The legendary blue guardrails of Watkins Glen International Raceway provided a grueling backdrop for the NASA Northeast’s April 25–26 season opener. Featuring a heavy contingent of visiting NASA Mid-Atlantic racers, the weekend transformed into a cross-regional showdown where changing weather and technical precision determined who stood atop the podium.
Nearly a dozen German Touring Series competitors braved conditions that ranged from a bone-chilling, rain-soaked Saturday to a high-speed, dry-track sprint on Sunday. While the Northeast regulars sought to defend their home turf, the visiting “Mid-Atlantic Invasion” proved formidable, ultimately claiming hardware across both classes despite mechanical gremlins and post-race technical hurdles.
Roberto Crescencio’s weekend ended prematurely during Saturday’s qualifying after his windshield fogged, leading to a terminal encounter with the “blue devil” guardrails.
“I ended up hitting the curb that I had been avoiding all along,” Crescencio said. “I think it was primarily because my windshield was fogging up, and I couldn’t see the curb. I lost the rear end, hit the wall.”
Saturday Racing: The Rain Masters
Saturday’s action was defined by a relentless mix of 42-degree temperatures and an inch of rain, turning the 3.4-mile circuit into a test of visibility and nerve. The daunting conditions led several drivers to opt out of the session, but seven GTS3 competitors took the green flag, led by Eric Wong and Scott Bassinder.
Wong, driving his 2004 BMW M3, overcame significant visibility issues during qualifying to secure a front-row start. After a frantic pre-race session wiring a heated windshield, Wong engaged in a calculated pursuit of Bassinder.
“I didn’t want to change any of my dry setup changes because I’ve gotten really lazy,” Wong said regarding his strategy. “I was just going to go out there, just put the wet tires on, and see what happens.”
The gamble paid off. After nursing the car through the opening laps to gauge grip levels, Wong tracked down Bassinder’s rain light. “We had a pretty good battle for maybe a lap or two,” Wong said. “I think I timed a pass on the front straight with traffic and that was the pass for the lead.” Wong finished less than a second ahead of Bassinder to take the GTS3 victory.
In GTS4, David Coutu navigated the treacherous standing water in his 2009 Porsche Cayman S to secure the top spot, finishing the rain-shortened Saturday session as the sole class representative to cross the line.
Saturday, April 25 Results:
GTS3 Winner: Eric Wong (No. 121), Best Tm: 2:29.785
GTS3 Runner-up: Scott Bassinder (No. 133), Diff: 0.881
GTS4 Winner: David Coutu (No. 881), Best Tm: 3:06.833
VIDEO
This video should give you an idea what Saturday’s conditions were like in GTS3 at the NASA Northeast season opener at Watkins Glen.
Sunday Racing: Speed and Scales
When the sun finally emerged for Sunday’s race, Vernon McClure took center stage in GTS3. Starting from ninth on the grid due to missing Saturday’s rain race, McClure carved through traffic in his 2017 Porsche 991.2. He eventually gapped the field by more than 34 seconds.
“The car felt really good,” McClure said. “It took me all weekend to get up to speed. I just felt more confident throughout the weekend.”
Colin Swanger, who crossed the finish line with the fastest lap of the race (2:00.620), was disqualified after a post-race dyno session. Swanger’s BMW clocked in a few horsepower over the limit for the GTS3 power-to-weight ratio.
“It is a dynamometer. It’s a machine that there will be variances in how they read,” Swanger said, taking full accountability. “If we need to run a little bit heavier, then we’ll run a little bit heavier and not have to worry about 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 horsepower.”
In GTS4, Michael Gershanok showcased superior pace in his 2002 BMW M3, finishing 14 seconds ahead of Saturday winner David Coutu to claim the Sunday victory.
Sunday, April 26 Results:
GTS3 Winner: Vernon McClure (No. 101G), Best Tm: 2:00.716
GTS3 Second Place: Michael Berry (No. 421G), Diff: 34.736
GTS4 Winner: Michael Gershanok (No. 161), Best Tm: 2:06.361
GTS4 Runner-up: David Coutu (No. 881), Diff: 14.852
Key Driver Perspectives
The technical nature of “The Glen” remained a primary topic of discussion. Series Director Michael Gershanok emphasized that success at Watkins Glen requires total commitment in high-speed sections. “If you’re not full throttle in the Esses, then you’re definitely losing a lot of time there,” he said.
The camaraderie between the regions remained high despite the fierce competition. McClure and Swanger noted their “friendly rivalry” that began at Virginia International Raceway, with Swanger praising the clean, door-to-door racing that defined their weekend.
“We have respect for each other’s racing lines, but we can still run door-to-door in a class that doesn’t see that very often,” Swanger said.
Conclusion
From Eric Wong’s “rain master” performance on Saturday to Vernon McClure’s dominant charge through the field on Sunday, the GTS classes provided some compelling storylines. Mid-Atlantic drivers “stole some Northeast trophies,” but the technical lessons learned regarding dyno variances and weather prep will surely follow the field to Hyperfest at VIR and the upcoming NASA National Championships. With many drivers eyeing a return to the Glen in October, the rivalries forged this April are far from over.
