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Since 2015 the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) and the SAH have co-hosted the Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History. The Symposium, held each November in Watkins Glen NY, is open to the public and can be attended in-person or virtually through live streaming.
The Symposium is named in honor of Michael R. Argetsinger (1944-2015), who was himself a race car driver, the author of five books on motor racing, and a founding member of the IMRRC. Michael was the son of Cameron and Jean Argetsinger, who brought Formula One racing to America and founded the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course as well as the later Watkins Glen International race course. Michael inherited his parents’ passion for motor sport.
The Symposium is a unique forum with a growing audience of motor sport enthusiasts; it provides scholars, writers and researchers, both professional and amatuer, with a venue in which to present their work on the history of motor sport to their peers, to the wider motor sport community, and to the general public. Presentations on any topics relating to automotive competition and the cultural impacts of motor racing are welcome. The IMRRC and the SAH solicit abstracts of presentations and coordinate the selection of presentations, panel discussions and a keynote speaker for each Symposium. Scholars, journalists and motor racing researchers and writers of all descriptions are encouraged to participate. The Call for Papers is issued each March or April.
The Seventh Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History took place November 3rd & 4th at the Watkins Glen International racetrack Media Center building in the track infield. Co-hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) and the SAH, Symposium co-founder Don Capps was able to return to his role of Master of Ceremonies, and for the second year the Symposium was live streamed and recorded, thanks to SAH and IMRRC member Eric Monterastelli, a founder of Grand Touring Motorsports.
In addition to the 18 presentations, there is a recording of keynote speaker Rob Dyson, and there are 4 additional pre-recorded presentations (Lister, Negyesi, Schmidt, Tecce).
YouTubes of the Presentations
Eric created a YouTube Gallery, which provides one-link access to both the 2023 and 2022 presentation recordings. Click here to enter the YouTube Gallery.
Send Your Questions and Comments to the Symposium Presenters
Please send your questions or comments to any presenter here and we will forward your email to the presenter. (11/18/23)
After a two year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, the Sixth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium for International Motor Racing History, in Watkins Glen, NY, was co-hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) and the SAH. The open-to-the-public in-person symposium was live streamed at the Watkins Glen International Media Center, located in the track infield, thanks to the generous support and technical expertise of Eric Monterastelli of Gran Touring Motorsports. This the first year the Symposium was held virtually, as well as in-person; the result was a larger audience than ever.
Two full days of sessions included fifteen half-hour individual presentations, one small group presentation, and one roundtable discussion. Several Symposium sessions were presented remotely from Australia, Belgium, Italy, Scotland, New Zealand, Nevada and South Carolina. Keynote speaker Buz McKim, renowned NASCAR historian, presented “Moonshine and Its Connection to the American Auto Industry.”
