WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WENY) - On Saturday afternoon racing fans from around the region came to Watkins Glen International to take their own personal cars for a drive around the track. According to track President, Dawn Burlew, over 600 people registered to drive their cars around the WGI track--and we even got to take the WENY News car for a spin! 

This event is just one of the many events going on up in Watkins Glen. Getting to drive your own car around the track allowed people to get some-what of a feel for what it's like to be a race car driver. Sean Campbell, a teacher from the Rochester area came to the Southern Tier to test out his newly built car. 

"I am the automotive tech teacher at Webster Thomas High School in Webster, New York. We purchased this vehicle a few years ago and this is one of the vehicles that my students built over the past few years so the engine, the drive train and we put the whole car together on a shoe-string budget", said Campbell. "This is kind of our first little maiden voyage out. We've always gone to the cars and coffee, we've never made it out to The Glen. This was the first year we pulled the trigger so I'm glad we did--it's been a blast."

For many, actually being on the track gave them a different point of view. 

James Flick, an attendee said, "Well it's definitely a lot bigger than it looks like in the Grand Stands and stuff like that. The road is a lot wider. The corners are a lot sharper too once you actually take them but it's definitely interesting being out there, watching, even playing video games with this track it's super cool to be on the track itself."

WGI brings the local racing community together. Flick says he even met some new friends from this experience. 

"The red one's mine, Kyle's my best friend from high school and these three guys we actually just met in Rochester ten minutes before leaving so they tagged along. It's a pretty cool time, we're definitely Volkswagen ganging it up for sure."

If you missed the chance to go to the track today, there is still time to go tomorrow! They will be allowing cars to drive on the track from 9am-2pm. It costs $20 and you can register here or get tickets at WGI.