HSR NASCAR Classic Presented by Goodyear Historic Stock Cars Set for Third-Straight Go Bowling at The Glen Appearance August 8 – 9 at Watkins Glen International
WATKINS GLEN, New York (August 8, 2025) – The HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear racing series brings HSR Historic Stock Cars back to Watkins Glen International for the third straight year this weekend for a Saturday doubleheader at The Go Bowling at The Glen, August 8 – 9.
Open to stock cars that have been retired from active competition, last year’s introduction of the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear was in response to the increasing popularity of the Group 8 Historic Stock Cars category with HSR competitors and fans alike. The series was an instant hit, and one of the most popular events of the year is this weekend’s support race on the Go Bowling at The Glen weekend.
The first HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear series event at The Glen was held on the Go Bowling weekend last year, following an HSR Historic Stock Cars demonstration race in 2023.
A solid entry of NASCAR stock cars and trucks retired from active competition took to The Glen’s 2.45-mile NASCAR “short course” Friday morning for the first of the day’s two practice sessions. Following Friday evening’s final practice, Saturday race day features a qualifying sprint at 8:45 a.m. EDT and the weekend’s HSR NASCAR Classic feature race at 6:45 p.m. EDT. Both Saturday races are 20 minutes in length.
A pair of competitors to watch are Ryan Gemmell and his coach, mentor and team owner Joe Nemechek who are locked in a tight battle in the HSR NASCAR Classic pro-driver division. Gemmell swept the most recent NASCAR Classic race in late June at Lime Rock Park in his NEMCO Motorsports No. 6 Toyota Camry.
Gemmell’s season win-tally of three victories has closed the gap on “Front Row” Joe who took NASCAR Classic honors at the HSR The Mitty in April at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta after splitting the season-opening races with Gemmell at Sebring International Raceway in March. Nemechek finished second at Lime Rock in his NEMCO Motorsports 2007 No. 47 Made in The USA Chevrolet Silverado and paced Friday morning’s opening practice at The Glen in the same NASCAR truck.
Gemmell and Nemechek lead a typically stout NEMCO entry at The Glen rivaled this weekend by a four-strong entry from Kurt Vogt and his competitive Cobra Automotive team. Vogt scored an overall top-five and won his class at The Glen last year in his first race in his Valvoline Racing/Mark Martin liveried 1997 No. 6 Ford Thunderbird. Cobra’s additional entries this weekend include Gary Moore in his more than 30-year-old ex-Derrick Cope 1994 No. 12 Ford Thunderbird – the oldest car competing this weekend at The Glen – the 2009 No. 60 Ford Mustang of Victor Corda and Danny Lowry in his 2006 No. 47 Ford Thunderbird.
Jeff Gordon fans have one of his period-correct Chevrolets to cheer for as Jenn Krpata and her Jenn Krpata Racing team run an ex-Hendrick Motorsports 2007 No. 24 Chevy Impala SS at The Glen.
Another competitive single-car entry comes from Mark Mercurio and his Flyin Wrenchz racing team that fields a 2012 No. 55 Toyota Camry for Mercurio to wheel. Mercurio and his team are headquartered only a couple of hours from Watkins Glen in the Buffalo community of East Aurora.
Noteworthy
– Gemmell deliberately skipped Friday morning’s opening practice to focus on the weekend’s first ARCA Menards series practice in his NEMCO Motorsports-prepared No. 29 TC3 Turf/Multibuilding Inc. Toyota Camry. Gemmell, who made his ARCA debut with his team last year at The Glen with a competitive eighth-place finish, improved to his first career ARCA top-five result in the No. 29 in June at Lime Rock.
– Longtime NASCAR Official Wayne Auton retired at the end of 2024 after a lauded career, but the universally beloved member of the NASCAR family didn’t hesitate to answer the call to serve as the HSR NASCAR Classic Race Director this season. Auton is overseeing this weekend’s NASCAR Classic competition but will take a break between races Saturday to serve as the honorary starter for the Xfinity Series and wave the green flag for the Mission Foods 200. Auton most recently served as series director for the Xfinity Series for 13 seasons, finishing his tenure at the Phoenix Raceway championship event last November. He had served as a NASCAR official since 1987, with 33 years total as a series director for one of NASCAR’s numerous championships.
– The HSR NASCAR Classic garage has been moved to a more prominent and high-profile location this weekend next to The Glen’s landmark Pyramid souvenir stand and just behind the Turn 10 Bison Dip Deck viewing terrace and Jackie Stewart grandstand.
– Another top NASCAR name competing this weekend is Brian Keselowski who is driving a 2000 No. 1 Dodge Ram. Keselowski is the older brother of 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, and both are the sons of the late 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Champion Bob Keselowski.
About Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.: Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) is the premier vintage and historic racing series in North America. It was formed in the mid-1970s with an inaugural event at Road Atlanta and became a part of International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in 2022. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate and enjoy the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/, on Twitter X @HSR_race and on Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.
