Several months after the unexpected death of longtime Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup, fans took time to pay tribute to one of the most impactful people in the extensive history of the world-renowned road course.
A memorial during IMSA’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen weekend in late June featured pictures and quotes recognizing the life and loss of Printup, a Hamburg, New York, native who died Dec. 31, 2025 at home in Summerville, South Carolina at age 60.
Numerous others reached out. Stephanie Printup, Michael’s wife of 32 years, described the number of cards sent by well-wishers as “mind-blowing.”
“I don’t even know if he knew how many people’s lives he impacted and touched,” she added.
Matt Printup, Michael’s youngest son, expressed the gratitude the family has felt amid the outpouring of support.
“That’s a testament to who he was, that people that really hardly knew him beyond his name and what he did for the track cared about him enough to memorialize like that,” Matt said of the Six Hours tribute.
“The fans were important to him, and he was important to the fans. I don’t think that’s something he ever got to see, but it’s a shame because I wish he got to see that.”
The public face of Michael Printup was a driven force within NASCAR who helmed its Schuyler County racetrack from 2009 until 2023. His hats were many. Printup oversaw NASCAR’s food services contract and was president of Americrown, a NASCAR subsidiary responsible for catering, concessions and merchandise.
Printup’s tenure was highlighted by nearly $60 million in capital improvement projects, record attendance and eight consecutive grandstand sellouts for the Cup Series weekend, and seeing the track honored as Best NASCAR Track in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards four times from 2016 to 2020.
He helped bring popular jam band Phish to the track for two concert festivals — 2011’s Super Ball IX and 2015’s Magnaball — that have taken a revered place in Phish history. A planned Curveball festival in 2018 was canceled after a rainstorm that left the facility without potable water.
Printup’s 2023 “retirement” was short-lived. He said yes to the opportunity to become chief operating officer for Parella Motorsports Holdings, most notably owner of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) that has been a Watkins Glen fixture over the years.
The personal side of Printup’s life was all about family.
Along with Matthew, 22, Stephanie and Michael’s firstborn was Brendan, now 28.
Matthew recently graduated from Norwich University (Vermont), where he was a member of the golf team, and is now an infantry captain in the U.S. Army stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Brendan is an Army captain stationed in Vilseck, Germany, where he lives with his wife, Caitlin, their 4-year-old daughter Sophia, and their 1-year-old daughter Vivienne.
“The amount of love he had for his children was incredible,” Stephanie said of Michael. “There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t have done for our boys. He always said he felt bad he missed out on a lot of things, but there’s nothing he wouldn’t have done for them.”
Matthew said there is nothing he would have changed about his dad.
If he ever had a problem or needed advice, Michael was the first one Matt called. The word that pops into Matt’s mind about his dad is “thoughtful,” adding every move he made was calculated and smart.
“Life for him was like chess, and he played it very well,” Matt said.
The addition of two granddaughters after raising only boys brought out a softer side of Printup, who played tea party, read books and sang to them.
“No one else was around at the time. He was just in his moment with those two,” Stephanie said.
A fan’s perspective as track president
Printup grew up an ardent fan of Formula One, which held its U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen from 1961 to 1980. He would wake up at 2 a.m. to watch racing and convinced Stephanie that Montreal would be the ideal setting for their honeymoon. It was no coincidence Montreal hosted its annual Formula One race at the time, a nice accompaniment to the sight-seeing and other activities Stephanie said helped make up a beautiful honeymoon.
The race fan in Printup came through in how he viewed the sport as track president.
“When you see all that come together and you see all the fans interacting with our team and cheering on their favorite driver, that’s all I need,” Printup said in a 2021 interview. “Call that my bonus every year is watching the fans interact with the sport.”
Printup relished the opportunity to meet with fans and get their feedback during race weekends.
“For him, it was never, ‘I have to do Donuts with the Prez or Hot Dogs with the Prez’; he was excited to do it, and he enjoyed it,” Matt said. “I think that’s a rare thing to see. Some of those people he didn’t know, but some of them he built relationships with.”
For all the success Watkins Glen had during his tenure, Printup was quick to defer credit to co-workers he unwaveringly referred to as “the team.” Stephanie said that was the case even in private, though Michael also took great pride in the pivotal role he played at WGI.
“He was very committed to the job, but I would say he was more committed to the people that he led,” Matt said. “He loved his job and he loved the work, and auto racing was always a big part of his life and subsequently a big part of my life as well.
“I could see in the people that he would introduce me to that they didn’t like him because he was the boss, they liked him because he was him, and they liked him because he took care of them, and he was a good leader.”
Stephanie said her husband had an ability to relate to anyone.
“He really cared about who he was talking to; that’s what drew me to Michael,” she said. “Just easy to talk to, very welcoming, and he knew his audience, whether it was talking to one person or he was talking to a group of people or he was giving a speech, he was relatable.
“His smile would put everyone at ease. You couldn’t help not smile when you were with Michael.”
Printup created lasting memories with family
Family time for Printup included attending Matt’s golf meets or Brendan’s baseball games at Horseheads High School. Matt said he understood when work prevented his dad from attending all his events, but he appreciated any time Dad rushed over after a day at the office to watch him play.
The amount of travel was extensive for Michael. Brendan said the family appreciated that he did it all for them.
“You don’t see that as a kid. It’s really hard to see that because all you see is dad’s gone, but he was doing it for a good reason,” Brendan said.
More often than not, family vacations revolved around golf. While Stephanie didn’t play, she loved watching Michael and the boys. Michael made sure they stayed at a nice condo or hotel, and Stephanie said he had a knack for always finding a destination she loved. Michael was an avid golfer until hurting his shoulder.
A fly-fishing trip to the Madison River in Montana was among the highlights.
Other hobbies included hunting and target shooting, which harkened back to Michael’s Native American roots. His father was 100% Seneca Native American, and Michael had a library of books and records he kept at the house recognizing his heritage. He passed on that pride to Stephanie and their children.
One of Michael’s favorite places was the mountaintop area of Ga’hai near Salamanca. Every November, he would join his brother for a hunting trip on Seneca land.
“That was something he impressed upon my brother and I was to know where you came from,” Matt said. “Not many people are able to trace their lineage like we were able to.”
Michael and Stephanie owned a Sea Ray Sundancer they took out on Seneca Lake. Sometimes Michael and the boys would spend the night on it while Stephanie slept in the more conventional comforts of nearby Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel. Michael took advantage of lunch breaks to spend more time on the boat.
He also loved being on The Glen’s asphalt track. He taught Matt how to drive at Watkins Glen International, a perk for father and son.
In step with his commitment to WGI and NASCAR, Printup thought it was important to become as involved as possible in the community. The Horseheads resident was on numerous boards, a lobbyist and even ran for Chemung County Legislature in 2018. Stephanie was convinced he would have won if he had more time to go door-to-door.
“He never said no. He was always up for a challenge,” she said. “If somebody was counting on him, he never wanted to let anybody down, including me.”
Said Matt of his dad’s roles within his primary position, “It was a job that he put his heart and soul into in every aspect.”
At home in South Carolina
When Printup departed WGI in 2023, he cited travel demands as a reason, particularly time spent from family. A draw for his return to professional life at Parella was the ability to mostly work from home, though Stephanie said Michael missed the in-person interaction with co-workers.
Matt said his dad “loved the Finger Lakes with all his heart” and still visited after moving to South Carolina with Stephanie in 2023. That final chapter of life was a happy one.
“He loved South Carolina,” Matt said. “He liked being in a new place. My mom and him were able to spend a lot more time together because he was working from home.”
Said Stephanie, “It was just a whole relaxed environment. I kind of felt like I had the Michael that I met back. He actually relaxed.”
His sudden loss left an irreplaceable void for the family.
“I just miss being able to talk about my life to him and tell him all the stuff I was doing,” Matt said. “He always cared about what was going on. Every time something was happening, good or bad, I’d call him and I’d catch up and talk to him about that stuff. He would always make some time to listen and care. That’s what I miss the most is being able to tell him about everything, hear his advice on what I was doing.”
Moments such as Matt’s graduation from Norwich in May have been challenging.
“These family events are bittersweet,” Stephanie said. “His presence is so missed because he was always the life of the party.
“I have never felt happiness and sadness, sheer grief, simultaneously in my life before. That’s what happens at these events now. There’s days I still can’t believe it.”
Watkins Glen International remains a special place for Matt, who plans to make his way there at some point for another race weekend. He holds with him the knowledge his dad’s efforts helped create special memories for so many people and lasting friendships for Michael and the rest of the family.
“He wanted to make sure that when fans showed up to his racetrack they had a great time and they had a great experience, and if he could make someone’s experience better that was his goal,” Matt said.
“It wasn’t so he could sell more tickets. Sure, that was nice, but to be honest he didn’t care about that. He cared about making sure fans had a great time and that people enjoyed it because he understood what it was like to go to a sporting event or something of that nature as a kid or as a young man and have that be your first time. If you have a great experience, you’re going to keep coming back. All of the sudden you’ve got a place to go for life.”
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Longtime WGI president’s lofty legacy resonates 7 months after death
Reporting by Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
