Classic Motorsports Empire State Tour

From time to time, we get a chance to take part in road tours put on by Classic Motorsports magazine. They usually span six day and include fun and adventurous roads that we explore as well as stops to visit museums, restaurants, and the interesting sights of the area. This time was in Watkins Glen, NY, and the surrounding area.

There were about 25 cars and their spouses joining the road tour adventure.

The model 2002 BMW has been a favorite of mine for several decades. When I saw my first one as it drove a windy Cape Cod road my jaw dropped. A few years later I was able to drive one on Cotuit Road on the Cape and I thought my dream had come true.

I’ve seen plenty of MG roadsters in my day, but never a sedan. It was beautiful and in fantastic shape.

Among other places we got to drive the original “street” track for Watkins Glen that was used from 1948 until 1952, when for safety reasons, the racetrack was built. It hosted F1 races from 1961 to 1980. We were also given a chance to drive our street cars on the road racing track. That was quite a wonderful experience.

Thanks to Chris Tropea of Grassroots Motorsports for the photo above and below.

Here we are in our Ford (retired) cop car. It was a real hoot to get it on the track at something close to racing speeds.

Next year we are looking at joining their Shenandoah Valley tour in June of 2026.