YNN.com

Watertown / Fort Drum

Change region

  46º

You are not signed in  |  Sign in here  |  Help

You're viewing a lite version of ynn.com

Time Warner Cable customers: Sign in with your TWC ID for video access.

Get my TWC ID. | Get TWC service. | Read the FAQ.

08/13/2012 04:53 PM

No major problems during race weekend

By: Bill Mich

With close to 100,000 people in attendance this past weekend, the crowds at Watkins Glen International surpassed the population of most local towns. That said, the big crowds did not lead to big problems for law enforcement. Our Bill Mich spoke with officials and wraps up four days of non-stop entertainment.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

SCHUYLER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Sunday's race provided a finish for the ages.

"There's no question that's going to be Top 3 ever. You know, there is going to be Daytona down with the fight in the infield and then there is going to be Watkins Glen and the last lap," said WGI President, Michael Printup.

The second straight win by Macros Ambrose was the icing on the cake for a week long event at the Glen. Thousands spent their time in the campgrounds while others joined the festivities come Sunday afternoon.

"It was a great crowd. We don't have ticket numbers yet but it will probably be pretty close to 92, which is going to be a little bit better than 2010. That was one of our best years ever since 2000," said Printup.

And such a large crowd called for a large police presence. The Schuyler County Sheriff says about 200 extra officers were brought in from 25 surrounding agencies to fill about 500 shifts of duty from Wednesday until Monday morning. There were the general noise complaints and some issues with fireworks in the campgrounds, but the weekend only produced 16 arrests with two more pending investigation. A low key event for law enforcement.

"A lot of intoxicated people do dumb things, you know, steal signs. A number of petit larceny, fights, trespassing where people go in fenced in areas where they really shouldn't be in. That's why fences are there. But, overall, it was a minor weekend," said Schuyler County Sheriff, Bill Yessman.

The Sheriff says an unlawful possession of a weapon was the most serious offense this past weekend. And because of the good behavior, officers could enjoy NASCAR weekend almost as much as the fans did.