” Burlew said.

Will the NASCAR race date change have a positive impact on the area?

NASCAR attracts big crowds to the area. Last year marked the eighth consecutive grandstand sellout for the Go Bowling at The Glen. The track also sold out infield camping in 2023 for the third straight year by the beginning of August — the earliest the track had sold out infield camping in recent history.

Pushing NASCAR's visit back into mid-September may give area businesses a major boost in traffic when the season is typically winding down.

“We look at the change as actually extending the tourist season,” Burlew said. “In mid-September area hotels will be filled up with our NASCAR folks. In August hotels will be filled with people visiting the local wineries and breweries. So, it’s really a win, win.”

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Catarina Hong, of Watkins Motel at 212 S. Franklin St., agreed.

“It’s definitely extended our season a little bit,” Hong said, “which is always a good thing.”

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: These upcoming events will turn Watkins Glen into a 'race fan's heaven'. What to know.