WATKINS GLEN, NY.- Corning Museum of Glass artist Eric Meek designed and produced the unique trophy Watkins Glen International presented to Marcos Ambrose in Gatorade Victory Lane last year. In 2013, Meek will be in Gatorade Victory Lane to present the one-of-a-kind piece of art he created this year’s winner of the Cheez-It™ 355 at The Glen.

It is once again an elegant cylindrical glass piece made of clear glass encasing a solid blue core in the shape of The Glen’s unique winding road course. The blue reflects The Glen’s iconic blue guardrail, as well as the color of Seneca Lake and Watkins Glen gorges. The piece is slightly curved, showcasing the fluidity of glass in its molten state.

Meek, a full-time gaffer at the Museum since 2005, graduated from Bowling Green State University and received his M.F.A. from Kent State University. Drawing upon tradition and fine craftsmanship to realize modern, elegant forms, Meek enhanced the final piece for this season’s winner. He was with the project from its development stages and on August 11 will be a part of the final step.

Located in the Finger Lake Region of New York, Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in Schuyler County. Tickets for all 2013 events at The Glen are available now by calling 866.461.RACE. Gift certificates, licensed merchandise, Thunder Road Tours and tickets are available for purchase at The Shop, located in downtown Watkins Glen at 2 North Franklin Street and online at www.TheGlen.com. The Shop is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Corning Museum of Glass is home to the world’s most important collection of glass, including the finest examples of glassmaking spanning 3,500 years. Live glassblowing demonstrations (offered at the Museum, on the road, and at sea on Celebrity Cruises) bring the material to life. Daily Make Your Own Glass experiences at the Museum enable visitors to create work in a state-of-the-art glassmaking studio. The campus in Corning includes a year-round glassmaking school, The Studio, and the Rakow Research Library, the world’s preeminent collection of materials on the art and history of glass. Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York State, The Museum is open daily, year-round. Kids and teens, 19 and under, receive free admission. www.cmog.org