[changzuki]

2015 Grand Prix Festival - Watkins Glen, NY
(September 11th, 2015)
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Part 3

The Concorso Speciale group is ready to roll!
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On the course map as this story progresses, look for the red and gray oblongs which represent the Red Sprite and the Gray Centurion as they race around the "Old Course at Watkins Glen". Below is the first map where we are at the start line and then beginning to proceed:
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The toughest part of the course comes just after the green flag start point where you make a sharp right turn, go around a sweeping left and start up "Old Corning Hill". If the car or driver isn't up to the task, then it may not be possible to "Stay with the car ahead of you".
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Camera 1 shows the Red Bugeye Sprite ahead of me - and it needs to stay that way.
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Camera 2 shows the English Anglia - he needs to stay with Centurion.
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Old Corning Hill does eventually taper but it doesn't mean the rest of the course is a leisurely romp through the countryside.. There are railroad tracks but the first pass is actually under them!
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Look back up...
How are we doing with Camera 1 and Camera 2 at about 1/3rd into the race?
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One can gain some decent speed around this area but will need to keep an eye out for "School House Corner". The right turn there could be downright exhilarating!
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The elevation drops smartly and is accompanied by some sharp turns. This challenging section is leading you to the historical "Stone Bridge". (Aka: Stone Bridge Driver Events):
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A few sharp turns up a short hill and you are on a flat again.
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Next up, the other end of the railroad tracks! The Bugeye hit these hard on lap one - Dukes of Hazzard style - yeeehaaww!
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Looking in the rear view (Camera 2) all the way back to Archy Smith's Corner, there's no evidence of the Anglia.. It may be the end of the day for that one..
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Enroute back to town via a huge sweeping curve appropriately named "Big Bend" you realize how long and steep the decline is as your brakes begin to smell like burnt hair! If you have any brake pedal left, you'll have no problem negotiating Millikens corner!
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Immediately following this corner is another that brings the cars back onto the main drag "Franklin Street". AND - the pavement is painted like a checkered flag - how cool is this!!!
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Apply everything above to another full lap and your time on the old course is finished.
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And when you're pulling into the parking lot, hopefully you have a huge grin on your face because you:
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"Stayed with the car ahead of you"...
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And that my friends, is exactly what this little 17 horsepower Kubota diesel powered Centurion did!
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~CrazyJerry~
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Video of Centurion on the "Old Course" at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival 2015:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV1qABp4mZw

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCGcbq8T6nE

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