Curt Cavin

IndyStar

IndyCar Series officials confirmed IndyStar's report that the organization will hold a Labor Day weekend event at one of open-wheel racing’s historic tracks: Watkins Glen International.

IndyCar last staged a race at Watkins Glen in 2010, and the return was fueled by the recent cancellation of the Grand Prix of Boston, a street circuit event.

Located in upstate New York, Watkins Glen will host IndyCar’s penultimate race this season on Sept. 4. Watkins Glen will host a 60-lap race and include an Indy Lights race, plus the scheduled Ferrari event, which should make for wall-to-wall track activity.

"A tremendous amount of thanks goes to track president Michael Printup and his entire staff for their efforts in helping make this a reality in such a short time frame," IndyCar President Jay Frye said. "Obviously, Watkins Glen has great racing history and it's a track that will showcase the on-track competition and overall excitement level of our series."

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The track was long a signature stop on the Formula 1 schedule, and it hosted CART races starting in 1979; Bobby Unser won that race. The first of IndyCar’s six races was in 2005, and Scott Dixon won three in succession. Will Power won the last one, in ’10.

"I think if anybody asked me, after the first time going to the Glen, what my favorite track was, Indianapolis was a given one for the oval, but (I also) always referred to Watkins Glen," Dixon said. "I love these old-school road courses that America has, and that is at the top of the list. I know not just myself but everybody among the drivers has been talking about it. They can't wait to get back there."

Boston was scheduled to host a race but local concerns resulted in the race being called off April 29. IndyCar's preference was to keep the schedule at 16 races and Watkins Glen quickly emerged as the best option to fill the void on such short notice. IndyCar also considered a return to Gateway Motorsports Park east of St. Louis, and will look at that venue — and Watkins Glen — for 2017 races.

"We got the news a couple weeks ago that something was going on, and that might have been around 5 (5 p.m.) and by 5:01 I was talking to (Printup) on the phone, and from there it kind of led a life of its own," Frye said.

Printup added: "The fact that we could put this deal together so quickly shows how motivated each party was to make this happen for the fans and the competitors."

Follow IndyStar reporter Curt Cavin on Facebook and Twitter: @curtcavin