WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WETM) – This year, the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival will feature the one-of-a-kind concept car, the GM LeSabre, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Corvette and its history in Watkins Glen.

The car will be on display in front of the Schuyler County Courthouse right at the historic Start-Finish Line for the Old Course during the Festival.

The LeSabre was designed by General Motors Vice President Harley Earl in 1951, and after watching that year’s Grand Prix of road racing, helped him develop the design for the Corvette. The LeSabre will be joined on the lawn by an original 1953 Corvette, one of only 300 built in the first year of Corvette production. This car is 075 of the first run and will be displayed by its owner and restorer, Alan Bay of Long Island, New York.

To help celebrate Corvette racing history, a group of Corvette racing cars will be on display and participate in laps of the original road course.

On Thursday, Sept. 7, nearly 50 Corvettes will come together in the Lakewood Vineyards FLX Corvette Journey with a car show at Lafayette Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. On Friday, Sept. 8, Franklin Street through the village will close at 12:30 p.m. to allow hundreds of cars in Stone Bridge Driver groups to run laps on the Old Course, sponsored by Cayuga Health System.

At 5 p.m., the Festival will hold its award ceremony for the Corning Concours d’Elegance. The ceremony will be followed by ceremonies and tribute laps by Sportscar Vintage Racing Association cars from their trials at the track at Watkins Glen International. This year’s Festival is celebrating 75 years of post-World War II road racing in the U.S.

For more information, visit the Festival website.