Page "United States Grand Prix" Paragraph 17

Over the next twenty years, the event became a tradition among the fans as loyal crowds gathered each autumn on the wooded hills of Upstate New York.

It was one of the season's most popular events with the teams and drivers as well, receiving the Grand Prix Drivers ' Association award for the best organized and best staged Grand Prix of the season in 1965, 1970, and 1971.

In 1971, the course was lengthened to with the addition of the " boot " section and the straightening of other sections, and also saw a new pitlane.

The improvements cost nearly $ 2. 5 million ($ 13 million in 2010 dollars ).

Due to its position on the calendar near the end of the season, often either the final or penultimate round, championships were often decided before the event.

In part to offset this, race organizers offered large sums of prize money ; in 1969 the purse totaled $ 200, 000 ( with $ 50, 000 for the winner ), and when in 1972 it was raised to $ 275, 000, the Tyrrell team earned a record $ 100, 000.