July 2008 - Boston Chapter BMW CCA

diately across the street from Watkins Glen State
Park, which provided the setting for one of the
most beautiful walks I’ve ever been on, with waterfalls,
a gorge and nature at its best.
In downtown Watkins Glen, there were reminders
everywhere of how important racing is to this
community. There were historical markers indicating
which parts of Franklin Street used to be part
of the racing circuit. I couldn’t help but imagine
what it must have been like to watch this small,
rural American town turn into Monaco when F1
or CART came to town. At the same time Watkins
Glen is a lake community, a hub for farmers and
has a thriving wine economy. There’s something
about the balance of Watkins Glen that, for me,
made it all the more attractive. I loved the idea
that racing is something that adds character to a
great community. There are towns in this country
that are renowned for their race track and one or
two major events that are held there; and if you
visit those towns when there isn’t a race going on,
it’s like attending a stranger’s wake. Watkins Glen
on the other hand felt like a place that I would
enjoy even without a race to attend.
The racing was great. Unfortunately for the Skip
Barber mechanics the ARMCO at Watkins Glen
was like a magnet for racers in training; and by the
end of the weekend it seemed like more cars got
loaded with a hook than with ramps. But the men
and women that turn the wrenches did an incredible
job of rebuilding cars that had their corners
torn off. It was intoxicating and comforting to be
back in the pit lane with the cars, but it was the
people that really made it great.
I met a lot of wonderful people at the Glen,
but two standout characters were “The Griest
Brothers,” a father and son racing team that did
extremely well that weekend. Revere Griest took
home two wins and his father Dr. John Griest took
home a 1st and a 2nd. Each of these two BMWCCA
members went on to win their respective Regional
Championships in 2007. For 2008 John and Revere
have moved into a pair of Formula Continental
cars and their progress so far is equally impressive.
Stay tuned for the next destination: Indianapolis
for the United States Grand Prix which was a
journey full of surprises. ♦
Editor’s note: Jason Walker is an engineer, part
time photographer, former race car mechanic, motorsports
fanatic, and BMW evangelist. For more
pictures from the Racing Road Trip go to http://
www.personalsnapper.com/Bimmer. For more
information about Rob Slonaker and Slip Angle
Consulting visit http://www.smartdriver.com.
866-229-3555
BMWCLB
30 | Boston Bimmer • July 2008 www.boston-bmwcca.org | 31