Speakers highlight Walk of Fame drivers

WATKINS GLEN--The Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame features the names of international racing stars who have competed at Watkins Glen since automobile racing in the area began in 1948. The granite markers are located in the east and west sidewalks along Franklin Street, beginning at Smalley's Garage running north and looping back around to the other side of the road, ending at the Watkins Glen State Park. A few drivers also have markers at the International Motor Racing Research Center at 610 S. Decatur St. The Walk of Fame currently includes 116 people and is an important part of motor racing history in the area.
Watkins Glen Historic Racing Committee member Jim Scaptura said the Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame was established by the committee, the Schuyler County Chamber of Commerce and Watkins Glen International in 1993 to honor the drivers who have competed in Watkins Glen. Each year, the committee adds several new markers to the Walk of Fame. Most honorees are inducted at the annual Grand Prix Festival the first Friday after Labor Day in September.
All the markers in the Walk of Fame are sponsored through private donations. To be considered for induction into the Walk of Fame, a driver must have driven in competition at one of the four different race courses used at Watkins Glen since 1948.
The International Motor Racing Research Center held a talk on the Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame Saturday, Jan 23 at the elementary auditorium. The speakers included Racing Research Center Historian Bill Green, along with Watkins Glen Historic Racing Committee members Scaptura and Rick Hughey. They highlighted several of the notable names that can be found along the walk. Each speaker addressed 10 of the people with granite blocks along the path, totaling some 30 names out of the 116 that make up the Walk of Fame. This talk kicked off the 2016 Center Conversations speaker series.
Scaptura said the first person inducted into the Walk of Fame was the man whose vision it was to bring racing to Watkins Glen, Cameron Argetsinger. He said his block was placed at the original racing start-finish line in front of the Schuyler County Court House in 1993. However, Scaptura noted only Frank Griswold's marker is closer to the line than Argetsinger's, as Griswold was the winner of that first race in 1948.
Among the other highlights Scaptura noted included Mario Andretti, who he claimed is "without question, the most popular driver to race at Watkins Glen." Rusty Wallace was another popular name; he won at Watkins in both 1987 and 1989. Scaptura also talked about P.L. (Paul) Newman, adding he would have continued to be a great racer if he had not decided to take up a career in acting.
"He was one of God's children," Scaptura said. "Whatever he did, he did it well."
Hughey spoke of drivers like Denis Hulme, who learned how to drive on tractor trailer trucks on his family's tobacco farm at age 6. Hulme was the 1967 world champion. He also highlighted Bruce McLaren's marker, noting he was Can-Am champion from 1967-69. McLaren was only 33 years old when he died.
Hughey also highlighted Jackie Stewart, who was a world champion in 1969, 1971 and 1973. In addition to being a great race car driver, Hughey said he was also a great skeet shooter who was only a few points away from making the British Olympic team. Stewart was later knighted by the queen of England.
Green had many stories to tell about the 10 drivers he highlighted, including one about Briggs S. Cunningham, who took second at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix in 1948. He noted Cunningham was "always the bridesmaid," although he added he was leading the race in 1952 despite the non-finish due to a fatal crash. Green also talked about William "Bill" Milliken, who raced at Watkins in 1948 and lived to be 102. He said Milliken was a brilliant man not only in auto racing, but in aviation as well.
Among the other drivers Green mentioned were Phil Walters, winner of the 1950 Seneca Cup, the 1951 Watkins Glen Grand Prix and the 1954 Watkins Glen Grand prix. Green said he also got to know Denver Cornett, who raced at Watkins Glen in 1948, when he was inducted into the Walk of Fame in 1994. Green added Denver came back for the vintage race every year from 1994 until his death.
While the speakers only touched on 30 drivers during the talk, Green noted it would be almost impossible to cover the legacies of all the drivers on the walk in one day. He added next year they will discuss another 30 drivers in an effort to cover all of those who had an impact on Watkins Glen racing history.