WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 17, 2024) Sahlen Packing Co. Inc., a family-owned producer of quality meat products since 1869 in Buffalo, New York, is the primary presenting sponsor of the International Motor Racing Research Center’s 10th Annual Cameron R. Argetsinger Award dinner honoring McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown. The gala returns on September 12, 2024, to the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, where the initial awards were presented from 2014 until 2019.
NASCAR, Watkins Glen International and IMSA are co-presenters for the evening, which precedes the Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR race weekend at WGI on September 13-15.
“We at Sahlen’s are proud to support the IMRRC dinner honoring McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown. Zak’s accomplishments on the marketing side of the sport in the U.S. are well documented. And, now, since he’s been named the CEO of McLaren Racing, the Formula 1 team has seen a major resurgence to the top of the field,” said Joe Sahlen, company president. “We’re honored to be part of this gala event.”
Sahlen’s has been a supporter of the Argetsinger Award dinner since 2016, when Roger Penske was recognized. Sahlen’s has been the corporate sponsor since 2003 of the annual Six Hours of Watkins Glen IMSA race.
“As a longtime sponsor, competitor and race fan from Western New York, The Glen has been my ‘home’ track for nearly five decades,” added Sahlen, who, as a driver, has raced in four different classes of IMSA competition. “To have an entity such as the IMRRC in Watkins Glen is a tremendous resource for people to appreciate the history of motorsports.”
The IMRRC, a research and archival library focused on the history of all types of racing and all race tracks worldwide, is presenting Brown with its annual Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports.
A full Zak Brown bio may be found HERE.
The award memorializes Cameron R. Argetsinger, founder and organizer of the first races at Watkins Glen more than 70 years ago. It was established to honor a person who is recognized universally for having advanced and improved the sport, who brings prestige to motorsports and who demonstrates commitment to the future of racing.
Previous recipients have included Chip Ganassi, Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Richard Petty, the France Family, Bobby Rahal, Lyn St. James, Mike Helton and Richard Childress.
The courtyard at the Corning Museum of Glass. (Image courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass.)
The dinner serves as a key fundraiser for the Racing Research Center. The IMRRC, which opened in 1999, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Tickets to the gala may be purchased at THE IMRRC STORE. It is recommended to register early, as the event is expected to sell out quickly.
About Sahlen’s
Sahlen Packing Co., Inc. is a five-generation, family-owned business. It was founded in Buffalo, New York, in 1869, where it is headquartered today in a 110,000 square-foot food manufacturing facility. It employs over 100 dedicated employees, who help Sahlen’s deliver more than 15 million pounds of meat all across the country every year. https://sahlen.com/
About the IMRRC
The International Motor Racing Research Center collects, shares and preserves the history of motorsports. Spanning continents, eras and race series, the Center’s extensive historical collection embodies the speed, drama and camaraderie of amateur and professional motor racing throughout the world. The Center welcomes serious researchers and casual fans alike to share the stories captured on its shelves and walls, and brought to life through a regular calendar of public lectures and special events. www.racingarchives.org
About McLaren Racing
McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 184 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt.
McLaren Racing competes across six racing series. The team competes in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers Jake Hughes and Sam Bird, the Extreme E Championship with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team drivers Cristina Gutiérrez and Mattias Ekström, and F1 Academy with ART Grand Prix and Driver Development program member Bianca Bustamante. The team also competes in the F1 Sim Racing Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
McLaren is a champion for sustainability in the sport and a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment. It is committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in the motorsport industry.
McLaren Racing – Official Website