Anis' Hybrid 350Z, Dusold, Patten headline TrackBattle showdown at Watkins Glen

Some of the fastest Time Attack cars in North America will converge on Watkins Glen International July 24–26 as GRIDLIFE Summer Apex brings together more than 250 competitors across TrackBattle, Eibach GRIDLIFE Touring Cup (GLTC), GRIDLIFE GT (GLGT) and the GRIDLIFE RUSH Series.

After a single appearance at the historic circuit in 2023, GRIDLIFE returns with its signature festival atmosphere, combining three days of motorsport with live music (Friday and Saturday only), camping, and off-track entertainment.

More than 100 competitors will take part in GRIDLIFE TrackBattle, with several of the country's premier time attack programs arriving fresh off record-setting performances around the nation.

Among the most unique entries is Honda of America Racing Team's (HART) Honda Fit EV competing in Street class. Originally offered only as a lease vehicle in the early 2010s, the electric hatchback retains its stock 92 kW (approximately 120 horsepower) powertrain while receiving extensive cooling and charging upgrades to withstand repeated high-speed laps. Rather than chasing class victories, HART is using the project as a development platform to better understand hybrid and electric vehicle technologies while showcasing a piece of Honda engineering. While its outright pace is unlikely to threaten the front of Street class, the project remains a fascinating technical story in the paddock.

Drifting champion and current IMSA competitor Dai Yoshihara (below) returns to Street Mod in his 2005 Subaru WRX STI after earning his first podium of the year at GingerMan Raceway. Alongside teammate Nick Nazzaro, Yoshihara will look to stop Dewey DeWitt, who has won every event this season and extended an extraordinary streak of seven consecutive victories dating back to last summer. Another victory at Watkins Glen would secure the Street Mod championship with two rounds still remaining.

Falken Club TR continues to be one of the deepest and most competitive classes in TrackBattle. Twenty-seven drivers are entered, including every major championship contender, creating what promises to be one of the closest battles of the weekend in a class where thousandths of a second often separate the front of the field.

The spotlight, however, belongs to Unlimited.

Nine of GRIDLIFE's most advanced Time Attack machines, representing models from Chevrolet, Acura, Porsche, Nissan, and Lexus, will chase the overall track record and the fastest lap of the weekend. Because GRIDLIFE’s last appearance here in April of 2023 was marred by three days of rain, the track record is likely to be obliterated in the first session of the weekend and continue to drop from there.

Four entries immediately stand apart: John Veloso's Acura NSX GT3 Evo, Mike Dusold's 1,400-horsepower 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, Allen Patten's Louis Gigliotti-built 2019 Chevrolet Corvette (below), and Sasha Anis' hybrid-powered Nissan 350Z. All four are capable of winning outright, and none have previously competed in Unlimited at Watkins Glen, making this one of the most unpredictable fields in recent memory.

Few rivalries in modern Time Attack better represent the different philosophies of race car development than those of Dusold and Anis. Dusold's first-generation Camaro is a showcase of raw power, producing more than 1,400 horsepower and regularly rewriting GRIDLIFE lap records through brute acceleration and relentless straight-line speed.

Anis' "Kels," by contrast, is one of the most technologically sophisticated Time Attack cars in North America. Built around a carbon-bodied Nissan 350Z, it combines a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V6 with high-power electric motors, all managed by custom-developed software controlling the engine, inverter, and high-voltage systems. The package also incorporates a driver-adjustable drag reduction system (DRS), maximizing straight-line performance while preserving the aerodynamic grip needed through high-speed corners.

Although a recent electric motor failure has reduced some of the car's hybrid output, Kels still produces well over 600 horsepower and remains among the quickest Time Attack cars in the country. On paper, Dusold's Camaro enjoys an enormous horsepower advantage, but Watkins Glen's flowing, high-speed layout may favor Anis' lighter, more aerodynamic approach.

Standing squarely between those philosophies is Allen Patten's Chevrolet Corvette. Built by Louis Gigliotti and refined into one of the fastest Corvettes in American Time Attack, the C7 has quietly become one of GRIDLIFE's benchmark Unlimited cars. Patten has repeatedly demonstrated front-running pace and record-setting speed, making him every bit as capable of leaving Watkins Glen with the overall victory.

Meanwhile, John Veloso's former Acura NSX GT3 Evo introduces another wildcard. As the only purpose-built GT3 machine in the field, it brings a different engineering philosophy altogether and is exceptionally well suited to Watkins Glen's combination of sweeping corners and heavy braking zones.

If conditions cooperate, Summer Apex has all the ingredients to produce one of the fastest Unlimited battles GRIDLIFE has ever hosted.

Beyond Time Attack, Summer Apex also features full fields of wheel-to-wheel racing across three GRIDLIFE championships.

Eibach GLTC arrives at Watkins Glen in the midst of another tightly contested championship battle. Forty cars are entered for the weekend, with points leader Eric Kutil looking to continue one of the most impressive seasons of his career. Kutil's lightweight Honda Civic is carrying hundreds of pounds of success ballast, forcing him to rely on momentum and consistency to remain ahead of Eric Magnussen's LS-powered BMW M3. Every round has reinforced the series' defining philosophy: vastly different combinations of chassis, engines, and drivetrains capable of competing for victories on equal footing.

Several familiar names add depth to the field. Lee Wamboldt returns to competition after stepping away during 2025 in his Acura Integra, while longtime GLTC veteran James Houghton brings back the Acura TSX that delivered multiple race victories during his championship campaign. Lena Chin enters the weekend riding the momentum of a career-best qualifying effort at Midwest Festival, hoping to continue that progress close to home. Watkins Glen rewards commitment more than almost any circuit on the calendar, and with 40 cars sharing the circuit, racecraft may prove just as valuable as outright pace.

GRIDLIFE GT continues to establish itself as one of the fastest-growing categories in the paddock. Built around a power-to-weight formula that rewards creativity, the championship has become home to an eclectic mix of professionally-built race cars and ambitious garage-built creations. Championship leaders Matan Rosenberg and Christian Aranha arrive with momentum after strong performances through the opening rounds, but Watkins Glen welcomes several challengers eager to disrupt the title fight.

Allen Patten returns in his Toyota GR Supra GT4 after making his series debut last season, while newcomers Matt Stover and Peter Agapoglou bring a pair of BMW E36 M3s into the field.

Elsewhere, the diversity that has become synonymous with GRIDLIFE GT is on full display, from KDM Tuners' Hyundai Veloster N and AJ Hartman's EcoBoost-powered Ford Mustang to Josh Flure's Subaru Outback wagon and a host of other highly customized builds. Making its first appearance at Watkins Glen, the fastest cars are expected to approach 145 mph on the back straight, promising one of the quickest wheel-to-wheel spectacles of the weekend.

The GRIDLIFE RUSH Series once again fields the weekend's largest race group, bringing 47 Rush SR machines to Watkins Glen. The spec championship has become known for producing remarkably close racing, where identical machinery routinely keeps entire packs separated by only tenths of a second. Championship leader Bryce Mersberger has built an early advantage through consistency, but Watkins Glen's long straights and heavy braking zones have a way of compressing the field and creating opportunities throughout every race.

Although the RUSH Series has never competed at Watkins Glen before, the lightweight sports racers should be exceptionally well suited to the circuit's flowing layout. With drafting expected to play a major role all weekend, fans can expect tightly packed battles from green flag to checkered flag.

In addition to the competition, GRIDLIFE drift is back on course with nearly 40 cars on both the full course and skid pads in the paddock. Nappy Boy Automotive will have T-Pain and Hert joining the grid. Former Formula Drift pros Justin Pawlak and the aforementioned Yoshihara will also participate in full-course drift. The high-grip surface and long corners make this circuit an enormous challenge, so drivers have to be full-commitment to keep up their wheelspeed on one of the fastest tracks in North America.

Whether fans come for North America's fastest Time Attack cars or some of the closest racing in grassroots motorsport, GRIDLIFE Summer Apex promises one of the most diverse weekends on the 2026 calendar. Every session from qualifying onward at Watkins Glen International will be streamed live on GRIDLIFE's YouTube channel and RACER Network. For tickets and event information, visit https://www.grid.life/summer-apex.