Admission is Free and Numerous Locations will be Available for Viewing
WATKINS GLEN, NY – Watkins Glen International is proud to announce that the upcoming Mobil 1 Car Swap at The Glen on Tuesday, June 14, will be open to all spectators. Admission and parking will both be free for fans of all ages and there will be numerous locations for fans to watch NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Tony Stewart and Formula 1™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton take laps in their own and then each others’ cars during the event.
“It has been our goal from the beginning to make this historic event open to our tens of thousands of fans and we are thrilled to make this announcement,” said Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International. “There has been no question as to how badly our fans want to attend the Mobil 1 Car Swap at The Glen. They have overwhelmed us with their emails, phone calls, and comments through social media and it is this incredible passion that makes our fans the best in motorsports.”
Beginning at 11:00 a.m., fans will witness Hamilton take laps in both his team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 and Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala. Stewart also will take a spin in his No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Deport Chevrolet Impala before climbing into Hamilton’s MP4-23 for his first-ever laps behind the wheel of an F1 car.
Visitors to WGI will find it easy to park, enter the track, and watch the car swap from numerous locations around the legendary road course. All spectators will be able to park near and enter through Gate 4 which can be accessed from Kuhl-Winner Way off of Route 16. Gate 4 will be open 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and from there fans will have easy access to the facility. The spectator viewing area is located outside of the track and stretches from Turn 1, down the entire FrontStretch, and all the way to the toe of The Boot. This means fans can choose to watch from the Ninety and FrontStretch Grandstands, the Turn 11 Viewing Berm, the elevated areas around and inside of The Boot, and any general admission viewing area located in that range. The inside of The Boot can be accessed through the pedestrian tunnel which is located between the heel of The Boot and the West tunnel.
The fans that sit in or around the FrontStretch Grandstand will see the largest amount of activity throughout the day. The location will not only provide a great view of the cars as they drive through Turn 11, down the FrontStretch, around Turn 1, and into the Esses but also as they enter and exit pit road and are worked on in the special garage areas directly behind the pits. Please note that access to the infield will be restricted to authorized personnel only during the event.
The FrontStretch Concession Kiosk will be open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and feature Sahlen’s Hot Dogs, Bog Hog Pulled Pork sandwiches, donuts, potato chips, ice cream, Coke products, coffee, bottled water, and premium Budweiser beer. Fans are also welcome to bring their coolers to enjoy a full picnic experience during the day.
Tickets for the 2011 race season at Watkins Glen International are on sale NOW! Fans can order their tickets or get more information by calling the WGI ticket office at 866-461-RACE (7223) or logging on to the official website, www.TheGlen.com. Gift certificates and track merchandise can all be purchased at The Shop located at 2 North Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen. The Shop is open Monday-Sunday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Keep up with the latest happenings at The Glen by going to the official Watkins Glen International Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/watkinsgleninternational, and following WGI on Twitter, @WGI.
