Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix kicks off with Friday night events

The Glenora Wine Cellars United States Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver will kick into gear with two local events on Friday night.

Fans are invited to the Corning Museum of Glass for an auto show featuring entries from the event, beginning at 5:00pm. Vintage cars participating in the show will have a police-escorted path on Route 414 from Watkins Glen International, with departure from the track scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Corning Museum of Glass artist Eric Meek is once again designing and producing the unique trophy presented to the winner of the Aug. 9th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. At 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening, Meek will host a demonstration as he and his team create this year's trophy.

The event, held in the new Amphitheater Hot Shop is $9 for local residents, $18 for non-local residents, and free for kids and teens under the age of 17.

As an added bonus, the first 100 fans to arrive at CMOG will receive a Drive the Glen ticket for the 2016 season (limit 1 per family).

Meek, a full-time gaffer at the Museum since 2005, graduated from Bowling Green State University and received his M.F.A. from Kent State University. The annual trophy is typically made of slightly curved, clear glass encasing a solid blue core, reflecting Watkins Glen International's iconic blue guardrail.

Meek will be in attendance for the Aug. 6-9 NASCAR race weekend at WGI, speaking with fans and media about his contribution to the state of New York's largest sporting event.