Opening Day paced laps at Watkins Glen International are $20 for 3 laps this year, and I believe (or the ticket office believes) that the start time is 9 AM & running until 4 PM. (Sunday, April 30th)

On the previous years, we have found that if we meet at the 3rd entrance parking lot we can group together, and line up for laps as a group, and they let us go on together.

The first entrance is the entrance used for this event.

So my current plan is:

Meet at the 3rd entrance at 10 AM. Drive down to the 1st entrance, wind our way through the crowds to the track (this takes time because there are a LOT of cars there), pretend we are Mario Andretti, or Stirling Moss if you are as old as I am, and then head out for lunch somewhere.

My choice for lunch spots that can handle the crowd, and is near the Thruway is Abigails in Waterloo, which is a bit far for anyone from the Southern Tier, but not far from the Thruway entrance for the crowds that come from the north. They open at 1 pm for lunch on Sundays, and have a big dining room and a pretty varied menu. (I like this restaurant because my aunt designed it in the mid 1960s)

So who is up for a spring drive?

Mapquest link for Watkins Glen Racetrack
Watkins Glen International
2790 County Route 16
Watkins Glen, NY 14891

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=address&searchtype=address&cat=&address=2790%20County%20Road%2016&city=Watkins%20Glen&state=NY&zipcode=14891%2d9511

Mapquest link for Abigails Restaurant:
1978 Waterloo Seneca Falls Rd Waterloo, NY 13165 Phone: (315) 539-9300
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&address=1978+Us+Route+20&city=seneca+falls&state=ny&zipcode=


-- Edited by yellowmininy at 16:47, 2006-04-03

I have it marked in my date book.. If all goes well, and we don't have a melt down here at RIT, I hope to make it....

Looks like there might be a few people coming down from Rochester. Anyone want to meet around 8:30 AM on the east side of town, maybe at or near the Oven Door Bakery (on 96 in Bushnells Basin)?

Just got the the little beasty out of storage, and she's shinny and new looking. This is our first time out and am looking forward to meeting link-mini-minded people. So,we plan to meet ya'll at Watkins Glen Racetrack around 10 am Sunday, April 30th.

Let's meet at 8:30 AM the Eckerd Drugstore parking
lot, 635 Pittsford-Victor Road, Pittsford (Route 96)
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&address=635+Pittsford+Victor+Road+&city=Pittsford&state=NY

To get there, take the Bushnell's Basin exit off 490
(looks like exit 27), and take a right onto 96
(North). There is a light where Richardsons Canal
House is on the right and the Eckerd plaza is on the
left, and you'd take a left here into the plaza
parking lot. (Not sure if it's the 2nd light or the
3rd from 490). This is right near the Oven Door
Bakery, which will be closed, but maybe Betsy can come
with us!

If you want to stop for coffee or breakfast, there is
a Brueggers on the left after the turn onto 96 from
490, and there is a Mobil station on the right before
the Eckerd plaza.

I'll be looking to leave right around 8:30, so come
early if you need to stop for essentials (coffee, gas,
pit stop).

We'll be heading east on the Thruway to Geneva (exit
42), then south on 14 to Watkins Glen.

If you send me a 'pm' I'll send my cell phone #. We'll be on two way radio channel 7, subchannel
21.

-- Edited by yellowmininy at 12:52, 2006-04-27

What a gorgeous day for a drive! We had a great turnout of Minis, though I forgot to count. Let's see- 3 convertibles (1 MC, 2MCSs), 2 Checkmates, an MGB, 3 Coopers and 3 MCSs, if I have that right. We had a slow run on the track, but Jim M. managed to talk them into letting us go on again. We did a lap of the old course, and some folks split off to do some errands or winery trips, while a few of us headed for lunch. Thanks to all who came! The Glen really improved how they handled cars coming in from last year, and that was a big help!

Edit- and many thanks for the bagpipe serenade- that was a big hit! (You know who you are!)

-- Edited by yellowmininy at 18:31, 2006-04-30