What I wish I knew before my first HPDE at Watkins Glen

Just finished my first full weekend at The Glen — Group 1 with NASA Northeast. Wanted to share some things I learned the hard way so the next first-timer can be better prepared. 1. The Esses are way faster than they look on video. My instructor had me going through them at maybe 60% for the first four sessions before he even started adding speed. Trust the process. 2. Bring more water than you think. The paddock has limited shade in summer and you lose a surprising amount of fluid even with the windows up and a helmet on. 3. Brake pads matter enormously. I showed up with street pads on my BRZ and by session three they were fading badly going into Turn 1. The speed you carry down the back straight means you really need at least a performance street pad, ideally a light track pad on the front. 4. The bus stop is deceptively tricky. The entry feels like you should brake in a straight line, but the track curves slightly left before the hard right. My instructor taught me to use a slight trail brake to rotate the car before committing to the right-hander. 5. Tech inspection the night before if possible. The morning line can eat 45 minutes of your day. Would love to hear what others wish they had known for their first event at The Glen or anywhere else.

2 Replies

CChris Tanferno · May 6, 2026New

Great list. I would add: bring a torque wrench and check your lug nuts between sessions. Thermal cycling loosens them more than people realize, and a wheel coming off at speed is one of the worst things that can happen on track. I check mine cold before session 1, then warm after session 1, then before each subsequent session. Takes 60 seconds per wheel and it is the highest-value safety check you can do.

CChris Tanferno · May 6, 2026New

The bus stop advice is spot on. I spent my entire first weekend braking too late for it because I was treating the entry as a straight-line braking zone. Once my instructor explained that the approach has a subtle curve and you need to be slightly trail braking to keep the nose planted while the car changes direction, it completely transformed that section. Also worth noting — the concrete patches in the boot section can be very slippery when the temperature is low in the morning. Do not be a hero in the first session of the day.