Watkins Glen The Street Years 1948-52

Watkins Glen was the birthplace of post-war sports car racing in America, thanks to Cameron Argetsinger, who organized the first race in 1948. The original 6.6-mile circuit ran through the village and the surrounding roads, attracting crowds of spectators and drivers from all over the country. Among them were many MG cars, such as the MG-TC that Argetsinger himself drove. In fact, one of the MG drivers, Denver Cornett Jr., won the first race in his class and returned to the Glen every year until 1952. However, that year marked the end of the street racing era at Watkins Glen, as a tragic accident during the main Grand Prix race killed a young boy and injured several others. The state authorities banned racing on public roads, forcing Argetsinger to find a new location for his event. The street years of Watkins Glen were over, but their legacy lives on in the memories of those who witnessed them. https://www.racingarchives.org/blogpo... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron... https://www.racingarchives.org/blogpo...