Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame
The Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame was established in 1993 by the Watkins Glen Historic Racing Committee with support from the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce and Watkins Glen International to honor retired drivers who have competed on the Glen’s world-famous circuit since 1948.
The Historic Racing Committee is now a committee of the International Motor Racing Research Center. Center staff help develop the inscription for the Walk of Fame markers. The majority of markers are located in the east and west sidewalks along Franklin Street. All the markers in the Walk of Fame are sponsored by private donations.
To be considered for induction into the Walk of Fame, the driver must have driven a race car in competition at one of the four race courses used at the Glen since 1948 and be retired from racing. The first person inducted into the Walk of Fame was the gentleman whose vision it was to bring racing to Watkins Glen, Cameron Argetsinger. His block was placed in the Drivers Walk of Fame at the original racing start-finish line in front of the Schuyler County Court House in 1993.
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Each September the Watkins Glen Historic Racing Committee adds from three to six new drivers to the Walk of Fame, inducting them at the annual Grand Prix Festival the first Friday after Labor Day.
A tour of the Drivers Walk of Fame is a walk through racing history. It is at the Glen that road racing had its rebirth in 1948, and since that time it has been known as the Home of Road Racing in America. The Walk of Fame in front of the Court House is reserved for those drivers who competed from those early street races, from 1948 to 1952.
Racer Davy Jones shows his Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame marker after its installation in September 2016. (photo by Richard Bauman)
Begin your tour at Smalley’s Garage at 204 S. Franklin St., where race cars had to pass inspection before being allowed to compete. Proceed north to the Court House and follow the path almost to Seneca Lake before crossing Franklin Street and enjoying the names on the west side. A few drivers are honored with markers at the Racing Research Center at 610 S. Decatur St.
A printable guide to the Walk of Fame is available here.
