Press Snoop: Major minor Glen disappointments.

It wasn't the best weekend for up-and-coming young drivers at Watkins Glen International.

Rookie Indy Racing League IndyCar driver MARCO ANDRETTI was running a strong third, and had just turned the fastest lap of the race (127.873 mph), when he was hit by EDDIE CHEEVER and knocked out of the contest. Cheever, who was a lap down, was also out, but Marco, 19, clenched his fist. Father and team owner, MICHAEL ANDRETTI, had unkind things to say about Cheever - the oldest IRL driver on course - as did other drivers, including DANICA PATRICK, who said she was also hit by Cheever. Cheever blamed cold tyres. It must have been by design that the Andretti Green post-race release called Cheever a 'backmarker'.

Also at Watkins Glen International, but not racing, was teenager COLIN BRAUN, who had to sit out the Grand-Am race because of his age. Although he is an 'emancipated minor', the 17-year old driver couldn't race in the Grand American Road Racing Rolex Series race last weekend because of his age. The tobacco sponsorship of IRL's Marlboro Team Penske prevented that. There had been legal skirmishes in court earlier in the week but, in the end, team owner TRACY KROHN withdrew his lawsuit and Braun sat out the race.

He was replaced by BORIS SAID, and the Krohn Racing Ford Riley went on to win the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen race, with Said and JORG BERGMEISTER. As a result of the victory, Bergmeister is back on top of the Daytona Prototype standings. But team-mate Braun is not, as he's now missed two Grand-Am races because of IRL conflicts, and a third is yet to come in August at Infineon Raceway.

There were 20 lead changes in the Grand-Am race, among nine cars and twelve drivers. ROBIN LIDDELL and WOLF HENZLER won the GT class. They now are ten points behind GT points leaders, ANDY LALLY and MARC BUNTING, who had the pole for the race, but finished fifth.

SCOTT DIXON won the IRL race at Watkins Glen, which was marked by attrition due to crashes and spins on the wet track. Dixon gained two positions in the standings, and is now second in the standings, twelve points behind HELIO CASTRONEVES, who had the pole based on points standings when qualifying was rained out. Castroneves finished seventh.