After two editions of the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix that were deemed less-than-successful (Sebring in 1959, and Riverside in 1960), promoters were looking for a new venue to become the permanent home for the American Grand Prix.
After two editions of the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix that were deemed less-than-successful (Sebring in 1959, and Riverside in 1960), promoters were looking for a new venue to become the permanent home for the American Grand Prix.
In 1961, just six weeks before the scheduled date for another Formula Libre race that fall, Argetsinger was tapped to prepare Watkins Glen for the final round of the Formula One World Championship. While many of the necessary preparations had already been made, new pits were constructed to satisfy European standards of pit boxes with overhead cover.
Seven American drivers participated, and the race was won by British driver Innes Ireland in a Lotus-Climax with American Dan Gurney driving a Porsche 714 coming in second. Having already won both Driver's and Constructor's World Championships and still mourning the death of Wolfgang von Trips at Monza, Ferrari decided not to compete in the United States GP. Ferrari's decision not to travel to America for the season's final round deprived Hill of the opportunity to participate in his home race as the newly-crowned World Champion, and Hill appeared only as the event's Grand Marshal.