Watkins Glen, New York, October 6th
Watkins Glen, the 3.7-mile road circuit in the north of New York state, has been the scene of the World Championship’s final round ever since 1971, the Mexican Grand Prix having been dropped from the calendar that year. This year there was added interest attached to the United States Grand Prix, for this was the event which would decide both the drivers’ World Championship as well as the constructors’ title and most of the cars which had been present at the Canadian Grand Prix stayed in North America for the second race.
Such was the intensity of competition at Watkins Glen, this intensity fostered by the added attraction of a first prize totalling 50,000 dollars, that many teams took the opportunity to test at the circuit during the two-week break between races. However, an unexpected bout of cold weather a couple of days before the start of official practice made it seem as though the race might have to be cancelled, but fortunately sunny skies and higher temperatures returned before the serious business got under way.
