2024 Green Grand Prix: April 12 at Watkins Glen International

[brucepick]

The 2024 Green Grand Prix will be on Fricay April 12th at Watkins Glen, in upstate NY. We hope a few of us can be there again this year. It's always a great event!

I'm still working on getting the date cleared on my calendar. I hope to be there this year, with my brother Steve navigating as in past years.

The schedule, rules, registration form, etc. are here:
Green Grand Prix web site

Basic schedule of the day:
WGI track event, about 75 miles, from 10 am - 11:45 am
- This uses the "long course", which includes the "Boot" section of the track.
Lunch, 12:10 to 1 pm
Autocross event in the afternoon
Awards at 4:30 pm. I don't see dinner mentioned on the schedule, as it was in the past.

[Gasoline Fumes]

I'll be there! Maybe it won't be snowing!

[brucepick]

A question for Gasoline Fumes, and anyone else who was at last year’s event:
What was the required average speed for the morning track event?

In the past it was always 45 mph. Last year they used the Long Course for the first time, so might have changed that target avg speed.
This year, the GGP is also using the Ling Course.

Thanks!

[Vman455]

We used the long course for the first time in 2022. Speed was still 45 mph that year; last year they waited until just before the rally to announce target speed (46 mph). That was fun having a little uncertainty thrown in.

I won't be there this year--can't afford to miss class since I'm going to WCX in Detroit the week after.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by Vman455

We used the long course for the first time in 2022. Speed was still 45 mph that year; last year they waited until just before the rally to announce target speed (46 mph). That was fun having a little uncertainty thrown in.

I won't be there this year--can't afford to miss class since I'm going to WCX in Detroit the week after.

Thank you Vman!
Have an excellent week in Detroit!

I hadn't noted that the GGP first used the boot in 2022.
I'll be ready for various announced speeds.

What can you tell us about driving the boot?
Is that downhill steep, needing braking of some kind?
Followed by the hairpin at the bottom, and there's also a pretty steep climb back up. Executing all that safely while not wasting fuel... I'm sure it will be "interesting".

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by brucepick

What can you tell us about driving the boot?
Is that downhill steep, needing braking of some kind?
Followed by the hairpin at the bottom, and there's also a pretty steep climb back up. Executing all that safely while not wasting fuel... I'm sure it will be "interesting".

You can do the Boot with no brakes but you probably won't be able to neutral coast without going over the speed limit. I tried to come into it at 55, lift off and let it coast with default regen which held the car at 55 through the sweeper, then on the gas early before losing too much speed up the hill on the backside. The hardest part is doing that with slow traffic in front of you; it seemed most people wanted to brake going into the Boot but I don't think that's the most efficient way through. Good luck!

[brucepick]

It's official - I'll be there.
I hope a few other Ecomodders can also be there!

I signed up using the Green Grand Prix web site, and also made a hotel reservation at our favorite hotel up there. Fairfield Inn & Suites Elmira Corning - a Marriott property.

The Green Grand Prix site is at Green Grand Prix - Home

[UltArc]

I'll be there!! Also hoping for no snow, since I'm planning to switch to the summer shoes.

The boot was tough with slow traffic ahead of time.

[Grant-53]

The weather here has been exceptionally warm this year.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by Grant-53

The weather here has been exceptionally warm this year.

Based on recent temperature swings, I predict somewhere between 30 and 80 degrees on April 12th!