Players and coaches from Maine-Endwell's world champion Little League team will serve as the grand marshals for the IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen, it was announced Wednesday by Watkins Glen International.
Maine-Endwell's 12A all-star team completed a 24-0 summer Sunday with a 2-1 victory over South Korea in the championship game of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The team also received the Jack Losch Little League World Series Team Sportsmanship Award.
"We are so proud of Maine-Endwell for their performance, both on the field and off, all season and in Williamsport," WGI President Michael Printup said in a press release. "Our team is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the world champions of Little League baseball and their families while introducing them to some of the best racing in the world, right here in Watkins Glen."
The race weekend starts Friday with practice sessions for the Indy Lights and Verizon IndyCar Series. The Indy Lights race will be held at 1:35 p.m. Saturday, with IndyCar qualifying at 3 p.m.
The 60-lap IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen is scheduled for 2:37 p.m. Saturday. It will be televised live by the NBC Sports Network.
This will be IndyCar's first race at Watkins Glen International since 2010. It was announced last week IndyCar will return to the road course through at least 2018.
For ticket information, visit theglen.com or call 866-461-7223.
State fair offers free admission
In honor of Maine-Endwell's World Series victory, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced residents of Broome, Chenango and Tioga counties can attend the New York State Fair for free Thursday. All Little League players from any county in New York can also receive free admission Thursday
“It’s our way of, once again, saying congratulations to the entire team,” Cuomo said. “It was the entire team playing together that brought home the championship. There’s no ‘I’ in team, they say, and Maine-Endwell Little League team showed that.”
The fair will host members of the M-E Little League Team on Thursday and will honor them at Chevy Court at 7:30 p.m.
All eligible patrons can pick up their free tickets at the fair admission gate with proof of address. Cuomo said eligible patrons can use a driver’s license, utility bill or any other document proving they live within the qualified zip codes.
Acting director of the fair, Troy Waffner, said there will be no limit to the number of free tickets issued to eligible patrons tomorrow.
“It’s meant to really draw folks up from that area as a celebration for the Maine-Endwell Little League team, so we’re not capping it,” Waffner said. “It’s an honor for those kids, but it’s a bigger honor for us at the State Fair to be able to host them for a few hours.”
